Boulder Rock Club: Facelift and July 1st Celebration

The original wall at the BRC (on the right as you enter the gym) was in need of some routine maintenance... or facelift. Years of use, chalk, tape, whippers, and shoe rubber left our once beautiful climbing wall looking a little under the weather, but we're back and looking better than ever.



What we did:
1) We got rid of the double roof section of the original wall. From a route setting standpoint, the double roof area of the wall didn’t lend itself to varied movement. It seemed that every route in that area was very similar. To cure this problem we changed the angle of the wall to a more consistent overhang. By doing this it also made a wicked arête on the left side.

2) Removed the older and worn out wall texture

3) Replaced ALL the t-nuts....email us with your best guess of how many t-nuts were in that wall.

4) A new color and texture. As much as we love the old gyms salmon color, we decided to go with a more neutral color, with some accent colors to make the wall pop.

5) Revamping all the quickdraws.


Why we did it:
We did it so that our members will have a better climbing experience while at the BRC by making our climbing terrain the best that it can be.

Members Only Party:
We'll open up the entire gym once again on the evening of July 1st. We're hosting a members only party from 6pm-8pm. Join us for a celebration of a great community, good friends, a ton of hard work, and countless hours on the wall.


Come in and check out the new look. After this remodel, there is no doubt that we are the best climbing facility around. Please call us if you have any questions.

A huge thanks to all the members who put up with the noise and dust. Also a big thank you to the BRC staff and Eldorado Wall Company for the hard work, long days, and massive effort to pull this off in such a short time.

We hope to see you all soon.

Cheers,
Boulder Rock Club Staff
800-836-4008 x4

Lumpy Ridge: Raptor Closure Update

Rocky Mountain National Park has issued the following statement:
"Results of Rocky Mountain National Park's raptor monitoring has shown that some of the protection closures initiated on March 1st are no longer needed, and those areas are now open to public access. Only the Raptor Protection Closures to public access for Alligator Rock and Thunder Buttress/The Parish still apply."

ie... TWIN OWLS IS OPEN!, along with Rock One, Batman Rock, and Sheep Mountain. The weather is beautiful here in Estes and our lodge is cozy (just $25 per night - $5 off for BRC members). Come join us on the splitter granite!

For more info on RMNP raptor closures, please visit the National Park Service website

Local Classics: Mt. Meeker - Dreamweaver Couloir

Dreamweaver: Grade: 5.4 Grade III AI3- M2+

Mount Meeker is the second highest summit in Rocky Mountain National Park at 13,911 feet and located next to Longs Peak. Meeker is part of the spectacular Chasm Lake cirque and offers some of the best alpine routes found on the Front Range.

Dreamweaver is one of RMNP's classic snow couloirs that offers steep snow climbing with the potential of mixed ice and rock terrain.

The day starts with an early morning start at the Longs Peak trailhead. The approach is about 5 miles to Chasm Lake. The technical climbing starts with low angle snow climbing for 600 feet up the lower apron of the couloir.

The crux of the route is found about half way up the narrow channel with a possible short pitch of ice and/or mix rock climbing. The climbing is fun, interesting, and a great introduction to RMNP's moderate alpine challenges.

Dreamweaver is a must for any aspiring alpinist looking for a classic route this summer.

If your interested in conditions or hiring a guide for Dreamweaver or another classic give us a call 800-836-4008.

A Moment of Noise to Honor Our Friends

After going to the Boulder Theatre last week to pay tribute to our lost friends Jonny Copp, Mica Dash, and Wade Johnson in remote western China, and I wasn’t sure if I was up to the fundraising event last night at the Spot. As it turns out I would not have missed the event for anything. A huge thanks goes out to the Spot for putting this event on and to Timmy O’Neil for MC’ing. The night was full of friends, stories, slides, and laughs.

The climbing community came out in force as a show of respect and support to the three climbers and thanks to the recovery team of Nick Rosen, Mick Folari, Pete Takeda, Steve Su, Eric DeCaria, and Nick Martino. They were able to recover Jonny and Wade and left Mica to be with the mountain as it was unsafe to try and continue the search for him.

A memorable moment of noise will live with me the rest of my life as a tribute to my friends and community. It is always hard to say goodbye, but sometimes we are able to quietly or loudly express gratitude to what we were given by those who have passed.

If you have any interest there will be a gathering on July 11th to celebrate. The details can be found at www.adventurefilm.org

We will miss you my friends. Be good.

- Mike Alkaitis

Micah Dash and Johnny Copp segment of "The Sharp End" from Cedar Wright on Vimeo.

Snow Anchor Demo

Rocky Mountain National Park has plenty of snow! Our guides are out in the hills teaching basic, intermediate and advanced mountaineering skills.

Here's a short video from the Intro to Mountaineering course.



Hone your skills and have fun too! Join us for a mountaineering course or a guided day.