Elevation: 9,522 ft
GPS: 39.11913, -106.70247
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 74,207 total · 414/month
Shared By: Steven Lucarelli on Jun 30, 2008
Admins: Alvaro Arnal, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

Description

This area offers a good selection of sport, mixed and trad routes on great rock. The walls generally face southwest providing good morning shade but get a lot of sun in the afternoon, and like most areas on Independence Pass, crowds shouldn't be an issue especially since the approach is steep and the Grotto Wall is just up the road.

Getting There

From Aspen, head up the pass, and look for the "Grottos Day Use Area" sign. This area is located past mile marker 50, and there is a gravel parking lot on the right. The trail is located on the north side of CO Hwy 82 at the "Grottos Day Use Area" sign for westbound traffic. Follow the obvious trail around the east side of a pond until you get to a large screefield. There are some cairns marking a slightly easier path up the scree, but if you lose them, just keep going up, and you'll end up at the Nude Buttress. The Game Wall and Designer Wall are a little farther up the hill around the left side of Nude Buttress. Expect this approach to take about 20 to 30 minutes.

49 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Grottos Day Use Area

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
V0 4
 8
Yardage
Boulder
V2 5+
 4
Turf Toe
Boulder
V3 6A
 8
Laces Out
Boulder
V4 6B
 4
The Goal Post
Boulder
V4 6B
 9
Merotica
Boulder
V7-8 7B
 3
Devet
Boulder
V9-10 7C+
 17
Choke Hold
Boulder
V10-11 8A R
 3
Cobra Commander
Boulder
V11+ 8A
 7
We Squeezes
Boulder
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 9
Boo Boo Bear
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 51
Escher's Staircase
Sport
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 9
The Dragon's Hoard (tenative name)
Sport
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c R
 7
The Vampire (aka Sabbath Bloody…
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Yardage Goal Post Boulders > Goal Post Boulder
 8
V0 4 Boulder
Turf Toe Goal Post Boulders > Goal Post Boulder
 4
V2 5+ Boulder
Laces Out Goal Post Boulders > Goal Post Boulder
 8
V3 6A Boulder
The Goal Post Goal Post Boulders > Goal Post Boulder
 4
V4 6B Boulder
Merotica Goal Post Boulders > Goal Post Boulder
 9
V4 6B Boulder
Devet Ice Caves
 3
V7-8 7B Boulder
Choke Hold Gollum's Cave
 17
V9-10 7C+ Boulder
Cobra Commander Ice Caves
 3
V10-11 8A R Boulder
We Squeezes Gollum's Cave
 7
V11+ 8A Boulder
Boo Boo Bear Designer Wall
 9
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Escher's Staircase Gollum's Cave
 51
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
The Dragon's Hoard (tenativ… Gollum's Cave
 9
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
The Vampire (aka Sabbath Bl… Ice Caves
 7
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c R Trad
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