Guanella Pass Climbing

This digital Guanella Pass climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Guanella Pass days smoother, safer, and more dialed.

Guanella Pass has slowly come into its own as one of the best and most popular bouldering areas in Colorado. While the bouldering here is referred to as Guanella Pass, all of the described climbing is well below the actual summit of the pass, which is several miles beyond the established bouldering. While climbers have been putting up classic lines in this verdant valley for years, it is only recently that Guanella has caught on as serious destination, with many classic problems of all grades. Driving up to the actual pass to watch the sunset on Mt. Bierstadt (14,060 f... Show more

This digital Guanella Pass climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Guanella Pass days smoother, safer, and more dialed. Guanella Pass has slowly come into its own as one of the best and most popular bouldering areas in Colorado. While the bouldering here is referred to as Guanella Pass, all of the described climbing is well below the actual summit of the pass, which is several miles beyond the established bouldering. While climbers have been putting up classic lines in this verdant valley for years, it is only recently that Guanella has caught on as serious destination, with many classic problems of all grades. Driving up to the actual pass to watch the sunset on Mt. Bierstadt (14,060 ft) is an incredible way to finish a day at the boulders. The rock is beautifully polished gneiss, with rounded slopers and square cut edges and the access is some of the easiest in the state. Short approaches and generally flat landings makes this a not-to-be-missed experience. The scenery here is outstanding, particularly in the fall, when the aspens inject veins of gold between stately fir trees. SEASON: Guanella Pass is best during the fall, when the aspen put on a dramatic display. The bouldering typically stays snow-free until the end of October. Climbers can also catch good conditions in the spring, sometimes as early as March, but more regularly into mid-April and May. The occasional cool day can be found in June. July and August are typically too warm for a serious boulderer looking for good conditions, but the pass is certainly climbable at this time of year. Mosquitoes become an issue in late June and remain so until the end of August. From Denver, head west on I-70 for 45 miles. Get off the freeway at Exit 228. Turn left, driving underneath the overpass, and continue to a traffic circle. The gas stations at this intersection are the last place to fuel up and find cheap food. At the traffic circle, turn right onto Argentine St. In 0.5 mile the road forks. Take the left fork (continuing straight). Drive for 0.01 mile and turn left onto 6th St. Take 6th St. for 0.1 miles, and turn right onto Rose St. Take Rose for 0.02 miles, and turn left. This marks the beginning of the Guanella Pass Rd. All of the bouldering described in this guide under the Guanella Pass section is off this road.