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Located West of Lyons, the South Saint Vrain Canyon offers a considerable amount of climbing close to Boulder or to Longmont. As a granite canyon, many of the known routes in the SSV follow excellent crack systems on trad gear. Many of the newer lines have gone in as sport routes, on good faces or where the cracks are very short and intermittent. Routes can vary in length from half rope pitches to several rope length pitches. Granite quality is variable in the SSV. The best rock is well consolidated and featured with edges and flakes, while the worst is chossy and crystalline. Slab to vertical climbing is rather common on the older trad lines. However, many of the newer sport lines run through some big roof systems with steep the rule. Development of SSV sport climbing started many years ago with the Monkey Skull and The Fang, where Mark Rolofson and his associates have put up some very difficult climbs. Rock in the SSV seems to face in just about all directions, so it has been possible to climb here throughout the year. The best climbing is to be had in the summer and fall when temperatures are less comfortable further East or South.
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