There’s nothing like that “Rocky Mountain high” to get you through a workout. When you travel to Colorado for a rock climbing experience, you’re entering a zone where serious outdoorsy folk roam. Since folks here spend as much time in local breweries as they do trekking up a mountain, visiting Colorado is the perfect getaway for anyone looking to explore a new place, try a new exercise, and cheat a little with a hand-crafted ale.
From wintertime ski bums who live and work the slopes, to summertime hikers who yearn for scorching heights, people come from all over the country to explore Colorado’s outer depths and inner motivation. Weather doesn’t stop these people. In the sun, it’s called rock climbing, and in the snow, it’s called Alpine climbing. Neither extreme will quell a climber’s passion.
Approaching the snowcapped peaks here, keep an eye out wildlife like elk, bighorn sheep, moose, marmots, and bears. There’s lots of protection in the area for these animals, but not so much for you.
Colorado locations like Boulder Canyon, Eldorado Canyon, Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park are perfect starting points. With trails accommodating both beginners and veterans, each ascent is full of fun and adventure. With more than 120 routes to discover, you’ll never run out of steam here. Rocky Mountain National Park is sketched with spires, ice smears, and ski descent, and the El Dorado canyon (home to 800 routes) present the unique challenge of sandstone walls that range from easy to very difficult.
Flatirons in Boulder rise with thousand-foot spikes out of the base of the Rockies, and makes for a fitting beginner’s climb. If you’re experienced and looking for more of a heart-racing thrill, check out Long’s Peak in the winter, which is known locally as the Spirit of the West.
When you’re in Colorado, climbing is a way of life.
