This is a work in progress. More and more will be added as I climb in more of the areas within the canyon. Pictures and route descriptions welcome!

Boulder Canyon is one of the most popular climbing destinations in the Front Range, if not all of Colorado. Located only 1 mile west of the city of Boulder and containing some of the best igneous rock to be found anywhere, it is easy to see why this place has been developed as one of the premier rock climbing destinations in the state.

Solaris

While not as steep as Eldo, the rock quality here is superb. There are literally more than 1,000 routes to climb within its walls from sport, to trad, to ice, to aid, to bouldering. From single pitch to multi-pitch, from 5.easy to 5.14a trad, you can find it all.

The rock is comprised of the Idaho Springs formation, which makes up almost the entirety of the Front range. These 1.7 billion year old rocks are gneiss and granites. Boulder Creek has down-cut through the formation over the eons to reveal the superb rock that is climbed today.

The climbing is divided into ~103 crags over the course of 12.5 miles between Boulder and Nederland. Most of the approaches are short, 1 - 25minutes and involved hiking along mostly well developed, albeit steep, trails. The south side crags must be accessed via Tyrolean across the creek when its spring and water levels are highest. Otherwise, one can boulder hop to the other side. There are many well kept Tyrol's throughout the canyon. The terrain is rocky slopes through pine forest as most of the rock juts out from the tree canopy. In summer, the south side is the place to be as it receives the least sun, while in winter the north side (south facing) is warmest.

Getting There

From Boulder Colorado, head west from downtown on Canyon St. (CO-119) towards Nederland. After about 1 mile you'll come to the first climbing area, The Dome & Elephant Buttress.

From Nederland, head east on CO-119 towards Boulder. After about 2 miles, you'll come to the Sport Park then Castle Rock.

Boulder Canyon, click to enlarge

Red Tape

Some seasonal raptor closures affect Eagle Rock, Blob Rock, East Blob, Bitty Buttress, Security Risk (upper & lower).

Parking

Parking within the canyon consists of gravelly pull outs, mostly on the creek (south) side of the roadway. Some of them are quite small while a few others will hold up to 20+ cars. There are no guard rails so be careful and set your parking break or your car may end up in the creek. CO-119 is a busy road with high speed limits (45mph) so caution should be exercised when backing out of these spots. Peeling out when losing traction on the gravel/sand is common.

Climbing

Measured from a bridge just west of Boulder after first entering the canyon (YMMV):

Crag Locations, CLICK TO ENLARGE

Tyrol across Boulder Creek

The Crags

Here is a brief introduction to some of the crags in the canyon. I can only comment on the ones I've climbed at so far. This section will be updated as time goes on. I don't have pictures of each crag though since sometimes I leave the camera home. Please let me know if you have picts of the crags that I can link here.

Blob Rock

: Blob Rock is a huge granite massif high above the canyon across from Cob Rock at ~6 miles up the canyon from Boulder. The crag is divided into three areas: Blob Rock, East Blob, and Bitty Buttress. The approach is easy, but steep, and there are many routes here on solid rock from 5.9 - 5.13+ or so. Descents are either by rappell or walk off. One of the best multi-pitch routes in the canyon is on East Blob, check it out, The Young & the Rackless. This crag is closed from 2/1 - 7/31 each year however for raptor nesting!

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Elephant Buttress

: There are 4 major rock formations that comprise this crag. Several single and multi-pitch trad routes exist here from 5.7 - 5.11+. See West Face on the 3rd Butt, and Left Wing on the second buttress.

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The Riviera

: A nice mellow area with several crack and mixed (bolts + trad gear) climbs up a short cliff ~90' in height. Routes here range in difficulty from 5.6 - 5.11+ as well. See Chouette and Splash for examples.

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The Boulderado

: This crag has probably the shortest approach in all the canyon. Situated on the north side of a sharp curve, this fun crag hosts easy to moderate climbs directly across from its parking area. Here you must watch falling before your first placement as a tumble will land you in traffic...ouch! Also be mindful of knocking rocks directly onto passing traffic. Routes here range from 5.4 (Ho-Hum) to 5.9+ with both trad and sport routes available.

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Happy Hour

: Happy Hour is a popular crag due to the myriad of fine trad and a couple bolted lines condensed into a small area with a relatively short but steep approach. Located on the north side of the canyon near Riviera and Bihedral, you'll find routes from 5.5 - 5.12a located here. Highlights include Twofer and I,Robot.
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Animal World

: This crag lies directly above The Boulderado and features more challenging and longer lines than its sister crag below. Routes here are in the mid to upper 5 range. Be sure to get on Animation, a superb 5.8 sport route and my favorite sport lead so far. Hard men may want to get on Animal Right's Activist; 5.12a.

