Access Issue: Access closed due to rockfall by city - no longer open
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Access Issue: Seasonal Closures 2025 - Bitty Buttress, Blob, Security Risk reopened. Eagle Rock opened 5/19/25.
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Access Issue: Closure - now open
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Lots of excellent 5.10 and 5.11 sport climbs have been established here over the past few years, mostly by Bob D'Antonio and Vaino Kodas. A few routes require some supplementary gear in addition to the bolts, so be sure to check the route description before you head up a climb with just quickdraws.
Bring a 60m rope; there was a serious lowering accident here in 2004 when a belayer let the end of the rope slip through his belay device, and the leader fell 25' to the ground and suffered serious injuries.
There are also a few trad climbs and runout bolted climbs established many years ago by Jim Erickson, Dan Hare, and others, but these are seldom climbed today.
From the intersection of Broadway and Colorado 119 in Boulder, follow Colorado 119 west towards the town of Nederland. About eight miles up the Canyon turn left into a large parking area for Boulder Falls.
From the Boulder Falls Trail walk in on the 'tourist path.' Per Grape Alien: just before you arrive at Boulder Falls, the climber’s trail splits left through some talus and climbs uphill above the falls. You'll notice a very small climber's access tag bolted to a rock. You'll go up this way and then through the keyhole and down to access climbing.
(Eds. it used to be: until you nearly come to a park bench. Switchback to the left between some caged rocks and a tree. Switchback again to the right on top of the rocks. Above you is a second set of caged rocks - pass these on the left (south) end, or climb over. From here, angle up and right on a faint path. There were some small cairns leading the way on 7/12/03. You are aiming for a small 'tunnel' near a dead tree that is, again, up and right from the caged rocks. Just before you arrive at Boulder Falls, the climber’s trail splits left through some talus and climbs uphill above the falls. You'll notice a very small climber's access tag bolted to a rock. You'll go up this way and then through the keyhole and down to access climbing.)
Pass through the tunnel and hike steeply down the other side, heading to the water's edge, and follow a path upstream to a boulder jumble. The Plotinus Wall should be clearly visible uphill at 11:00, and the Wall of Winter Warmth at about 1:00, across the creek.
Head up through the boulders to the bottom of the wall, just below the bolted slab, "The Scientist".
Per Katherine Kelly: the Boulder Climbing Community, working alongside OSMP, Boulder County and Forest Service has secured access to the Plotinus area. Access to Plotinus is provisionally granted for climbing access. It is still closed to the population at large.
Per Greg Hand: beginning with the route farthest up the hill (Left).
A1 .My Buddy, 10 (start with Bedtime Story, then branch left), 1p, bolts.
A2. Bedtime Story, 10, 1p.
B. Sleepless Child, 9, 1p, gear, crack through tree.
C. Morpheus, 11, 1p, bolts, RFD.
D. Wake Up Call, 10, 1p, bolts.
E1. Snooze Button, 10, 1p, bolts.
E2. Chore Boy, 10, 1p, bolts.
F. Smell the Coffee, 10-, 1p, bolts.
G. The Daily Grind, 10+, 1p, bolts.
above F/G. Caffeine Buzz, 8, 1p, bolts.
H. Napster, 10, 1p, bolts.
I. Something Obscure, 10-, 1p, gear.
J. Tooth Fairy, 11, 1p, bolts.
K. Mr. Sandman, 10, 1p, bolts.
L. Golden Slumber, 10+, 1p, bolts.
M. Sleepless in Boulder, 11-, 1p, bolts.
N. The Art of Dreaming, 12, 1p, bolts, traverse.
O. The Bobsled, 12-, 1p, bolts.
P. War on Freedom, 13, 1p, bolts.
Q. Lucky Strikes, 12, 1p, bolts, dihedral.
R. Old bolt route right of corner,11-?
The following routes begin from a ledge:
S. The Scientist, 11, 1p, bolts, slab.
T. Plotinus, 10, 1p, gear.
U. Rama, 11-, 1p, bolts, corner.
V. Lucid Dreaming, 13-, 1p, bolts, arete.
The following routes are around to the right on a ledge overlooking the creek:
W. Boulder Quartz System, 12-, 1p, bolts.
X1. Tooth and Nail, 11-, 1p, bolts.
X2. Counting Sheep, 11, 1p, bolts.
Y1. Sominex, 11-, 1p, crack.
Y2. Sleep Deprivation, 10, 1p, crack.
Below the ledge is one route:
Z. I Have a Dream, 11-, 1p, bolts.
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Boulder Colorado
Golden, CO
Plotinus Wall routes Left to Right
Beginning with the route farthest up the hill (Left).
