Sunday, November 30, 2008

Bouldering on Green Mountain: The Views and Problems are Amazing

I'm a little behind in actual chronological order when it comes to posting. I've got to put up photos of all the bouldering problems down in the San Luis Valley and in northern New Mexico that we were at last week, but first, some more on bouldering at Green Mountain. I love bouldering up at Green Mountain - no one is there (ever), the stone is stellar, and the views are well worth the hike.
Colorado Continental Divide from Green Mountain

Two weeks ago Tara and I hiked up to do some of the ridge problems. Green Mountain has a number of "areas" on it - the Ridge, the first draw with the Highlander and other highball classics, and then the stuff way out there past the ridge and the Standard Block. The potential for new problems is huge, although many of the most classic lines have been done.

Here is Tara trying her darnedest to stay on and prevent the barndoor on the very steep wall in the Sunset Outcrops area.
Green Mountain Sunset Outcrops Bouldering

The arete on the far left-hand side of the wall is also quite good. There are a number of ways to "do it" and depending on if you use any of the face or not, you are looking at anything from V4-8.
Bouldering Green Mountain Sunset Outcrops

This area has a number of fun, moderate to mid-hard problems in it. There are also a couple obscure, very hard undone lines on a couple boulders just a few feet away (one of the projects on Green Mountain still to be done exists down in the Blarney Stones...). But the real beauty of bouldering on Green Mountain - and especially up on the ridge - is perhaps the view you get of Boulder and the Flatirons when you top out.
Boulder and Flatirons from Green Mountain

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