Amidst the current explosion of bouldering popularity, Boulder, Colorado has managed to hold its own against the rise in world class difficulty standards. Driven by a huge number of dedicated locals, blocs have been discovered by the dozen in areas that already boast numerous test pieces.
A mere 45 minutes away from this hotbed of activity, however, lies a new boulderer’s paradise: Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP).
With over 60 peaks rising above 12,000 feet, the park forms the backdrop to the town of Boulder, with the highest point in the park, Longs Peak, visible from almost any vantage point in town. Created in 1915, the park boasts 415 square miles of pristine beauty. Thousands of years ago glaciers gouged these mountains into beautiful U-shaped valleys leaving them crowned with big walls and glacial moraines. Lakes are numerous in the backcountry and wildlife is abundant, giving a strong wilderness feel. The RMNP has always captivated the visionary climber with inspiring rock formations, such as the 2,000 foot East face of Longs Peak; however attention has now turned to the talus fields containing hundreds, if not thousands of boulders. These blocs have most likely never been touched by human hands, and even less likely, by chalky ones.
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