Going to be in CO for 10 days, what should I get on?

I can climb 12a sport and can lead up to 5.7-5.8 trad. Just started plugging pro this spring.

I'm aware the best sport can be found in Boulder Canyon, Clear Creek Canyon, and Shelf Rd. Anything else? Any specific routes otherwise I'm just going to head for the high stars.

Hiking in Garden of the Gods inspired me to climb a few years back, but I hear the fixed gear is sketch and rock quality chossy (unjustified rumors?). Should I climb there just to complete the circle?

I've climbed in Eldo once, planning on going back. Was thinking about climbing one of the flatirons, but really no clue as the best spots for easy trad. Any easy multi-pitch routes I should get on? I'm used to climbing the quartzite of Seneca, WV.

Bouldering. I'll be up near RMNP/Boulder to start the trip (catching Phish @ Dicks), so any areas are welcome.

Thanks.

Are you going to be staying in Boulder or Denver? Or are you moving around a bit? If you get up to Fort Collins, Rotary Park at Horsetooth Reservoir is fantastic and classic bouldering, and there is sport climbing up Poudre Canyon (and more bouldering).
Poudre Canyon
Rotary Park

I would hit Easter Rock (Empire of the Fenceless, Tell tale heart, & Barbarians) or Animal World (feeding the beast, animal magnetism, & try global gorilla if you can) in BoCan, Dinosaur Rock in Flatirons (the shaft & patience face), & Wall of the '90s (wet dream, curvaceous, definitely try ten-digit dialing!!), Wall of Justice for sportier/roofier lines (officer friendly, speed trap, slammer!!!, the great escape), or Primo Wall for harder overhanging lines (sucking my will to live, pizza dick etc.) in CCC for sport.

Mt. Evans, 'Area A' for Bouldering.

Eldo Bastille formation for trad & +1 for Turkey rocks

The Gym at Shelf is pretty cool, but it's damn hot down there right now.

Just about any Flatiron East face route will fit the bill for easy trad. Be warned though, although the difficulty rarely exceeds 5.6, it can be very runout.

A few suggsetions...

The North side (easy access, sometimes crowds)
-Direct Route on the First, 5.6R
-East Face Left on the Third, 5.7 (5.4R)
-Friday's/Saturday's Folly, Winky Woo. All on the Third.

South Side (long approach, remote feel, not as many people)
-North Face of the Maiden (5.6R)
-East Face of the Fatiron (5.4)
-East Face of Seal Rock (5.4)

As for sport climbing, I can't offer too much advice, but check out stuff in the Flatirons while you're there, it's awesome! There aren't many places where you can climb overhanging 5.7, just saying... Check out Dinosaur Mountain for more info.

Enjoy!

+1 for rifle. If you are ok with driving to the west end of the state, definitely check that place out.

How far are you willing to drive?

Shelf and Rifle are great limestone climbing areas. Shelf is about 3 hours +/- from Denver, and Rifle is probably about the same depending on traffic. An advantage to Shelf would be that you can hit up the Garden on the way. As mentioned before, if you do go to the Garden, New Era and Montezuma's Tower (one of my favorite climbs in the front range, go do it!) are great climbs.

In Boulder there is some good easy trad in Boulder Canyon at the Dome. Its only a few minutes into the canyon and has some fun 5.6-5.8 trad climbs that are 1-2 pitches in length with easy walk offs. And then if you want to go hit up some sport routes the options are pretty open further down the canyon, especially since most of the raptor closings are done with for the season. In the Flatirons I would hit up the 3rd Flat or Seal Rock, both are lots of fun and easy. A shorter but still fun route that I like is called the Spy, and linking it with the first flatironette can be fun as well.

Devils Head would be an experience far different from what you are used to while still being extremely accessible. You can get into trouble up at elevation (RMNP, Mt. Evans) without having mountain smarts that comes with being here for a while. DH is a mountain on the front range covered with granite fins which has seen over 20 years of sport route development. Can even camp there. The thing to be aware of this year is a heavy monsoon, thus lots of lightning risk.

Thanks for all the responses. I'm flying out, buy my buddy and his friend are driving out so we'll have a car and can go anywhere really. My friend has a place in Denver (Edgewater) until 8/31 then is moving into a place in Boulder. So we'll be between those to start off... then camping wherever we travel.

I've been down to Shelf Road and as long as you time the traffic right, shouldn't take more than 3hrs to get there from Denver, and yeah, if we go down that way we'll def hit up the Garden on the way.

Honestly, distance isn't really the issue, just trying to find the highest quality of routes in my grade for trad. We even tossed around the idea of driving to Telluride or Moab... but I doubt that will happen, plenty to climb within a reasonable range around Denver.

For realsies; go to rifle instead of shelf. Hit the east walls in the morning for warm ups. Sno-cone cave is good for that. Then move over to the western walls for some afternoon shade. Camping is easy walking distance from the climbs. Shelf is going to be an oven this time of year...

& they are almost equivalent driving distance from Denver.

I trust you'll make the right decision.

I would also recommend devils head if you are going down south. It's about an hour and a half south of Denver and it's one of the last crowded most plentiful mix of trad and sport. Camping right near the crag, and amazing granite that is bomber for placing pro. Clear Creek canyon has great stuff within 20 minutes of Denver but is crowded sometimes. Turkey rock area would also be worth checking out if you hit devils head. Done of the least known world class climbing up to over 400ft if you want long multi pitch. Also very low on crowds.