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Avalon

: This crag lies on the south side and requires a Trolean traverse to get to most times. Avalon is a complex and big area comprising 3 tiers. The lowest is called Watermark, the second tier features The Wall of the Dead, where you can find great sport and mixed climbs from 5.7 to 5.12a and all in between. Above these two is the third tier including Crack Land where you'll find great single pitch crack climbing in the 5.8 and above range. There is even a 2-pitch line in the 5.10 range. Be sure to check out Yoni and Isis.

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Castle Rock

: This 300+ foot tall tower lies at almost the extreme west end of Boulder Canyon. There are several trad routes here, but mostly bolted sport lines in the 5.9 - 5.13d range. This tower offers easy access via a road that encircles the whole thing. Several two pitch lines and good times for all can be had here. Route-66+ is a great 2 pitch 5.8+ route that begins in the creek on the back side of the tower.

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Solaris

: Solaris is just east of Avalon and Watermark on the south side of the canyon. It is reached by using the same tyrolean traverse as for Avalon. Parking can be had either at The Boulderado and walking back down (east) the highway or by parking on the north side of the road at a small pull out directly across from the tyrol. Once on the other side of the creek, do an ascending traverse to climbers left (east) towards the large cliff above and left. There is a faint trail that you will/should find easily. You'll know you're in the right place when you start seeing the bolts. Most of the moderate climbs are on the left side of this wall beginning with the route Don't get me Started (5.6). From there you'll find several routes in the 5.7 - 5.11+ range. These routes are most all sport with a few trad routes up above on the next ledge. You can reach the ledge via a walk up over to the right. The best route on the wall is The Luminosity (5.9) and is 80' or more with ~10 bolts.

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Ice Climbing Area

: There is relatively good ice climbing in Boulder Canyon just 0.25 miles west of Castle Rock nerest the west end of the canyon. Several leaks in an aquaduct freeze every winter providing ice and mixed climbs up to WI5, M5. However, most of the routes are WI2 & WI3, single pitch. There are a few two pitch lines that can be had if you're creative and they're in.

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Crag Name	Trad	Sport	N(north)/S(south) Side
Elephant Buttress	Y	N	N
The Dome	Y	N	N
Rock Island I	?	?	N
Rock Island II	?	?	N
Little Crag	?	?	S
Teflon Wall	?	?	S
Island Rock	?	?	S
Brick Wall	?	?	N
Eagle Rock	?	?	S
Bitty Buttress	?	?	N
Blob Rock	?	Y	N
Cob Rock	Y	Y	S
Happy Hour	Y	N	N
Riviera	Y	Y	N
Bihedral	Y	Y	N
Sherwood Forest	?	?	S
Tonnerre	?	?	S
Boulder Slips	?	?	N
Dream Canyon	Y	Y	N
Avalon	Y	Y	S
Watermark	?	Y	S
Vampire	Y	Y	S
Animal World	Y	Y	N
Boulderado	Y	Y	N
High Energy	?	?	S
Higher Energy	?	?	S
Nip & Tuck	Y	Y	N
Retirement Rock	?	?	S
Frisky Cliff	?	?	S
Castle Rock	Y	Y	S
Cenotaph	?	?	S
Ice Climbing Area	WI2 - 4	N	S
Sport Park	N	Y	S
Solaris	Y	Y	S

Guidebooks

Book

Support your local climbing shops! This book is for sale at Bent Gate Mountaineering in Golden: Falcon Guide, by Richard Rossiter; Rock Climbing Boulder Canyon.

External Links

Geologic History of the Boulder Colorado Area

Boulder Canyon Hikes

Local Gear Retailers:

Bent Gate Mountaineering

Neptune Mountaineering

Boulder Mountaineering

Wilderness Exchange

Weather

Weather in the canyon is generally nice all year long. It can get windy though and the canyon acts like a funnel for the winds from the west. In summer, the south side of the canyon, those walls that face north, get the most visitors as the shade lasts longer there. In winter, you can climb the north, south facing side, rock and be quite warm. Nearly all of the bad weather comes in from the west so if you're climbing an area that faces this way, its easy to recognize and leave. Ice climbing weather is usually good. The crag is on the south side facing north so its gonna be COLD.

Nederland, CO (West End of Boulder Canyon):

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Boulder, CO (East End of Boulder Canyon):

Images



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