The Colorado Department of Transportation (“CDOT”) has announced a lengthy flood recovery project on Colorado Route 7 between Lyons and Highway 72 which will have important implications for climbing in the South St. Vrain Canyon. In short, beginning in approximately August 2021 (the exact date has not been announced), CDOT will begin closures which will effectively preclude any access to climbing in the canyon. The project is expected to last until approximately October 2022, though these projects often run long. So, if you want to climb in the South St. Vrain Canyon, the best time would be in the near future, before the closure takes effect. The BCC hopes this advance warning is helpful in formulating your Summer climbing plans. Note that the closure will not affect the ability to drive from Ward to Allenspark and continuing North to the Longs Peak trailhead.

The BCC has been dealing extensively with CDOT and the US Forest Service (which owns the land where the climbs are located) on this closure. There was no possibility of avoiding a closure, which is needed to get the work done as quickly as possible. The BCC focused its efforts on trying to assure that no climbing resources were destroyed and that access would be maintained once the closure is lifted. CDOT has committed to retaining all of the formal pull outs along Route 7. There are also informal pull outs that are important for easy access to key crags. While CDOT has not committed to retaining the informal pullouts, the discussions leave us cautiously optimistic that there will be no significant loss of access after the closure is lifted, though some crags may require a somewhat longer walk from the nearest pullout. Special thanks to guidebook author Bernard Gillett for his tremendous help with this project.

If you would like to receive updates on the project or read about CDOT’s plan, you can do so on their website.

If you have any questions, please contact advocacy@boulderclimbers.org

Photo by Bernard Gillett