PRINT: Rock Climbing in Dead Colt Canyon, Shelf Road

Dead Colt Canyon

Colorado > Canon City > Shelf Rd > Sand Gulch

Description

Dead Colt Canyon is an obscure and remote crag not often visited. It offers a small collection of routes with names inspired by "The Who", and potential for more. The cliff faces north. Most of the routes here are on the short side, but offer excellent rock.

Routes here include:
Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy, 12-;
Who's Next?, 11;
Won't Get Fooled Again, 12-;
America is Waiting, 11;
Elvis Solution, 11+;
Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma, 12;
Air Conitioned Falls, 11+;
End of All Porpoises, 12;
Porpoise Path, 12-;
Snivling Rat Face, 11.

Location

While this crag is technically part of the far NW end of Sand Gulch, the best approach begins from the parking lot at The Bank Campground. From this lot, hike NW on the left road (rather than taking the right road fork into The Bank canyon) for ~20 minutes to a fork. Follow the left fork into the canyon, near the left end of the Dead Colt Wall. Bushwhack up to the cliff.

Routes from Left to Right

5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 1 ● End of all Porpoises Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 1 ● Porpoise Path Sport

● End of all Porpoises

5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport

● Porpoise Path

5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Leslie Coon

3 New Routes in Shelf Road, in the Dead Colt Canyon area. The first was listed as a project , on p. 75 of the new Fred Knapp guidebook, #7. It is rated 5.12c, and is called End of all Porpises. (It is also route #8 on p. 82 of the Van Horn guidebook). The next route, #8 on the same page, is rated 5.12a, and is called Porpise Path. It looks like a porpise. On p. 81of the Van Horn guidebook, routes 1-4 are listed as 2500 feet (east) from the Elvis Solution route. In the other direction, 2500 feet west of Elvis Solution, is the route Mountain Lion, 10b, on a smooth face opposite the curve in the road where it goes over the mesa. Jul 2, 2005