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Real Lost Canyon

Colorado > Gunnison

Description

RLC is a section of sandstone cliff-line with some boulders just outside of Gunnison. This area is not to be confused with Lost Canyon which is further up 135. The sandstone here is really brittle. Some of the rock is amazing, but you will quickly learn which types of holds and features exceed the rock's holding power.

This area has good bouldering and some really short sport and trad routes. The main draws to this area are: its proximity to Gunnison, it gets lots of sun (good in the winter), the rock is pretty unique compared to a lot of the surrounding areas, and it has a good concentration of difficult problems.

There are two obvious clusters of boulders split by a wash. Past the second cluster is where the cliff gets taller and the routes start.

Getting There

From Gunnison: head North on 135, take a right onto the frontage road towards Cranor Hill. Veer right onto County Rd 10 (Lost Canyon Rd). After a while, the road will fork, and you will keep straight/right onto a dirt road. You will pass some houses, then a firing range on your left, and then will start to notice rocks off to the left. A few hundred meters past the firing range, there will be a pull-off to the right, park there. Across the road you will see two zones of boulders separated by a wash. This is RLC.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The Cure (Extension).
[Hide Photo] The Cure (Extension).

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

1rsties4life Carnes
CO
[Hide Comment] I can remember climbing here in the mid '90s. Courtney Scales showed it to me, and he and I used to go here mid winter and do the highball faces in the sun when we were desperate to touch some stone. There's a face that was shot at a bunch with bullet holes on the far right side of the cliff, and we would always try to climb the bullet holes. It looks like you guys might be strong enough to actually do it.

Another story is a couple of months after climbing in the Black and breaking my left big toe from trundling a rock on it 10' from the rim. Courtney and I went to RLC and cleaned out underneath a low roof. I was pushing a boulder out of the way that rolled back on that same toe and crushed it. It hasn't been able to bend since, and now I have to wear one shoe larger than the other. Nice work reviving an area and sending some hard routes. Feb 28, 2012
patrick donahue
Bend, OR
[Hide Comment] Anyone know any details on the roped climbing about 200 yards climbers right of this area? Went to scout it out today and only found 4 anchors, 2 of which where for sport routes and the other 2 for trad. Oct 22, 2012
Max Lasky
Crested Butte, CO
[Hide Comment] Will, that's super fucked up! I've only bouldered on the sandstone above 135 which is not RLC.... I was wondering if someone could either post or pm the beta to get to RLC. The description on this page doesn't really help. Thanks! Sep 18, 2013