Alpine bouldering is a unique form of climbing that takes place at high altitudes, offering cooler temperatures and stunning mountain vistas. This style of climbing is particularly popular during the summer months in the United States when lower elevations become too hot. If you’re considering going alpine bouldering, check out this guide to get you prepared for your next adventure!
Alpine Bouldering Locations | KinetiK Climbing Top Picks
Alpine bouldering offers climbers the chance to experience unique, high-altitude problems set against stunning natural backdrops. Here are some of the most renowned areas for alpine bouldering in the United States, each providing a distinct and memorable climbing experience.
Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), Colorado
- Location: Situated in northern Colorado, RMNP is renowned for its diverse climbing terrain and breathtaking scenery. Overhanging granite boulders covered with beautiful green lichen can be found all over the expansive park.
- Overview: Bouldering in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is an exhilarating experience that combines the raw beauty of nature with the physical and mental challenges of climbing. Set against the backdrop of majestic peaks, alpine meadows, and pristine lakes, bouldering here offers a unique sense of adventure and accomplishment. The park’s diverse range of boulders, from beginner-friendly problems to advanced routes, caters to climbers of all skill levels.
- Elevation: Problems are typically found at elevations between 7,000 ft at lower chaos to 9,000 feet, providing cooler temperatures ideal for summer bouldering.
- Best Areas: Lower Chaos, Emerald Lake, Upper Chaos.
- Notable Problems:
- Tommy’s Arete V7: A challenging problem located in the Lower Chaos, established by Tommy Caldwell in the early days of park development. It became famous for its pumpy and intimidating final move.
- Whispers of Wisdom V10: An overhanging power problem in Emerald Lake, popular for its sustained compression on perfect tight grain granite with an intimidating 5.8 slab topout.
Mount Blue Sky (formally Mount Evans), Colorado
- Location: Approximately an hour’s drive from Denver, Mount Evans is a large bouldering area spread out over the Chicago Lakes Basin.
- Overview: A lifetimes worth of climbing can be found here spread across many different areas. With a hour and half long hike, getting to most these areas is a commitment and it’s best to be fully prepared for any weather. Another popular area summer bouldering area is Lincoln Lake. Located near the summit of the Chicago Lakes Basin, Lincoln Lake is the some of the highest elevation bouldering in the U.S. Located at the bottom of a steep hillside is an enormous. boulderfield situated beside a premiere alpine lake. Jumbled talus of rock creates most of the bouldering, so be prepared for rocky and uneven landing zones.
- Elevation: Boulders are located at elevations around 8,000 to 12,000 feet, providing a true alpine experience above the tree line
- Best Areas: Area A, Lincoln Lake, Area E.
- Notable Problems:
- The Ladder V2: A classic problem of edges up a gentle overhanging face. The perfect warm up, with endless eliminates to play around it.
- No More Greener Grasses V12: Made famous by the James Litz quote describing that it’s V15 or impossible. Eventually, Luke Parady cracked the code on this outstanding problem. One of the best problems for the grade in the entire country.
Gear Recommendations:
When it comes to gear for alpine bouldering, a few essentials will ensure both safety and performance. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the hand picked items that we recommend for staying safe and prepared in the mountains.
Crash Pads
- Kilonewton 3.4 Alpine Bouldering Pad : Large Bouldering Pad with deluxe backpack system for long approaches. You can easily fit all your gear inside the pad + the alpine shoulder straps and waist belt maintains maximum comfort.
- Newton 4.0 Alpine Bouldering Pad. Smaller size makes for easier carrying. A more affordable option that still offers solid protection, with convenient carry straps and a flap closure system.
Brushes | Keep the Boulders Clean
Bringing a stick brush for your alpine bouldering session is a pro tip! It can be hard to reach the upper holds on a lot of problems, having one of these is essential for getting the entire climb prepped and ready to go. All you need us an extendable painters pole and brush attachment. For standard brushes, we love to use the Metolius boars hair brushes to properly remove chalk and grime from holds.
Battery-Powered Fans | Keep the Humidity Down.
Keeping your hands cool is a pro-tip for maintaining hard dry skin. Often times, the climbing holds in the alpine have some bite, keeping your fingertips cool means more burns your project without splitting. Additionally, these fans are great for keeping the air moving around the climb, which means lower humidity and more friction.
- Makita Lightweight Portable Fan: Lightweight and compact, perfect for carrying into the alpine in your climbing pad. It provides strong airflow and has a rechargeable lithium ion battery.
- Handheld Turbo Fan: This versatile fan is perfect for keeping your fingertips cool and drying off any wet holds.
Snow Gear for Early Season Approaches
During the early alpine season, typically from May-July, you’re often hiking in the snow to get to the bouldering. Keeping your feet dry is a must if you plan to be out all day.
*pro-tip: always keep an extra pair of socks around*
- Unigear Snow Leg Gaiters: Only 19.99 and does a great job keeping the snow out of your boots.
- Back Country Avalanche Shovel: Compact and lightweight, this shovel is ideal for clearing snow from boulder problems or creating a safe landing zone.
