Whale Boulder (aka South Paw)
Whale Boulder (aka South Paw) in Colorado has 5 bouldering routes.
Photo: relaxednow, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 5 routes
- V5 – V13
- Bouldering
Best time to visit Whale Boulder (aka South Paw)
Best months: April–June and September–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
47° / 21°
6 wet
Feb
48° / 22°
7 wet
Mar
57° / 29°
8 wet
Apr
63° / 34°
10 wet
May
71° / 43°
12 wet
Jun
83° / 51°
10 wet
Jul
88° / 57°
11 wet
Aug
86° / 55°
10 wet
Sep
79° / 48°
8 wet
Oct
66° / 37°
7 wet
Nov
54° / 28°
6 wet
Dec
46° / 21°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Boulder, CO, 3.7 mi away at 5,484 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Whale Boulder, also known as South Paw, is a climbing area on city land within the Dunn I unit in Colorado. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots and trails, with East Draw about 0.2 miles away and Center Ring Wall about 0.3 miles away. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby Boulder weather station show May highs around 71°F and September highs around 79°F, with July peaking near 88°F. The closest trails are Shadow Canyon South Trail, about 0.4 miles away, and Towhee Trail, about 0.5 miles away. For an overnight stay, Winiger Ridge campground is about 5 miles off, and Sourdough Springs Campground is about 7 miles away.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
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Photo: relaxednow, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Bastille - N Face
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