Guided Rock Climbing in Eldorado Canyon, Colorado

Season

Spring through fall are best

Nearest city

Boulder is just a short 30 minute drive away

Duration

1-3 days

Skill level

Beginner to advanced

Eldorado canyon is a multi-pitch climbing playground

A crowd favourite since the 60s, Eldorado Canyon offers world-class climbing with routes that range from single-pitch moderates to runout 5.13 climbing that will test your skills to the fullest. This Front Range destination also features plenty of beginner routes to sharpen your skills and build confidence on. The great diversity of routes, staggering views and historic origins make it one of America’s ultra-classic climbing locations. No matter your level of climbing experience, Eldorado Canyon has what you’re looking for.

Eldorado Canyon State Park is one of the best traditional free climbing areas in the world. For those that can handle themselves on the rocks, it’s a climbing playground that you’ll never tire of. There’s also plenty of beginner routes to learn and sharpen skills on.

By Jesse Ramos – AMGA Rock Guide and Colorado local

Read 57hours review about climbing in Eldorado Canyon

Most Popular Itineraries

Eldorado Canyon holds some excellent secret stashes, if you know where to find them. A day on the rocks with a private guide will have you climbing all the best spots for your skill level and objectives. A local certified IFMGA/AMGA guide will create a custom-tailored outing for you and your group. You’ll gain insider planning, expert safety skills and upgrade techniques, so you can soak up the climbing that Eldo has to offer.

Learn the techniques needed for leading single and multi-pitch climbs with Eldorado Canyon as your classroom. This course will cover the fundamentals of lead climbing, including gear selection, gear placement, and the dynamics of lead climbing systems. Designed for climbers at an intermediate or advanced skill level, previous top rope climbing experience is a must.

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If you’re an outdoor climber, safety and self-rescue skills are essential. This intensive one-day clinic will cover all the basics — teaching you how to use equipment, mitigate risks and make safe decisions in rescue situations. Under the supervision of certified guides, intermediate and advanced climbers will learn how to make improvised rescue equipment, master knots and hitches, and learn the ins and outs of rope rescue.

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If you’re comfortable with single-pitch climbing, there’s no better place to try your hand at a longer multi-pitch route than Eldorado Canyon. Depending on your skill level, you’ll spend some time on the ground learning about equipment, leading a pitch, route finding, rope handling and belay station management, before tackling one of Eldo’s classic routes.

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Things you need to know

57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.

We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Eldorado Canyon State Park, please refer to Colorado’s Department of Public Health and Environment website.

Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!

What you get in this adventure:

An experienced, local rock climbing guide with extensive knowledge of the area
An 8-hour rock climbing lesson
All technical climbing gear

If you can climb a ladder, you’re good to go. Being in good shape is always a plus, but far from necessary. Rock climbing is all about using good movement technique rather than muscling up a cliff using brute strength. So don’t let your perceived lack of strength keep you away from rock climbing — you’ve got what it takes.

No prior experience is necessary. Whether you’ve never donned a harness or you’re a seasoned climber, a guide will help you meet your individual objectives. Above all, your instructor’s number one priority is your safety.

Here’s a list of the equipment we suggest you bring:

Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 40L bag)
Water bottle
Food you can eat on-the-go
Toiletries (sunscreen, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
Sunglasses
Camera — optional

Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

All technical climbing equipment will be provided by your guiding service. However, if you have your own gear, feel free to bring it. You’ll need:

Helmet
Harness with a locking carabiner, belay device, and chalk bag
Rock shoes* (included in the price, but we recommend bringing your own if you have them)
Ropes
Climbing hardware (quickdraws, cam devices, stoppers, etc.)

With us, it’s all play and no work for you! 57hours is an open platform that connects you with trained and certified outdoor adventure professionals all over the world. Using our tech-savvy, we make it super easy to find and book adventures worth tackling, with guides worth booking, all gathered from the first-hand experiences of the locals who adventure in these amazing locations.

Group sizes are usually between 1–4 people with one instructor.
Also, costs per person may decrease as the group grows for private tours, so it’s the perfect opportunity to climb with friends and family.
Climbing days can be arranged for bigger groups. Contact us prior to booking.
If you’re booking alone but want to join a group climbing class, you’ll be placed with peers of similar skill level.

If you are older than 18y, you’re good to go.
Teens aged 12-17 can go on their own, but a guardian will need to provide a signed waiver before an outing with the guide.
Kids younger than 11 can easily go out and try climbing, but only in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

As the saying goes, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad preparation,” and you can expect your guides to be fully prepared for anything. Inclement weather can always get in the way of climbing, but your guide will know the best spots to move to if the weather takes a turn.

On the rare occasion of truly bad weather, your instructor will present you with suitable alternatives. The most common practice is to reschedule your climbing to a more favorable day or suitable location nearby, if it exists.

If no options presented were viable to you, you will be issued a full refund.

With 57hours, you benefit from both our own cancellation policy as well as that of the individual guiding service that delivers your adventure. All policies regarding cancellation will be clearly laid out by your guide after booking your adventure, but rest assured that our own cancellation policy will work on top of what is provided by your guide.

For this adventure, 57hours offers a Moderate Cancellation Policy, which states:
If Client cancels the Booking anytime prior to thirty (30) calendar days in advance of the trip contemplated by the booking, Client is entitled to a full refund. For cancellations fourteen (14) to twenty nine (29) calendar days in advance, Client is entitled to a refund in the amount of fifty percent (50%) of the total amount paid when Booking. For cancellations zero (0) to thirteen (13) days in advance, the Client is not entitled to any refund.

For more information on terms and conditions, please visit our Terms of Service page.

You will meet your guide in Boulder, the closest town to the Eldorado Canyon, it’s just a short 30-minute drive away. Boulder is about 40 miles from Denver International Airport (DEN), where highway access is a breeze to get to the park.