Southwest Alcove
Southwest Alcove in Colorado has 5 sport climbing routes on 5 difficulty grades.
- 5 routes
- 5.8 – 5.11b
- Sport
Is Southwest Alcove open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Canyon Lakes Ranger District.
Salt Cabin Prescribed (RX) Fire Closure
Agency alert covering Canyon Lakes Ranger District · Order 02-10-05-26-10 · USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests · USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
West Crystal A - Mechanical Fuelbreak Area and Road Closure
Agency alert covering Canyon Lakes Ranger District · Order 02-10-05-26-04 · USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District
Cameron Peak Fire Road Closures
Agency alert covering Canyon Lakes Ranger District · Order 02-10-05-26-01 · USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Southwest Alcove
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
40° / 21°
5 wet
Feb
40° / 20°
6 wet
Mar
47° / 26°
8 wet
Apr
51° / 30°
10 wet
May
60° / 39°
12 wet
Jun
72° / 49°
11 wet
Jul
79° / 56°
11 wet
Aug
78° / 55°
11 wet
Sep
70° / 47°
8 wet
Oct
57° / 36°
7 wet
Nov
47° / 28°
6 wet
Dec
40° / 20°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Buckhorn Mtn 1 E, CO, 6.8 mi away at 7,400 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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.
Southwest Alcove is a climbing area in the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among several other climbing spots, with Duke's Wall and North Face both about 0.1 mile away. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 79°F with lows near 56°F, while winter highs stay around 40°F. That station sits about 1,100 feet lower than the alcove, so temperatures here run cooler. Stove Prairie Landing Campground is about 1.2 miles away, and Ansel Watrous Campground is about 1.7 miles away. Young Gulch, a hike about 1.5 miles off, and the Cache la Poudre River, about 2.4 miles away, round out the nearby options.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Duke's Wall
~0 min drive
Duke's Wall in Colorado has 7 climbing routes ranging from sport to trad.
North Face
~0 min drive
North-facing Colorado crag offering cool, stable climbing conditions.
The Sail
~0 min drive
Sail, The is a climbing area in Colorado with 12 routes.
Chimney Sweep Wall
~0 min drive
Chimney Sweep Wall in Colorado has 5 mixed and sport climbing routes.
Old Aid Wall aka Upper Echelon Wall
~0 min drive
Old Aid Wall aka Upper Echelon Wall is a Colorado climbing area with 10 routes spanning 9 grades, offering sport and trad options.
Middle Class Wall
~0 min drive
Middle Class Wall in Colorado has 11 climbing routes across 8 grades, offering sport and trad options.
The Fishing Hole
~0 min drive
7 routes in Colorado spanning 5 grades, sport and trad climbing.
The Poudre Face
~0 min drive
Poudre Face, The in Colorado has 14 climbing routes across 11 grades.
The Palace
~0 min drive
The Palace in Colorado has 17 climbing routes with 15 distinct difficulty grades.
Red Wall
~0 min drive
Red Wall is a Colorado climbing area with 9 sport routes across 6 grades.
