The Needle
The Needle in Colorado has 9 mixed, sport, and trad routes ranging from 5.10a to 5.12b.
Photo: Rojer, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 9 routes
- 5.2 – 5.13b
- Sport · Trad · Mixed
Best time to visit The Needle
Best months: May–June and September. 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° / 16°
7 wet
Feb
38° / 16°
8 wet
Mar
45° / 21°
9 wet
Apr
52° / 26°
10 wet
May
61° / 35°
12 wet
Jun
74° / 43°
10 wet
Jul
80° / 48°
13 wet
Aug
78° / 46°
13 wet
Sep
70° / 39°
9 wet
Oct
57° / 30°
7 wet
Nov
44° / 23°
6 wet
Dec
36° / 16°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Estes Park 3 Sse, CO, 0.6 mi away at 7,812 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
The Needle is a climbing area in Colorado, about 1.4 miles from the town of Estes Park. It sits among several other climbing spots in the area, so it works well as a stop on a day exploring the rock around Estes Park. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 80°F with lows near 48°F, while winter highs stay in the mid-30s. That station sits a few hundred feet lower than the Needle, so temperatures here run a bit cooler. The Thumb and Prospect Mountain climbing areas are both about 0.1 mile away. For a hike, Deer Mountain Trail is about 1.9 miles off, and Glacier Basin Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park is about 4.5 miles away for an overnight stay.
Routes (9)
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