Electric Hills Bouldering Climbing
Elevation: | 6,550 ft | 1,996 m |
GPS: |
38.41675, -107.98729 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
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Page Views: | 19,418 total · 451/month | |
Shared By: | Beebo Cornelious on May 23, 2021 | |
Admins: | Edward Medina, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Description
This area has been visited by local climbers for many decades and, being largely unpublicized, has gone by many names: Highway 90, Lower Temple Park, and most recently, Electric Hills. Ira Edstrom and friends stumbled on this area in the late 90's and in a flurry of exploration, cleaning and development, found numerous traces of past climbing. Like most bouldering areas in Colorado, old-school hardmen seem to have climbed everywhere, and the Electric Hills are no exception. Edstrom's crew maintained and distributed to anyone who asked, a mini-guide of the area they used for their own reference (and to constantly sandbag each other). Pages from this guide are supplied in the image section of each sub-area for those who like that sort of thing. Take those grades with a grain of salt! If anyone has information from the era prior to the late 90's, please let the page author know so it can be recorded.
The Electric Hills have some of the best bouldering near Montrose with only a 15-20 minute drive out of town. This is a decent sized area with many boulders scattered around and gathered in the three drainages. There is something here for everyone, from short, casual V0 beginner lines to crazy bushwhacking adventures in search of lichen infested highballs.
The rock here is highly-featured sandstone that lends itself well to fun, easier climbing, with the occasional testpiece. The potential exists for endless contrivances and eliminations. The climbing is similar in style to the Dry Creek or Unaweep boulders, but the stone tends to be a bit grittier and softer. Many of the larger boulders have aging toprope anchors on them from a bygone era. Avoid the area during and a few days after rain or snow as the rock will melt like a sugar cube when wet and the roads can turn to deep, impassable grease in spots.
This is a hot and dry environment that can receive moderate to light winds all day (this is welcomed). Bring lots of water! Like many desert areas, the springtime can bring swarms of tiny biting gnats. The approach is accessible by most vehicles and requires either about a 3/4 mile hike in (~20 minutes) or a 1/2 mile hike (~10 minutes) depending on where you park. More details are in the "Getting There" section. This area is popular with people of varied interests; be a good example and steward. The open area directly across Hwy 90 from the staging area is a popular shooting spot. Often, shots can be heard, but the boulders are a long way in the opposite direction of the bullets' trajectory; there has never been an incident to occur that is worth noting. As always, we climb in the territory of other animals. Bear mace isn't a bad idea.
Getting There
If you're familiar with the area, here's the short version:
Drive out of Montrose via CO Highway 90. Shortly after the road turns to dirt but before the big switchbacks, look for and turn into a large staging area on the left. Parallel the highway through the staging area and onto one of the roads exiting the staging area on the southwest side. Any of these roads will funnel you south to the approach road. Shortly after passing under the powerlines, you'll see a wood gate on the right. This is the first access and is best for the Middle and North Drainages.
To find the second access, follow the road a bit further, take the next right turn and you'll eventually come to a second wood gate tucked back a bit on the right. This is the second access and is best for the South Drainage.
For those not familiar with the area:
Begin by either mapping "Oak Grove Elementary, Montrose, CO" (Google and Apple maps can you straight to it). From there, head south on Colorado Highway 90 for about 15 minutes. The road will make several turns. Simply remain on the paved road. You will pass a large power station on the right, and that is when you know you are close. Continue west for a few more minutes, and when the road splits in two, head LEFT up the dirt road named "County Road 90." A sign will indicate that a town called "Nucla" is this way. Continue up the dirt road for maybe a minute until you see a large dirt parking lot on your left. You will know you've gone too far if you drive through back-to-back hairpin turns. The correct entrance is maybe 50 yards passed the large dirt parking area, on the left, indicated by the star. Hidden behind shrubs with a silver gate (pictures below) will indicate the correct road. The majority of vehicles can be driven on this dirt road if driven slow. Drive/walk until a grassy pullout area, on the left. This is an ideal place to park. If you find that your car cannot make it, park at the large dirt parking lot, and walk from there. From the large dirt lot, the approach is about mile (~20 minutes). If you made it to the grassy parking further south, continue walking along the road until you a see a wooden entrance on your right (no gate, just wooden posts and trail head signs). Hike up the hill, and follow the light path until you approach the first boulder, "Mars Landing." Several trails will stem off to the right before reaching it; however, remain following the light path until you find Mars Landing. From there, continue passed it on a faint trail OR turn around and head off one of the previously mentioned "stemming trails" (that will now be on your left). You should be able to see the boulderfield from there. Occasionally, a waterfall will be running on the cliff sides left of the boulder field (if looking south, facing the boulders).
Classic Climbing Routes at Electric Hills Bouldering
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