Page Type:
|
Mountain/Rock |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
|
40.29730°N / 106.63868°W |
County:
|
Grand |
Activities:
|
Trad Climbing, Sport Climbing, Toprope |
Season:
|
Summer, Fall |
|
Elevation:
|
9460 ft / 2883 m |
|
Overview
The Rose Dome is an excellent climbing destination in the northern Gore Range of Colorado. Although a bit abrasive, the climbing is excellent and the rock very solid. The rock is a feldspar quartz and has many quartz nubbins. None of the routes are really long.Most routes here are are sport and trad lines, but a few can be top-roped, though awkwardly.
In addition to the Rose Dome, there are several other domes in the area that offer good climbing. Since this area is pretty far from any major population centers, it usually isn't crowded, but local climbers from Steamboat Springs do frequent the area.
Established climbs range in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.12a, but the dome still has more route potential on it. Most climbs are single pitch, but there are a few multi pitch routes available.
Kessler on top of the Rose Dome after leading Raspberry Topping.
The Rose Dome as seen from the east.Getting There and Approach
From near the east side of Rabbit Ears Pass on Highway 40 (between Steamboat Springs and Kremmling), turn south of Forest Road 100 (Buffalo Park Road). Follow this good gravel route south for 8.7 miles to a pull off and camping area on the left.This is just before the road makes a big bend at a stream crossing.
From the camping area/parking area, a social trail, marked with blue ribbons starts on the west side of the road. This trail reaches the Rose Dome after about 15 minutes of walking.
Gearing up at the base of the Rose Dome.Routes Overview
East Side Routes, sorted left to right:| ROUTE | DIFFICULTY | GEAR | QUALITY |
| Raspberry Topping | 5.6 | 4 draws | Good |
| Ladder Made of Thorns | 5.7 | 4 draws | Good |
| Spotted Rose | 5.8 | 5 draws | Excellent |
| Raining Rose Petals | 5.9+ | 8 draws | Good |
| Climbin' Trees | 5.10c | 7 draws | Excellent |
| 5.9 Trad Line | 5.9- | Small to medium cams and nuts. | Fair |
| Sheep Date | 5.12a | A single rack to red Camalot and a set of nuts. An RP(maybe #2) can be nice mid-crux. A blue Camalot protects the easy upper corner. | Excellent |
| Nubbin of Roses | 5.10d | 5 draws | Good |
| Black Rose Stem | 5.9 | 7 draws | Good |
| Bouquet of Roses | 5.10b | 8 draws | Excellent |
Raspberry Topping.
Spotted Rose.East Side Route:
| ROUTE | DIFFICULTY | GEAR | QUALITY |
| Moose Whisperer | 5.11- | Singles to #3 or #4 Camalot with an extra #2 or #3. | Excellent |
Red Tape
There is no red tape here, so please clean up after yourself and take good care of the area.[img:1005388:aligncenter:medium:Shaylee descending after climbing Raspberry Topping.
There is no red tape here.]
When to Climb
The road to the trailhead is only open in summer and early fall. Some summer days can be warm, but the west side of the rock is shaded in the morning, while the east side is shaded in the evening.
Climbing on a warm July day.Camping
There are many informal campsites around the trailhead. Please leave a clean campsite. There are also formal campsites in the vicinity of Rabbit Ears Pass.Mountain Conditions
CLICK HERE FOR WEATHER FORECASTBelow is the National Weather Service Climate Summary of Steamboat Springs. The data is from 1908-2005. This is the closest long term weather station, but be aware that higher elevations will be much wetter and colder. Steamboat Springs is at 6695 feet elevation, so expect the temperatures on Rose Domes to be 10 degrees colder than in Steamboat.
| MONTH | AVE HIGH | AVE LOW | REC HIGH | REC LOW | AVE PREC (in) |
| JAN | 29 | 1 | 57 | -54 | 2.47 |
| FEB | 34 | 4 | 59 | -48 | 2.24 |
| MAR | 42 | 13 | 70 | -34 | 2.11 |
| APR | 54 | 24 | 79 | -15 | 2.28 |
| MAY | 65 | 31 | 88 | 8 | 2.08 |
| JUN | 75 | 36 | 96 | 19 | 1.49 |
| JUL | 82 | 41 | 97 | 25 | 1.54 |
| AUG | 80 | 40 | 98 | 20 | 1.60 |
| SEP | 72 | 33 | 93 | 6 | 1.81 |
| OCT | 60 | 24 | 89 | -16 | 1.89 |
| NOV | 43 | 14 | 72 | -28 | 1.97 |
| DEC | 31 | 3 | 64 | -44 | 2.38 |
External Links
Rose Dome on Mountain Project:Rose Dome