Written by Morgen Seim
Looking for something to do on the weekends? Tired of a long approach and want to enjoy some laidback bouldering? Or do you simply want an excuse to get outside and off campus?
Head to one of the two boulders found in North Cheyenne Canyon: Graduation Rock. While it is only home to five classic routes, the rock provides a great opportunity to practice your traversing skills.
The boulder is located .7 miles away from the park entrance on the left side of the road. It is pretty hard to miss and once you spot it, park on the opposite side of the street. From there, it’s about a five second approach, depending on the amount of cars passing by.
People have been bouldering on this rock for decades and at first glance, it seems like there are only about six problems to work on, two of which are pretty straightforward traverses. However, a quick peek on Mountain Project shows that there are dozens of problems waiting to be sent.
The problems range in their level of difficulty as well as height. The east side of the boulder is quite short but allows for several easy warm-ups before you walk westward to test out the harder problems. The majority of the routes are outlined in chalk, making it much easier to deal with Mountain Project’s refusal to load on your phone.
On my visit, I avoided the south-facing wall that looked over the creek. The problems look fun but consist of highballs elevated over a running creek filled with jagged rocks and branches sticking upwards towards the climber. It is definitely not a very easily protected wall.
Before trying these problems, you might consider turning towards the west corner of the rock, which has some pretty nice jugs that make up the most famous problem on the boulder: “Graduation”, about a VI. For those of you who are looking for more of a challenge, don’t worry. The problems range in difficulty. Supposedly, there is a V10 traverse somewhere on this rock, so go out and try to find it!
This is an ideal outing for someone who isn’t looking to rack up or to pull on a harness. Just pull out a boulder pad and try to make sure it doesn’t end up in the middle of the road. The north side of the wall is about a foot away from the edge of the road, so be careful about where you put your bags as well.
For the most part, the problems are fun and easy but there is potential for some harder problems to be sent, so make sure someone is watching your back and the cars on the road. The quick approach makes it an attractive trip for those who are just looking to get outside during a study break.
If you feel like you’ve tackled the boulder as much as possible, go ahead and take a quick hike. The park is beautiful and there are many day hike options. There is a trail located right across the creek and if you’re up for some fun scrambling, go back to where you parked and scramble up the side of the hill.
Once you get back to campus, you’ll feel like you spent your day exactly as you intended to: relaxing in the fresh, open air.