My Buddy 10b/c * (start with Bedtime Story, then branch left)
Bedtime Story 10b **
Sleepless Child 9 (all gear, 1980) follow crack thru tree
Morpheus 11c ** - Long right-facing corner
Wake Up Call 10b **
Snooze Button 10b ***
Chore Boy 10b/c ** (shares 1st bolt with Snooze)
Smell the Coffee 10a **
The Daily Grind 10d *
Caffeine Buzz 8 * (2nd pitch for Smell the Coffee or Daily Grind)
Napster 10c * (4 bolts along flake)
Something Obscure 10- (1975 crack, Erickson)
Tooth Fairy 11c **
Mr. Sandman 10c ** (behind tree)
Golden Slumber 10d **
Sleepless in Boulder 11a/b **
The Art of Dreaming 12b/c ** (rising traverse right)
The Bobsled 12a **
Project
Lucky Strikes 12b ** Big inside corner
Old bolt route right of corner - 11a?
The following routes begin from a ledge:
The Scientist 11a/b *** (impossible looking slab)
Plotinus 10 (all gear, 1974) follow rising crack
Rama 11a ** (V-shaped corner)
Lucid Dreaming 13a *** (arete)
The following routes are around to the right on a ledge overlooking the creek:
Boulder Quartz System 12a/b **
Tooth and Nail 11a/b ** (same start as Counting Sheep, then left)
Counting Sheep 11b *
Sominex 11a/b * (start with crack or scramble to ledge from right)
Sleep Deprivation 10c * (start with crack or scramble to ledge from right)
Below the ledge is one route:
I Have a Dream 11a * 4 bolts Mar 24, 2003
Denver
the wasatch
Seattle, WA
chuck ziulkowski Mar 18, 2008
Boulder Colorado
Denver, CO
From the UD parking lot find the emergency phone. 20 feet southwest of that is an 8x8 post about 12 feet high. Line up the emergency phone pole and the post and walk along that line across a field towards a private property sign nailed to a tree. Find a faint trail about 10 or 15 feet into the trees on the right (west) side of the private property sign. Follow that trail skirting on the edge of private property signs (and always within view of houses) down a small gully and then back up the other side. The trail will become undefined as you hike back up out of the gully. Continue walking south/southwest until you hit a 4 foot high wooden slat fence making sure too keep the private property signs to the east. Go right (west) to the end of the fence (presumably the end of the private property). Go around the end and follow a faint trail south into a steep, loose, crappy gully. Scramble down said crappy gully several hundred meters until you hit a series of ledges. If the ledges are wet, you may want to go to climber's left and try downclimbing a corner (low 5th) for about 20 feet. Scramble down more scree to the river, find some logs across, and then hike up to Plotinus. I would expect at least 30-45 minutes for the approach and longer for the return. In my opinion, the trip isn't worth the trouble, but there it is.
Incidentally, I have no idea if any or all of this route is on private property, but judging from the private property signs that are always east of the route I think it is on public property. If it is private, let me know and I will remove this post. Apr 11, 2010
Denver, CO
The Boulder Falls Trail continues to be closed to the public since the 2013 floods. Accessing the climbing areas in Lower Dream Canyon (Plotinus Wall) from the Boulder Falls Trail is off limits. In addition, the slopes above the Boulder Falls Trail are closed to access.
Dropping into Lower Dream Canyon from the Upper Dream Canyon access point crosses private property and is not permitted by the land owner. Climbers accessing this area from Upper Dream Canyon are trespassing.
So, I ask, how do you get to it if you can't go up from Boulder Falls and you can go down from Upper Dream? Please let me know. Nov 26, 2016
Golden, CO
Hey, if anyone was out at Plotinus this weekend (Sat or Sun) and came across a pair of belay glasses in their case near Chore Boy, can you hit me up? My glasses fell off, and I literally just bought them, I'd love to use them at least once. Lol.
Thanks everyone, Mar 5, 2017
Boulder, CO
Boulder, CO
Just before you arrive at Boulder Falls, the climber’s trail splits left through some talus and climbs uphill above the falls. You will notice a very small climber's access tag bolted to a rock. You will go up this way and then through the keyhole and down to access climbing. Access to Plotinus is provisionally granted for climbing access. It is still closed to the population at large.
Admin and others, please reach out to me, Kate Beezley, at Boulder Climbing Community with any additional questions. Jul 30, 2018
Boulder, CO
Boulder, CO
Westminster, Colorado
Boulder Colorado
Update on OSMP's position on the likelihood of reopening:
"After a significant rockfall at Boulder Falls last November, the City of Boulder is weighing whether to relocate the viewing area farther from the falls or permanently close trail access.
Boulder Falls, located 11 miles up Boulder Canyon Drive, features a short hike to a waterfall and access to Plotinus Wall, a popular climbing area. In 2023, the city recorded 261,000 visits to the site. However, access has been closed indefinitely since the November rockslide, which sent large rocks down the western slope and damaged key infrastructure. Consultants recently concluded the site carries a high risk of ongoing, potentially catastrophic rockfall events that could cause serious injuries or fatalities.
“Given this report, we cannot put the trail back in its previous alignment,” Hilary Dees, a senior manager of visitor infrastructure for the city, told the Open Space Board of Trustees in an August meeting. “Visitation at Boulder Falls will look different than what the public has grown used to.” Sep 26, 2025