Nodes in The Spot

A 1.5 mile stretch of unusually featured granite boulders and outcrops at 6000' altitude, right beside hwy 88.

So named because of the ridiculous number of spent shotgun cartridges and other shells littering the place.

A collection of boulders / pinnacles that offers one nice 30' patina face (bring gear for top rope anchors - there is one manky rivet above one end of the face), but mostly doesn't quite "work".

A reasonably concentrated area of boulders offering a variety of distinct styles & features. The Egg is a sunny, featured, freestanding boulder balancing on a flat slab, while the Nostromo Boulders are a tight cluster of shady, taller and less featured pinnacles and boulders offering a wider variety of problems, including some highballs.

The freestanding boulder visible up on top of the road cutting from the parking lot. Better than it looks from a distance.

Unless otherwise stated all grades are for stand starts - most of these problems also have low starts which are substantially harder.

The obvious low line of holds right of the descent, which finishes at half height (though a top-out finish might be feasible under all that lichen?).

The easiest way off the boulder, which is also a fun problem in its own right.

Located within Eldorado National Forest, so no restrictions on climbing.

Located within Eldorado National Forest, so no restrictions on climbing.

The technical central slab on the eastern face, without cheating to the jugs to the right or left.

Left side of the eastern face. Hard start to jugs.

The very classy steep arete, that's better (and harder!) the lower you start.

Start just right of the small rock at the base.

Sit start on the rock in the landing zone.

A full traverse of this boulder looks awesome and hard.

The tight cluster of boulders visible through the trees, 50m to the north west of The Egg that looks vaguely like the automated refinery the Nostromo tows in the movie.

Several of the boulders really need a top-rope, either because they're tall, hard, have a bad landing, or all three. Before embarking up any of these boulders it's worth taking some time investigating the way down first, as it may not be straightforward.

The large loaf-shaped boulder with the prominent horizontal crack and patina on the north-east side of the Nostromo Boulders.

Descent is a little tricky - worth scoping it out first.

The patina'ed left arete, with an exposed and lichenous top section.

Squeeze job with dodgy square-cut patina (be careful - it's very loose!) just right of the left arete.

The diagonal crack feature in the middle of the patina'ed face, starting with hands matched in a large horizontal hueco.

Really good moves and deceptively sustained.

Just right of C-Deck crack, but left of the stump, with small left facing crimp/gastons. Handholds feel about V4-ish, but feet are non-existent.

Though it's possible to downclimb the white slab and jump off near the stump, there's an easier descent off the back of the boulder down into the chimney / gully and onto a block.

A compact area with well over a dozen good to great boulders, as well as a 65' tall pinnacle offering excellent toproping.

This area is somewhat reminiscent of the much more popular Middle Bliss or Echo View crags in Lake Tahoe, but with the added advantage of always being deserted.

Please note that this area does not see much traffic, so it should be approached as if it were undeveloped. The rock may be loose, holds may break, spiders and snakes still live in the cracks, etc.

The 65' pinnacle directly in front of the parking area. Top access is on the right (north) side.

The beautiful featured patina slab facing the parking spot. A lovely top rope, perfect for kids or beginners.

Top-ropeable off two new bolts (installed sometime between 2016 and 2020), or (better located) large gear (#4, #5 camalots). Either way, bring lots of slings to extend the TR point well over the edge - there's already lots of unavoidable drag from the chicken heads on the face.

Up the left leaning slab / corner and vague scoop left of 'Patina Face'. Great climbing on unusual (for granite) incut face holds.

Left again at some obvious starting holds at head height. Move left under the corner / scoop, then up the sustained thin black panel at half height (avoiding the temptation to move left or right to jugs), and then a variety of easier finishes.

One move wonder direct start, at incut hold above head height.

There are a couple of manky old rivets and rivet-holes visible on this face, and a line to the right of them looks like it might be climbable (though the second bulge 15' up looks pretty blank...).

People boulder in this section.

Up the featured arete, moving left into the grey corner. Up this to a prominent cracked undercling / sidepull block, and either traverse hard right here, or continue up the corner for a few more feet, then traverse hard right on sharp crimps (both ways are about the same difficulty, and are the crux of the route). Easily up to ledge and final short steep crack.

This route is directly below the new double bolt anchor, but bring lots of slings (or better yet 30' of static rope) to get the TR point over the (sharp) top edge of the face.

Up the cracks/flakes above the good looking white/orange rock.

People boulder in this section too.

Easiest access to the top, but has some exposed moves and tends to be dirty. Recommended that you wear climbing shoes for this.

At times there has been a hand-rope dropped down this, attached to the bolts on top. As with all fixed gear, treat it with suspicion.

25' boulder with a striking thin hands / wide fingers crack on the downhill side.

A slabby 25' boulder that might have some fun easy problems.

A steep face offering high quality hard problems.

Layback left arete.

Line of crimps up centre of face. Highball.

Right arete and spider-webby flake. Bad Landing

Traverse from 'Left Shield' to 'Right Shield'.

A striking 30' tall fin of rock just uphill from 'The Shield'. Looks like it could have problems on both sides as well as the eastern arete, though the tall side is probably best top-roped (it's highball).

The attractive slab right beside the trail.

Fun slabbing up the middle of the face.

An intimidating 30' boulder, that's unfortunately chossy, loose, and lichenous. Best to top-tope here (tricky natural anchor - bring a second rope), and have your belayer wear a helmet.

Left side of 'The Dolmen'. Very loose rock!

Up the vague right-leaning dihedral in the centre of the face.

Nice rounded slab to more featured, albeit chossy, steeper section up high.

A good looking low red roof that sadly may be too short and/or blank to be enjoyable.

An impressive outcrop that probably needs a top-rope, given the bad landings.

A large rounded boulder with a nice bulging prow and low roof on the downhill side.

A large, flattened outcrop that may offer a few problems scattered around its perimeter or up the corner cracks on the eastern end.

A narrow corridor just downhill from the 'Cow Pat Buttress', with good steep bouldering on the left (eastern) side.

A cool looking balancing rock up on top of the hill offering excellent problems. Make sure you scope the downclimb (on the north-western corner) before committing to any of these problems.

Huge reach (or poor intermediates) up and right from obvious cracked undercling.

Awesome steep jugging.

Fun jugging, left of the small cedar.

The cute little boulder with the zigzag crack in it, just past 'The Toadstool'.

Start on opposing crimp sidepulls then easily up to crux topout.

One move wonder - shame it isn't twice as high.

Elegant side pulling on jugs.

Right arete is off. Harder than it looks.

A really classy boulder partially hidden by trees. In winter 22/23 a large tree fell on the right side of the boulder, obstructing Right and Left Flame.

Sustained thin climbing on the right of the lovely patina face.

Left side of the lovely patina face. Crux is leaving the ground.

Classy start then easier to finish. 'Flaming Flake' is off.

The grey flake just left of 'Flames Arete'. The tree is on at the start for your left foot.

Did someone eat too many chilis?

The groove and jugs just left of the tree.

Another outcrop overlooking hwy 88 that might have a few problems on it.