Window Rock & Castle Rock Climbing

Category: Colorado (RMNP/Estes Park Area)Elev: ~8,500 ftRock Type: Granite
Dates: April 2021(x1 day), June 2023(x1 day), Sept 2023(x1 day)Partner: Nate Arganbright, Scott Kimball
Trip Report #: 460(this trip report number corresponds to the first time I climbed at Window Rock and established this page on my website)

List of Climbs I've Done & Some Photos

Window Rock is the large fin with a hole in its mid-section on the southeast shoulder of Castle Mountain on the west side of Estes Park. The rock is standard Lumpy quality granite and most of the dozen or so routes are single pitch. The climbing here is pleasant and quiet, and several good bouldering areas can be found below the crag. 

Castle Rock is the next small chunk of rock to the left (west) of Window Rock on Castle Mountain. It's a bit higher than Window Rock. From a distance it looks like a decent-sized rock, but it's pretty small...three pitches at most. 

The first time I climbed at Window Rock was in April 2021, on a Friday evening after a day of studying for an upcoming final exam. It was one of those stellar spring days, and a few pitches of climbing in a new area was a great study break. I returned a couple of years later on a sunny late afternoon to check out some new routes with Scott Kimball.

The first time I climbed at Castle Rock was in September 2021. Indigenous peoples summer had arrived, and Nate, Scott, and I took a break from our day jobs to enjoy a quick midday cragging session.

On this page, I keep a list of the climbs I've done at Window Rock and Castle Rock. Below the list, I have random photos from cragging at Window Rock and Castle Rock.

Castle Rock (left and higher) and Window Rock (right and lower). This photo was taken from the top of Old Man Mountain. The gormation behind Windo Rock is The Book at Lumpy Ridge.

list of climbs i've done at Window Rock & Castle Rock

Window Rock

photos

Some random photos from cragging at Window Rock and Castle Rock.

Color coded by area:
Window Rock       Castle Rock

(First time cragging at Window Rock)

Date: April 30, 2021 (Fri)     Partner: Nate Arganbright     Climbed at: Window Rock

It was one of the nicest days of the spring so far. Nate got off work a bit early and I studied hard all day for an upcoming exam, but we took the evening to climb a few pitches at the nearby Window Rock.

1. Pasque flowers.
2. The window.
3. Curtains (5.9).
4. Nate on the first bit of Nothing Like the Sun (5.11d).
Date: June 20, 2023 (Tue)     Partner: Scott Kimball     Climbed at: Window Rock

A two-pitch after-work adventure on an old 2-pitch trad route at Window Rock. The route is not on mountainproject and I don't know it's name. The first pitch was 5.8+/5.9 and the second was 5.8+ or so.

5. Approaching Window Rock.
6. Scott pointing out the climb: the obvious crack.
7. Scott staring up Pitch 1. Burly 5.8+ or 5.9.
8. Scott staring up Pitch 1. Burly 5.8+ or 5.9.
9. Fun crack climbing on Pitch 2.
10. 3-nut anchor we rappelled off of. Scott and Nate had left this anchor up there the previous year when they were climbing on Window Rock.
11. On closer inspection, I was pretty sure that was one of my dad's old nuts in the anchor (I had left a pile of old nuts in Nate's gear room to be used for bail anchors and such)....
12. ...yep, that looks like his green tape to me!
13. View out towards Lake Estes.
14. I like this tree. Longs Peak behind.
15. The ticks are still out.
16. Geranium. 
17. One-sided penstemon.
18. One-sided penstemon.
19. Spotted Coralroot. 
20. Spotted Coralroot. (Okay, full disclaimer: I returned the following day with a better camera and a macro lens to take these flower photos. No way my cheapo point and shoot could take these photos.)
21. Sweetvetch.
22. Miner's Candle.
23. Afterward, we climbed Nate's tree.
24. View from the top of Nate's tree.
25. Looking down at my car.

(First time cragging at Castle Rock)

Date: September 27, 2023 (Wed)     Partner: Nate Arganbright & Scott Kimball     Climbed at: Castle Rock

Indigenous peoples summer had arrived, and Nate, Scott, and I took a break from our day jobs to enjoy a quick midday cragging session.

26. Castle Rock poking above the trees.
27. Castle Rock (and Window Rock) is actually within the National Park boundary.
28. A great 5.8 corner crack for Pitch 1.
29. Low 5th climbing on Pitch 2.
30. Scott behind a precarious boulder at the top of Pitch 2.
31. Nate leading Pitch 3. This is likely an FA. The climbing was fun and about 5.9.
32. Scott climbing the fingercrack on Pitch 3.
33. Scott showing us how it's done.
34. This tree grew around the boulder.

previous and next adventures

(April 2021: First time cragging at Window Rock)
(September 2023: First time cragging at Castle Rock)