Colosseum Rock Climbing

This area encompasses all the buttresses, fins and walls on the left side of the highway at just above the 4000ft mark. The areas are all mostly sunny in the morning and go into the shade at roughly 12-1pm (with the approach going into the shade between 230-4pm depending on season).  It is a spring, winter and fall area. At this time, the area is predominately single pitch sport routes, with a lot more potential for additional single pitch and even multi-pitch lines.  Historically, a few visits by would be first ascentionists have left a trad route here and there as well. Yet, many, after realizing how much loose and bad rock there is in some places, abandoned the idea and simply walked away. A few willing to ferret out the best rock have left growing assortment of safe and surprisingly good to great routes here, with a low-mountain caveat. The area is still under development with plans for many more routes over the next seasons. The area now has a high enough concentration to make it a crag worth visiting. Optimal season is Nov-April.

Climbing at the Colosseum can be very rewarding, and is a good addition to the season selection of low mountain climbing. However, it is a new area of typical low mountain quality rock; therefore it should not be taken lightly. The rock varies in softness from the bottom to the top of the cliff band. Climbers should expect to encounter and be prepared to deal with loose rock on any route along the band despite best efforts of the developers to optimally clean the route on the anticipated path of least resistance. Helmets should be worn at all times. The standard warnings about climbing being a dangerous activity apply here as anywhere else: climb cautiously, tap anything that looks loose, and be very careful. 


Special note to potential developers: Caution! Be aware! While routes on walls left of the currently developed areas looks enticing, there is a very real possibility of sending loose rocks do have the all the way to the highway! Please be extremely careful and don't send any stone trundling unless you are sure there is zero chance of it hitting the highway.