Slab Routes
Slab Routes in Colorado has 6 sport climbing routes on slab rock.
- 6 routes
- 5.8 – 5.10a
- Sport
Best time to visit Slab Routes
Best months: May–June and August–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° / 10°
8 wet
Feb
42° / 15°
7 wet
Mar
55° / 22°
7 wet
Apr
62° / 28°
9 wet
May
72° / 37°
9 wet
Jun
83° / 45°
6 wet
Jul
88° / 52°
9 wet
Aug
85° / 49°
9 wet
Sep
79° / 41°
8 wet
Oct
64° / 30°
8 wet
Nov
49° / 20°
7 wet
Dec
37° / 11°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rifle 3ene, CO, 6.7 mi away at 5,469 ft. The station sits about 900 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.
Slab Routes is a climbing area on Bureau of Land Management land in the Colorado River Valley Field Office in western Colorado, about 0.1 mile from Rifle Arch. The BLM manages the surrounding land, and the two climbing areas sit right next to each other. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Rifle show May highs around 72°F and September highs near 79°F, while July climbs to about 88°F and winter highs hover in the upper 30s. Rifle Arch is the closest neighbor, and the Double-track Up and upper wall street (turtle traverse) mountain biking routes are each about 0.4 mile away. Sage Campground, roughly 3 miles off, is the nearest place to camp.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
The Wicked Cave
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The Arsenal
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The Sanctuary
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Sanctuary, The is a 6-route sport climbing area in Colorado with routes on 5 distinct difficulty grades.
The Nappy Dugout
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Nappy Dugout, Colorado has 19 sport climbing routes.
The Wasteland
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Lower Ice Caves
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Lower Ice Caves in Colorado has 14 sport climbing routes across 8 difficulty grades.
Middle Ice Caves (Potato Routes)
~15 min drive
Middle Ice Caves (Potato Routes) in Colorado has 6 sport climbing routes.
The Funny Face
~15 min drive
Funny Face is a climbing crag in Colorado with 10 routes.
West Facing
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West Facing in Colorado has 5 sport climbing routes across 4 grades.
