Aretes
Aretes in Colorado has 14 traditional climbing routes across 8 difficulty grades.
Photo: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 14 routes
- 5.8+ – 5.12-
- Trad
Is Aretes open right now?
Alert in the area
The National Park Service lists an alert for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
No Water Available in Park
Park alert covering Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park · NPS · Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
As of · Source: NPS · Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Aretes
Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
37° / 13°
Feb
40° / 16°
Mar
49° / 23°
Apr
56° / 29°
May
66° / 38°
Jun
76° / 46°
Jul
82° / 53°
Aug
81° / 52°
Sep
72° / 44°
Oct
60° / 33°
Nov
47° / 23°
Dec
36° / 13°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Black Canyon Of The Gunnison, CO, 2.8 mi away at 8,151 ft. The station sits about 500 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Aretes is a climbing area inside Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado, within the Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness. The land is managed by the National Park Service. Summer and early fall bring the most comfortable temperatures. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show June highs around 76°F and September highs near 72°F with lows in the mid-40s. According to the National Park Service, a fee is charged for this activity. Other climbing is close by at Guppy Gully and SOB Gully (skier's left side). Painted Wall Overlook is about 0.4 miles away, and North Rim Campground is roughly half a mile off.
Routes (14)
Facts about this crag
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Guppy Gully
~0 min drive
Guppy Gully in Colorado has 5 traditional climbing routes across 3 difficulty grades.
Coxcomb Peak
~58 min drive
Route to the summit of Coxcomb Peak (13,612 ft) from West Fork Cimarron River Trailhead.
Photo: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)South Rim Routes
~1 min drive
South Rim Routes in Colorado has 27 trad climbing routes with 14 difficulty grades.
Photo: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)North Chasm View Wall
~1 min drive
North Chasm View Wall in Colorado has 34 climbing routes with bouldering pads, sport, and trad.
Photo: SymphonicPoet, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)The Checkerboard Wall
~1 min drive
Checkerboard Wall in Colorado has 6 trad climbing routes with 6 distinct difficulty grades.
Photo: scostello22, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Black Canyon of the Gunnison
~1 min drive
Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado has 4 bouldering routes.
Photo: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Prisoner of Your Hairdo Gully
~2 min drive
Prisoner of Your Hairdo Gully is a climbing area in Colorado with 5 routes.
Photo: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Painted Wall
~2 min drive
Painted Wall in Colorado has 5 climbing routes with bouldering pads and trad.
Photo: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)North Rim Routes
~2 min drive
North Rim Routes in Colorado has 9 traditional climbing routes across 6 grades.
Photo: Kbh3rd, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)SOB Gully (skier's left side)
~0 min drive
SOB Gully (skier's left side) in Colorado has 18 routes with 11 difficulty grades.
