Lightning Bolt Boulder
Lightning Bolt Boulder is a bouldering area in Colorado with 5 routes.
- 5 routes
- V0 – V5
- Bouldering
Is Lightning Bolt Boulder open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in White River National Forest. It doesn't name Lightning Bolt Boulder, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).
Green Mountain Reservoir and Ruedi boat ramps closed for the season
Agency closure covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Eagle-Thomasville (400), Burnt Mtn (506), plus NFSR 414 and 416 openings delayed to June 16
Agency closure covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
FSR 314, Crystal River Road, open but be prepared for delays
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
White River National Forest lifting fire restrictions on Friday Sept. 25
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · Order 2026 · USFS · White River National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Lightning Bolt Boulder
Best months: June–August. 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
31° / 3°
8 wet
Feb
33° / 3°
8 wet
Mar
39° / 9°
8 wet
Apr
44° / 18°
8 wet
May
55° / 27°
9 wet
Jun
68° / 34°
9 wet
Jul
73° / 39°
12 wet
Aug
70° / 38°
12 wet
Sep
62° / 31°
8 wet
Oct
51° / 23°
6 wet
Nov
39° / 14°
7 wet
Dec
31° / 6°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sugarloaf Rsvr, CO, 18.1 mi away at 9,738 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Lightning Bolt Boulder is a bouldering area in the Aspen Ranger District of Colorado's White River National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with the Upper Boulderfield (also known as the Bulldog Boulders) and The Warm-Up Boulder each about 0.1 mile away. The area has five bouldering routes, all rated on the V scale from V0 to V5. Lightning Bolt Crack is the easiest at V0, and The Blobulith is the hardest at V5. The routes are all boulders, so there is no climbing on rock faces here. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 73°F with lows near 39°F, while winter highs stay around 31°F. The station sits about 370 feet lower than the boulders, so temperatures on the rock run a little cooler. For an overnight stay, Lincoln Creek Dispersed Campground is about 1.6 miles away, and Lost Man Campground is about 2.4 miles off. The Roaring Fork River, about 2.6 miles away, offers paddling.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
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The Warm-Up Boulder
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