Greatest Sport climbing within 12 hours of Denver?

I want to take a few climbing road trips this summer. Where is the best place to sport climb within the surrounding states of CO? Arzona? Utah? Nevada? Wyoming?

Thanks.

penintente near the sand dunes

Rifle is my favorite and it is about 3.5 hours from the front range, but the best climbs are 5.11 and harder.

Shelf Road is fun if you like more vertical climbing on pockets. About 2 hours from Denver

Wild Iris and The Sinks are fun in WY near Lander, I think it is about 6 hours

Red Rocks in Vegas is great and about at the limit of your 12 hours from Denver, there is a great range of grades there.

St. George in UT has a ton of climbing and makes a great early season destination.

Maple Canyon in UT Fun Cobble climbing

There are a ton of others, personally I would just go to Rifle

What Jeremy said.

If you're a 5.11 and up climber go to Rifle otherwise Shelf is pretty sweet for sport (at any grade).

No mention of New Mexico!? :-) If you head to Penitente, swing a bit further south for El Rito for a day or two. Fun, Maple-like cobble climbing in a beautiful setting. Not enough to keep you busy for more than a couple of days but worth the side trip.

"Greatest sport climbing."

Isn't that an oxymoron?

Speaking of NM, the Enchanted Tower is great too and I think it is within 12 hours of Denver. I have friends from Boulder that have driven down for long weekends.

The Black Hills in South Dakota has some great sport climbing. Spearfish Canyon has over 550 routes. Only 5 hours from Denver.

I hear ten sleep is good. You can also check out Lime Park if you promise to treat it with the utmost respect.

All the areas mentioned are good and you'll have fun but if you want to climb the best limestone sport climbing within a days drive of the Front Range you have to check out Ten Sleep. The quality of the rock blows doors off of any of the areas mentioned. Couple that with the fact that most of the pitches are continious and long, it can't be beat.

I'll ditto Mikel Cronin's comments for Spearfish. The Black Hills also has many great granite sport routes at Mt. Rushmore, The Big Gash & may God forbid in the Needles. Easy access, small numbers of climbers & great diversity. IMHO the rock in Spearfish is way more kind on the average and better quality than Tensleep.

If you are going during the hot summer months, Shelf, Penitente and even Rife can be too hot. I agree with the suggestions to hit the northern areas. In fact, we are headed to SD to climb at Rushmore and Spearfish, then swinging around to Tensleep and Lander all in July.

TENSLEEP WYOMING - Hands Down

WeBeJammon is incorrect about temps.

Its not hot at all, routes in the upper canyon at the Mondo and FCR are in shade all day after 1pm Lower canyon, like Circus and Leigh Creek are shaded all morning and early afternoon.

around 600 routes now as well.

Rumor has it that the 10th Anniversary Tensleep "Non-Fest" will be the biggest ever. No sponsors. No spray. No comps. Just some of the best Limestone sport routes in the US, free camping, cool people, and a Rodeo and Street dance.

I also heard that a new 2008 guide book just came out with tons of of new routes and color photos.

Anyone going that way in July?

tensleep is worth a visit or two or three. spent a month there last summer and the temps are fine. going back in august and i cant wait.

Devils Head

grappler wrote: WeBeJammon is incorrect about temps.

Devils head when near Denver,

Ten Sleep in Wyoming.......

Indian Creek

Based on the weather from the last few summers and the way this one has started up, Tensleep will probably be WAAAAY too hot. Watch the weather real close, or head for higher altitude. I hear there's some high altitude sport climbing near Independence Pass.

Mark Nelson wrote:Indian Creek