Area & Style of Climbing
Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) bouldering

Location
Colorado, USA

Overview
Superb schist boulders, with independent lines in the stunning surroundings of RMNP. There is some hassle to get to the bouldering. It’s worth it. Memorable problems in quiet, gob smacking surroundings on perfect rock with truly great sequences. Chaos canyon was mainly developed by Dave Graham, and is the main area. Nothin but Sunshine V13/14 was the hardest in the USA at the time.

Best Time to Go & Conditions.
Spring is a big gamble but does provide the best conditions, providing that you don’t mind digging problems out of the snow! However, this provides a perfect ‘slide’ landing and ‘air conditioning’. Summer’s ideal (June-Aug) as the bouldering’s all at altitude, but get your ticks in before late afternoon as thunderstorms build due to the mountain terrain.

Nigel Scarth on The Autobot (V5), Lower Chaos Canyon


Getting There
Fly to Colorado. Given the trans-atlantic situation is changing with the London airports opening up, do a net search for the cheapest. You will make your life much, much easier by hiring a car (although it’s not impossible without) and drive to Estes Park. This is about 1 to 1 ½ hours NW to Boulder and then the same again to Estes Park NW.

Accessibility
From Estes you can either park at the lower car park and get the very frequent free park and ride system, or you can risk finding a place at the top car park and incurring the wrath of the rangers by hanging around otherwise. Watch out if you plan a late finish as the buses stop running and it’s a long walk to the lower park and ride. Lower Chaos canyon bouldering is just in front of Lake Hiyaha (1 hour up the trail). Continue round the lake and up to get to the chalked boulder of the Sunshine Spot, behind is mid-Chaos (and Jade, currently the worlds hardest problem?). Follow up the path by the huge boulder turn right and get scrambling, contouring rightwards, for upper Chaos (another ½ hour if your fit).

Accommodation & Provisions
We camped at Estes park campsite (link below) in Estes Park. It’s a village but has loads of everything that you would expect to find in the States! Safeway is the best supermarket. Ed’s Cantina is the climbers hang out with happy hour cocktail specials and massive portions of cheap nachos!

Guide Book/s
None published and neither are there plans as the rangers are somewhat officious and keen to keep the impact on RMNP small, unlike themselves.

Grade Spread & Recommended Routes
Approximately 100 problems of very high quality lines, lots more exist they just haven’t been done! They start at V5 and quickly progress upwards. Classics are The Kine (V5) pictured, The Autobot (V5), Gang Bang (V8), Skipper D (V8), Handicapps (V9), Large and Real Large (V9/10), Riddles in the Park (V12), Nothin But Sunshine (V13), Jade (V15).

Topping out the mega-classic Kine (V5).


General Tip/s
Lots of the landings are on talus (scree but with bigger boulders). The locals have stashed loads of pads over the park. Please return them if you use them for the obvious reason that it’s polite, but also because the rangers DO NOT want anything left in the park overnight - this is an ACCESS issue.
The bouldering is all at 10,000 ft (3000+ metres) or over so it worth being reasonably fit before you go.
Park fees are $35 for a years pass, payable on the gate as you arrive.
You are guaranteed to see an elk.
The Colorado dream DVD features some of the problems mentioned above. However, given the number of problems recently established and the prevalence of internet clips a YouTube search for RMNP bouldering will offer an excellent feel for the area.

Nigel Scarth on Right El Jorge (V9), Upper Chaos Canyon.


Useful Links
Flights: www.ebookers.com
Car Hire: www.CarRentals.co.uk
Good Article on bouldering in the RMNP: www.dorset-climbing.com/lowtech1.html
General info: www.rockclimbing.com/rmnp
Campsite: hwww.estesparkcampground.com
Hi-Res Park Map: http://slim.emporia.edu/archivepark2003/map.jpg
RMNP Website: www.rocky.mountain.national-park.com
U.S. Government RMNP page: www.nps.gov/archive/romo/visit/park/climbing.html

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