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Climbing, Poolside

Rock solid above the steam in "America's Little Switzerland"

story and photos by Brandon Mathis

Found in: | Outside | Climbing | Rock Climbing |

GETTING STARTED

GETTING THERE Ouray, Colo., is located 74 miles north of Durango on Hwy. 550 and 98 miles southeast of Grand Junction, Colo. The Pool Wall is located on the north end of town directly across the highway from the Ouray Hot Springs.

RATINGS Primarily bolted sport routes with chained anchors. Beginner to moderate climbs (5.5 - 5.9) can be found in the alcove at the north end of the crags. More difficult climbs (5.10 - 5.13+) are found toward the south end.

BOOK Ouray Rock Climbing Guide by Jason Nelson

CAMPING The Amphitheater and Camp Bird Mine Road are popular fee sites.

Seventy feet off the ground, my fingers spent. My forearms feel like clubs, mere stumps of wood extending from my elbows. Teetering on uncertain feet and clinging to one greasy hold, I grab the rope below with my free hand and make a desperate attempt to clip into protection. At the height of a mother of a groan, the rope drops from my noodled hand. Missed! Lacking the strength to try again, I brace for a fall. Here it comes: I peel off this wall like a pancake off the ceiling and the only thing running through my mind is, "This is so awesome!"
"America's Little Switzerland." It's a pretty good description of Ouray, Colo., a quaint picture-postcard of a town nestled in the San Juan Mountains. Crowned all around with 14,000 foot peaks, it's an ideal setting for hot springs, vapor caves, unique cafes and enough great rock climbing to keep strong fingers burning spring through fall. Even though I'm hyping the rock, most climbers come to Ouray in the winter for its ice.
In winter, Ouray becomes a frozen paradise, hued in blue and shades of teal. The Ouray Ice Park in the Uncompahgre Gorge is the apex of Colorado frozen fun, an ice climber's dream, drawing people from around the world to its bounty of man-made frozen climbs. But iceless, the area's rock calls attention, and in the last decade local climbers have been listening.
Pulling into the parking lot at the Ouray Hot Springs, the thought of a nice, comfortable soak can distract from climbing the towering cliffs across the street; tied to a 9.5 mm rope. But the Springs is open most of any day, and those cliffs, called the Pool Wall, can't wait.
We started our day with a sweet moderate 5.9, "The Groove Tube." This naturally formed vertical aquaduct is similar to climbing within a playground tunnel slide, except this tunnel was 70 feet tall and made of white volcanic rock streaked with mineral veins. We took turns climbing this entertaining route, then turned toward more demanding terrain.
We unriddled some fun 5.10s that required funky body movements. The balancey "No Se" and "Romper Room" were short but worthwhile adventures.
Overall, the Pool Wall provides a relaxed feel, in part due to its proximity to local amenities and safety. On any of the Pool Wall's 70 or more routes, the pool below is so near you can actually hear people laughing, splashing around in the waters below. We could see downtown Ouray, people window shopping, walking the streets and tossing Frisbees in the park. We also found the routes to be well-protected. Bolts are placed in good spots, safely reachable.
Warmed up and in a rhythm, our group spread out in pairs, looking for vertical bliss. I had been looking forward to an attempt of what many have called the best 5.11 at Pool Wall, "Ze Boom Boom Room." I started strong on this difficult 80-footer, 5.11c, but the demanding moves sucked my energy like blood from a stone. Looking at the last few bolts drained and defeated, I fell several times attempting the crux.
"It's steep and technical here," said Frank Roberts, a local climber from Ridgway in his late 50s. "The routes have your body going every which way." His words offered me some solace. He and Eric Rite of Telluride had been climbing together in the area for decades, and at the Pool Wall for seven years. "We're old enough to know better, but not enough to do anything about it," Robertson jokes.
We camped in an aspen-cloaked clearing on Red Mountain Pass, returning to Pool Wall the next morning. Once again we made the steep but quick hike to the crags. This time I was there to take photographs but that didn't last long. The rock beckoned. I took the lead on a 100-foot 5.10a called "8, 9, 10," a fantastic climb punctuated with tough reaches and enjoyable cruxes. It kept me on my toes, literally, although my climbing partner made it look like a walk in the park. After sheltering in an abandoned mineshaft to escape a storm, we found ourselves tired, sore and hungry, looking at the pool below.
We concur: The Pool Wall is great climbing, with a variety of routes for all levels of climber, with our group covering a spectrum of 5.7 to 5.13.

BRANDON MATHIS climbs, writes and rides around the Four Corners but buys his groceries in Durango, Colo..