Upper Caves
Upper Caves in Colorado has 8 sport climbing routes across 7 difficulty grades.
- 8 routes
- 5.8+ – 5.12a
- Sport
Best time to visit Upper Caves
Best months: June–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
26° / -6°
7 wet
Feb
30° / 1°
6 wet
Mar
44° / 14°
5 wet
Apr
56° / 23°
5 wet
May
66° / 30°
6 wet
Jun
76° / 36°
6 wet
Jul
80° / 44°
10 wet
Aug
77° / 43°
11 wet
Sep
70° / 34°
9 wet
Oct
60° / 22°
6 wet
Nov
44° / 11°
5 wet
Dec
28° / -3°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gunnison 3sw, CO, 2.5 mi away at 7,622 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Upper Caves is a rock climbing area in Colorado, about 0.2 miles from the town of Gunnison. It sits among a tight cluster of climbing spots, which makes it easy to pair with neighboring walls and boulders on the same outing. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable stretch here. Typical averages from a nearby weather station near Gunnison show highs of about 76°F in June and 70°F in September, while July and August bring more wet days. Winters are harsh, with typical January lows around -6°F. Roadside Boulder and Gate View Canyon are both about 0.1 miles away. The I-bar to Western mountain bike trail is about 0.7 miles off, and Gunnison KOA, about 1.5 miles away, offers a place to camp.
Routes (8)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Kill Hill Bouldering Area
~5 min drive
Kill Hill Bouldering Area in Colorado has 16 bouldering routes with 11 difficulty grades.
Photo: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Buddha's Belly Wall
~6 min drive
Buddha's Belly Wall in Colorado has 6 routes across 5 grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad climbing.
Photo: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Bouldering Areas
~6 min drive
Bouldering Areas in Colorado has 12 routes across 11 grades.
Photo: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)The Far Side
~6 min drive
Bouldering area in Colorado with 1 route.
Photo: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Tiger Wall
~6 min drive
Tiger Wall in Colorado has 11 climbing routes with mixed and sport styles.
Photo: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Beginner's Slab
~6 min drive
Beginner's Slab in Colorado has 11 routes across 5 grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
Photo: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Hartman Rocks
~6 min drive
Hartman Rocks in Colorado has 26 climbing routes across 18 difficulty grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Western State Campus
~1 min drive
Western State Campus in Colorado has 5 routes with 5 difficulty grades, offering bouldering and sport climbing.
Bambi's Trail Area
~6 min drive
Bambi's Trail Area in Colorado has 4 climbing routes with bouldering pads.
Riptide Boulder
~6 min drive
Riptide Boulder in Colorado has 5 bouldering routes across 4 grades.
