Unaweep Canyon Climbing: Questions and Answers (5.10+, 3-4p) and various other climbs

Unaweep Canyon Climbing

Routes:

- Questions and Answers (5.10+, 3-4p)
- Other climbs

Region: Colorado
Elev: ~6,800 ft
Rock type: Metamorphic granite/gneiss
Type: 
Trip Report 1:
Questions and Answers (5.10+, 3-4p)
Date(s): May 13, 2023
Partner(s): Nate Arganbright
Trip Report 2:
Various other routes
Date(s): June 2022(x1 day), May 2023(x2 days)
Partner(s): Ball, Nate Arganbright

Unaweep Canyon is one of western Colorado's most spectacular but least known natural wonders. The broad U-shaped canyon, its sides walled by towering cliffs, is a geologic anomaly. The east-west trending canyo is supposedly the only canyon in the world drained by two creeks that flow in opposite directions fro a central divide ("Unaweep" is Ute for "Canyon with Two Mouths"). Some of Colorado's oldest exposed rocks are found in Unaweep Canon—the canyon's granite and gneiss date between 1.4 to 1.7 billions years ago.

There is a lot of rock to climb in Unaweep. The potential for new routes seems limitless and many of the the existing routes feel like first ascents due to low traffic and the large absence of fixed gear. The climbing is on the adventurous side and approaches can be a bit 'shwacky. Most of the canyon routes are trad and follow crack systems, from single pitch to several pitches in length. There are over 30 established cliffs in the canyon but many are on private property. Care must be taken not to offend the residents and locals of Unaweep Canyon as much of the climbing access lies at their mercy. There are a few popular crags located on Access Fund property.

The first time I climbed in Unaweep Canyon Valley area was a single chossy adventure day in June 2022, when I joined a guy putting up first ascents (we put up three new single-pitch routes, none of them all that good, but looking at the rock on the other side of the canyon I saw potential for some great climbing). I returned a year later in May 2023 with Nate on my birthday weekend to climb some more established routes, including the phenomenal Questions and Answers (5.10+, 3-4p).

On this page, I give photos from climbing in Unaweep Canyon, organized by date. I've also included my trip report for Questions and Answers. At the bottom of the page, I keep a list of the climbs I've done in Unaweep.

Pitch-by-Pitch Trip Report for Questions and Answers

CLICK ON ROUTE TO DROP DOWN CONTENT

Route Overlay

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Intro

My 40th birthday fell on a weekend. What better thing to do to celebrate (i.e. ignore the fact I am over the hill) than to go climbing! Unfortunately it was looking like yet another rainy weekend in a string of rainy weekends, so it looked like we may have to do some driving to get to dry rock. Unaweep looked about the closest (5.5 hours drive or so) place with a dry(ish) forecast. So to Unaweep we went!

Nate and I left Estes Park early Saturday morning and arrived in Unaweep Canyon by mid-morning. The forecast was for an afternoon thundershower, but we decided we had just enough time to climb Questions and Answers, a 400-foot 5.10+ route to the top of Upper Mother's Buttress that is reputedly one of the best multipitch routes in the canyon. Indeed it was a phenomenal route. The rain held off until we were rappelling back to the base. We hustled back to the car, changed out of our soaking clothes, and went to find a free place to camp. The weather cleared for a nice evening at our camp.

On Sunday we thought it would be appropriate to spend the morning at Sunday Wall, a popular climbing area. We managed two fun pitches before the weather began to roll in. So it was a dash out to the car and then 6 hours in the car back to Estes Park.

Despite the rain, it was a great way to spend my birthday weekend. I've seen what Unaweep has to offer and hope to return. Below are some photos from Questions and Answers, and later on this page are other photos from the weekend.

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Descent

Rappel
Three single-rope rappels in the gully system to climbers' right of the route.

More Photos

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM OTHER DAYS OF CRAGGING AT UNAWEEP


More climbing fun!
Date: June 6, 2022 (Mon)
Partner: Ball
Climbed at: Music Wall & Trad Wall
I had a few days free and TJ was camped out in Unaweep Canyon looking for partners with whom to explore virgin rock. I joined him for the day putting up three single-pitch first ascents. I found the rock good, but the day had an adventurous feel due to the untravelled nature of the rock. Someday I will have to return to climb some of the small selection of well-travelled routes in the area.

More climbing fun!
Dates: May 13&14, 2023 (Sat&Sun)
Partner: Nate Arganbright
Climbed at: Mothers Buttress area, Access Fund Trailhead area (Sunday Wall)
My 40th birthday fell on a weekend. What better thing to do to celebrate (i.e. ignore the fact I am over the hill) than to go climbing! Unfortunately it was looking like yet another rainy weekend in a string of rainy weekends, so it looked like we may have to do some driving to get to dry rock. Unaweep looked about the closest (5.5 hours drive or so) place with a dry(ish) forecast. So to Unaweep we went!

Nate and I left Estes Park early Saturday morning and arrived in Unaweep Canyon by mid-morning. The forecast was for an afternoon thundershower, but we decided we had just enough time to climb Questions and Answers, a 400-foot 5.10+ route to the top of Upper Mother's Buttress that is reputedly one of the best multipitch routes in the canyon. Indeed it was a phenomenal route. The rain held off until we were rappelling back to the base. We hustled back to the car, changed out of our soaking clothes, and went to find a free place to camp. The weather cleared for a nice evening at our camp.

On Sunday we thought it would be appropriate to spend the morning at Sunday Wall, a popular climbing area. We managed two fun pitches before the weather began to roll in. So it was a dash out to the car and then 6 hours in the car back to Estes Park.

Despite the rain, it was a great way to spend my birthday weekend. I've seen what Unaweep has to offer and hope to return. Below are some photos. The photos for Questions and Answers are in the trip report for Questions and Answers earlier on this page.

List of Climbs I've done at Unaweep Canyon

LIST MAINLY FOR PERSONAL RECORD-KEEPING | DATES I'VE CLIMBED THERE ON SECOND TAB

Previous and Next Adventures

(May 2023: Questions and Answers and 1st significant time climbing at Unaweep)

Comments Pertaining to this Page / Trip Report

Useful beta. Updated route information. Corrections. Historical notes. Interesting facts. No fluff please.
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