All Locations > Colorado > Durango > Horse Gulch Open Space

Horse Gulch Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Horse Gulch

	D VIOUS (Stand Start) V7+ 7A+ R
	Fingering Technique V3- 6A
	Heely V3-4 6A+
	Heely Extended V4 6B
	Horse Rides, Left and Right T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Middle Finger Pocket V4+ 6B+
	Petra's Wild Ride T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Sabine's Magical Mystery Tour T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Warm-up Fin V0 4

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Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	6,676 ft
GPS:	37.26108, -107.87211 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	2,758 total · 29/month
Shared By:	Matthias Holladay on Jul 16, 2016
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Sandstone Outcrops

These are nIce, little cliffs on both sides of the entrance to Horse Gulch with bold routes not for the inexperienced.

Another series of cliffs with great heucos are high above on the escarpment. Access is via Meadow Loop to hairpin of Anazazi's Descent. Follow the drainage north to the top of the cliffs.

Getting There

For roped climbs, cliff usually in the shade on super hot summer days: From mouth of Gulch, go to S corner, over dry creek and follow Hobo Trail South to level area where there is a quarry. Take a left to the grade north of the old quarry. Go east gently uphill to a utility pole. Descend and traverse to base of cliff.

Max: SO very cool you are doing some of these bouldering routes, and naming them. 1st ascent, 2nd ascent, I don't care. I'm just psyched your'e on these problems.

Here's the way I describe getting to the problems on the south-facing slope. From the mouth of the gulch, ascend Hobo Trail following steep ridge (bike descent too). There are nice little alcoves/ benches on the way up. Get level with about 10'-15' below top of problems' topout, and skirt along below top on indistinct trail/flat rocks along cliff-lets to much higher cliff with grafitti.

Big horizontal OW. After big OW is a project, waiting.... Then an alcove with two boulder corner cracks problems. "Dirty Left" corner has nice jug to get you up-- "Dirty Right" on west side the corner there's nice hollow big blocks. This gets you on the shelf. Also right there look up---yes! a wild variety of TRs topping out to very top of cliff, with overhanging, horizontal corner roofs ^^/\ /\ and excellent cracks to surmount, use big hex at top to keep rope safe. Crazy Cracks, 2007?, TR, Holladay & Ludwig.

Anyhoo, walk further east on ledge to short bolted line (soloed then bolted and cleaned 2015, bolts, pro. 5.5, MH). Then there's a 5.0 solo staircase to the top of the cliff.

Now, from 5.0 part way up on the right traverse, this is the area where you likely got psyched about. There's a whole bunch of clean problems, nice mantel to cracks, aretes, and pocket with big foot hold right to top out. Document these problems anyway you want to. IDC.

The trees kind of hide you. . . , and get this: after 5.0 partway up on the right traverse, a "finger-like-dike" goes right all the way to that big foot hold. Feet not so could. I soloed right to those 2 or 3 routes but got spooked and downclimbed. It'd need lots of scrubbing, it'd be an ankle breaker, and need many pads and spotters to traverse right the whole way.