All Locations > Colorado > Alpine Rock > San Juans > Grenadiers

The Guardian Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in The Guardian

L › R R › L A › Z

	A Prayer to Earl and Valerie: The John Joline Memorial Route T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Serpentine Son Rise (AKA The Sunrise) T 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Theory of the Leisure Class T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Weather Window Waltz (The Guardian NE Face) T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a

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Elevation:	13,600 ft
GPS:	37.6624, -107.5407 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	11,073 total · 72/month
Shared By:	Nic Harnish on Aug 17, 2010 · Updates
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

Description

The Guardian is the easternmost peak in the Grenadiers. The circa 1700 foot North East Face offers superb, technical, quartzite climbing. So far I have not found any information for any previous technical ascents of the peak, so I imagine if there are there are very few. Negotiating the southern aspects are the best bet for descent (if you're willing to leave gear possibly the E ridge). Surprisingly good, quartzsite rock climbing awaits.

Getting There

From Silverton, Co drive up and over Stony Pass until you reach junction that has a sign that says 40 miles to Creede or 6 to Kite Lake. Go to Kite Lake. A half mile before the actual Kite Lake there is a trail head for Hunchback Pass which leads to the Vallecito Creek Trail. Go over Hunchback Pass and down into the valley. Hike another mile or so, the Guardian's North Face looms above more prominent than anything else to the west. Cross the creek near a waterfall over a grouping of downed timber and head directly up the sparsely forested slope to the basin diectly below the North Face. From the trailhead to basin is only about 4.5 miles. There is a running creek in the basin.