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Colorado Trip Recommendations June 16-22

Original Post
Tyler Perkins · · Sterling, Mass · Joined Feb 2017 · Points: 0

     I'm having a hard time make up my mind, where to go, I was hoping for some help. I'm flying into Denver June 16th for a week of vacation, I'm planning on sport climbing mostly single but maybe a couple easier multi pitch climbs (I lead 11b's but my wife climbs sub 9s.) We will mostly be climbing with some hiking and maybe a mountain bike day thrown in. I'll be renting a car, I haven't decided if we will be camping or renting an air bnb. It would be nice to be in an area close to everything not driving an hour+ a day to climb. we don't mind far approaches.

     I'm hoping to somewhere not to busy when climbing, with all the research I found, I'm thinking Independence pass, shelf road, estes park(cancels not busy I think), Being near some good food never hurts but we are used to cooking at a campsite as well. Also reading about the high amount of snow fall this year will I have to worry about snow / wet rock being earlier June in higher elevation areas (independence pass)?
   
    I don't mean to be a broken record but I just have hours in trying to decide where to go and still cannot make up my mind. Thank you in advance

Mike Lane · · AnCapistan · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 880

Devils Head 

Rodney P · · Ouray,CO · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 335

Devil's Head is what I was thinking also, granite bolt clipping, camping, hiking, biking. You could check out some other SPlatte crags also while you are in the area, Thunder Ridge comes to mind for bolts. Head west from there for some sweet mountain biking in Buffalo Creek and hit up Zokas in Pine for great food and beverages!

Kyle Taylor · · Broomfield CO · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 0

It’s hard to not have a good time! Once you get out of the front range canyons it’s less busy for sure! Not sure if you guys mtb or not, but aspen is legit if you do. Enjoy and have fun!

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115

Devil's Head would meet all of your criteria.  https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105744261/devils-head

+ Lots of great sport climbing at the grade ranges you are looking for.
+ Lots of camping nearby
+ High enough in elevation to be pleasant temps in June, but low enough (and in a relatively dry location) that snow will not be a concern.
+ Scenic.
+ The hiking trail can be busy, but once you are back at the crags it'll be pretty quiet, especially mid-week
+ Short drive from Denver
- Pretty remote; lacks nearby town/AirBnB/food.
- A bit of a hike in.

Tyler Perkins · · Sterling, Mass · Joined Feb 2017 · Points: 0

Awesome thank you guys very much is looks like Devils head it is.

Kyle, I would love to check out the trails in Aspen as well as so many other things in Colorado (hence me stressing out where to go hahaha) but I think its hard to pack it into a weeks trip, I'll just have to come back out!

From what I'm seeing it appears most of the campsites are first come first serve, does anyone have experience camping around the general area? I would hate to pull up to a full campground, are small fires for cooking frowned upon during that time of year? 

Mic W · · Drake, CO · Joined Jul 2017 · Points: 10

Burn bans usually don't come until later in the summer, when things dry out. 

Rodney P · · Ouray,CO · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 335

If I remember correctly a lot of the camping is individual or shared spots all along rampant range road. Not sure how crowded it gets these days but the further you go past devil's head towards woodland park the quieter I would think 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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