Continue with onX Maps
Sign in with Facebook
Advice for climbing in the wet mountains Colorado
|
Looking for info on climbing in the wet mountains outside of Westcliffe, CO. Never been there before and not sure if it's worth visiting, general conditions this time of year, and what is the best guidebook to use. Have about 2 days to spend in the area and looking to make the most of it. Thanks in advance for any beta. -Carolina |
|
Try the nice granite in Hardscrabble Canyon. I scrambled and free soloed there for thirty years. Be careful on the face of Lover's Leap, however. There is a large block you step over to that is loose. |
|
Carolina What type of climbing are you looking for and what grades? The Wets have some good moderate climbs both sport and mixed trad/sport. Routes tend to he short, its been a good moderate/family friendly area for me and my friends. Less busy than Shelf and a bit cooler as well. |
|
Tanner Dome is really good and well worth the 45 min. steep hike in. Lots of quality sport routes in a fairly concentrated area and the info is on MP. |
|
like anywhere its a bit too hot in the sun most of the day in summer for wets to be enjoyable but early morning works but voyager is the maybe the best climbing in the area tanner dome is ok very hot but shaded west side in morning mixed routes newlin creek is so gorgeous and has nice long climbs if u can find them also has shade near a pond close to the drive in need guide books which are pamphlets https://www.climbingpamphlet.com/store/p6/The_Sunny_Side_Of_Voyager.html bob ships quickly and u can email him any more questions after buying |
|
this time of year i would hit newlin creek. should be pretty good. IIRC, if you hike in from the parking lot, maybe a 1/4 mile or so, there will be a rock on the right with a handful of fun routes. Bunch of trees at the bottom for shade. |
slim wrote: Adding another vote for Newlin. Super comfortable in the shade right now. There is some more good, shaded climbing right after you hit the stuff Slim is referencing. Immediately left after the first creek crossing. Some of Tanner Dome is getting shade in the later afternoon and evening right now too. |
|
Appreciate everyone's comments. We have about 2-3 days to spend in the area, Wednesday & Thursday next week and maybe some more time Sunday. Weather looks like it could be good atm. Newlin Creek sounds like a cool area, thinking of spending one day there and one day at Hardscrabble. If Mr. Gill says the granite is nice, we would like to check it out. Thanks for the link Stretch, I went ahead and ordered the voyager guidebook from Bob. Curious how busy the areas would be mid-week? We are bringing our 2 kids so hoping to stay out of the way and hit something family friendly. Kids can climb 5.6-5.9 and we like to climb 9-11s. Clean cracks are always a favorite. Also hoping to keep it to one pitch without any crazy walk offs. Any beta of county road 143 going all the way to HWY 96 via 265 and 271? Looks like dirt on the map but figured might be a nice drive to see the area on the way in or out unless its wash boarded out. Looking forward to checking out another corner of Colorado. Thank y'all for chiming in again. |
|
do they have wet mountains in Colorado? |
|
Wet mountains are relative. |
Carolina wrote: Scratch Hardscrabble. Steep uphill hiking required to get to the good granite. |
John Gill wrote: good to know, thanks for sharing. Would you say titanic has one of the steep uphill hikes? or just less quality granite compared to the higher formations? |
|
We hit Tanner dome with our 8 year old last year, it was a 45 minutes leisurely hike from the parking lot. Pretty cool area IMO if solitude is what you’re looking for . |
Carolina wrote: I never climbed there. I climbed at the Lovers Leap area. |
|
Newlin is gonna be hot by many people’s standards….also this thread should be in regional |
