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Best Climbing near hot springs/spa resorts?

Original Post
Ted Pinson · · Chicago, IL · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 252

Hey Coloradians,

So my wife and I like to take an annual trip for our anniversary, and I somehow managed to convince her to go to Colorado this summer so that I can go climbing. She's not a climber but loves lounging at spas/resorts and is interested in staying somewhere with hot springs. We were looking at this list:

rootsrated.com/stories/6-st…

I'm most interested in doing long moderate trad climbs and multipitches, so I was hoping to be in Boulder for Eldo and the Flatirons, but I'm not seeing anything super close to Boulder so I'm looking to expand my options. Any recommendations? Proximity to Denver for the flight is a plus.

Dan Cooksey · · Pink Ford Thunderbird · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 365

Its pretty commercial but glennwood, then pick up the new "Western Sloper" guidebook. Tons of climbing in the area.

Ouray is my favorite town in Colorado. Plenty of local climbing and great hiking and mountaineering.

Heres the deal. Your wife will either be hiking a really really far distance to get to a natural spring.....or you just take her to a little hotel or spa that has them, and then you go climbing. I suggest the later.

Dan Cooksey · · Pink Ford Thunderbird · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 365

P.S Glennwood Hot Springs is 3 hours from DIA. But its the resort atmosphere your wife is looking for.

Ted Pinson · · Chicago, IL · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 252

Yeah, I was definitely considering the latter. We'll rent a car, so I could potentially drive places, but somewhere with local crags would be ideal. Will have to check that one out!

Jim T · · Colorado · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 469

Buena Vista has moderate multi pitch climbing. Cottonwood and Mt. Princeton hot springs are both near BV.

mountainproject.com/scripts…

Jim T · · Colorado · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 469

Or if you don't need hot springs, you could climb at Eldorado and stay at the nearby Omni Interlocken Hotel.

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

There is a new hot springs complex in Glenwood, Iron Mountain. I'd place it around #5 or so for the commercial spots around CO. More variety of pools and temperatures than the main Glenwood resort, but has kind of a munincipal pool atmosphere.
Pagosa Springs is a top hot springs, and there is quite a bit of climbing down there.
Buena Vista has a couple springs, not sure about the quality of climbing as a destination.
Strawberry Park in Steamboat is probably the best soak spot, although the water isn't mineralized and stinky and as a resort it rates pretty hippy. Not much climbing nearby though.
I'd say check out Glenwood. Go to both the springs but also add the vapor cave too; then you have a lot of climbing to choose from. I have only just seen the recent pictures of the Fryingpan, but that area is right there too.

John Maurer · · Denver, CO · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 530

Popping over Cottonwood Pass from Buena Vista to Taylor Canyon is pretty ideal. Independence Pass isn't too far north from Buena Vista, either.

Ouray is legit, too.

Ted Pinson · · Chicago, IL · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 252

Oh, sweet. Taylor Canyon sounds very cool.

John Maurer · · Denver, CO · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 530

I'm a fan. I went to Western State in Gunnison, and my heart is a bit tied to the region. It's varied, fun, and climbs better than it looks in most cases.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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