Boulder Climbing

Boulder is a small city of approximately 100,000, 40 minutes northwest of Denver, blessed with an amazing amount of rocks with decent variety of rock type for cragging minutes from downtown. Tucked at the base of the The Flatirons this picturesque community is convenient for climbers and has attracted more than its share of our vertically oriented community. Its youthful presence of students at the University of Colorado, CU attracts a better than average selection of restaurants and shops to satisfy your non-climbing needs.

For rock type, you can find granite, solid Fountain Formation sandstone, Dakota sandstone, quartzite, and even some gneiss or schist for your vertical adventures. A bit further afield you can find basalt, conglomerate, even limestone. For climbing styles, you can find routes from boulder problems to 700 foot vertical crags to 2300 foot slabbing adventures from highballs to bolted sport climbs to mind-challenging traditional lines. You can even climb in the rain. You can play on crowded rock or find nearly untraveled stone. You can even seek out occasional ice or mixed climbs. For seasons, you can find something to climb virtually any day of the year, depending upon your climbing style or tolerances to weather.

At one point in history, some might argue that the rocks around this town were a focal point for the advancement of American climbing. Still, these crags are rich with history. Today, with perhaps the exception of the high-end climber, nearly every climber can find something nearby to satisfy their climbing desires.

Areas nearby include:

Eldorado Canyon State Park
As one of the world's finest and most famous climbing areas, Eldorado Canyon needs little introduction. It consists of steep, beautiful Fountain Formation sandstone walls of up to 700 feet high, in brilliant shades of gold and red. The rock quality is reminiscent of granite rather than the soft sandstone found throughout much of Utah and Arizona.

The Flatirons
The Flatirons are synonymous with Boulder and the history of rock climbing in North America. It would be hard to find another location in the country where such an extensive variety, from scrambling to hard "Head Point" routes existing so close to a city.

Boulder Canyon
Minutes from downtown Boulder, a wide variety of climbing types and beautiful scenery make Boulder Canyon a favorite for many locals to climb. The rock type is granite, smooth in places but for the most part highly textured. A side canyon, Dream Canyon, has gained populariy.

Flagstaff Mt
A popular and well-known bouldering area. Follow Baseline Rd. W into the hills. Note, parking may cost if you don't have Boulder County plates.

There are many nearby areas to climb including: Mickey Mouse Wall, Eldorado Mt, Coal Creek Canyon. Further afield are areas to climb including crags surrounding Lyons, Golden, Denver, Castlewood Canyon SP, Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Indian Peaks Wilderness, Cedar Park, Empire, Idaho Springs, and Georgetown. So much to climb, so much to enjoy. Maybe, that's why so many climbers live nearby.