The Land
The Land
Indigenous Land
Southeast Wyoming Climbers Coalition acknowledges that we climb on the unceded ancestral lands of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. They were forced from their lands by the federal government, settlers, and through the ramifications of the Treaty of Fort Laramie. These peoples still live throughout the region and we encourage local and visiting climbers to learn more about them by visiting their websites. Some of this information was sourced from https://native-land.ca/
Climbing Locations
Needle Peak
Located in Saratoga Valley, Needle Peak consists of high quality and abundant gneiss rock boulders and formations. A small group of local boulderers started developing this area in the early 2000s. You can access the mountain through public lands of both the BLM and State of Wyoming. Download the PDF guidebook here.
Rogers Canyon
The Rogers Canyon area has been climbed for decades, although few lines have been equipped for sport climbing until recently. Considerable time and energy have been put into establishing many fun and safe sport climbs in the last few years. Rogers is mostly on BLM land. Do not attempt to access climbing on surrounding private land without explicit permission from the owner. Please respect their property and tread lightly. Download the PDF guidebook here.
Vedauwoo
At 8,000 feet elevation, this high oasis features reflective beaver ponds, sturdy stands of pines and aspens, as well as characteristically rough granite cracks and boulders. This area of rocky outcrops is located between Laramie and Cheyenne. Vedauwoo provides a welcome escape for locals and is also frequented by visiting technical climbers, family picnickers, and campers. Check out a free bouldering guidebook here.
Laramie Range
Endless ridges and peaks of granite make up the Laramie Range. Similar to Vedauwoo but with smoother rock and more hand sized cracks. Most of this range is located on private property. Know before you go and seek out the public land options.
Snowy Mountains
The Snowy Range stretches from Colorado all the way north to Elk Mountain in Wyoming. It's a mix of rock types, but the Snowies get their name from the bone white quartzite visible on the western slopes of the range. There's (established) sport, trad, bouldering, and alpine areas.
The Access Fund's Climber's Pact
We must be the utmost stewards of the land to ensure we have sustainable climbing access, and SEWYCC strongly commits to the Access Fund's Climber's pact:
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Be considerate of other users
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Park and camp in designated areas
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Dispose of human waste properly
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Stay on trails whenever possible
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Place gear and pads on durable surfaces
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Respect wildlife, sensitive plants, soils, and cultural resources
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Clean up chalk and tick marks
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Minimize group size and noise
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Pack out all trash, crash pads, and gear
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Learn the local ethics for the places you climb
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Respect regulations and closures
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Use, install, and replace bolts and fixed anchors responsibly
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Be an upstander, not a bystander
History of Climbing
Climbing at Vedauwoo and the surrounding areas has a rich history. Formations began to be climbed as early as the late 1940s by the Outing Club made up of University of Wyoming students who served in the 10th Mountain Division during WWII. Once the formations as a whole were climbed, then individual lines started to be established. In the 60s and 70s, the first published guides for the area became available detailing more and more climbs. There are now over 1,000 published routes in Vedauwoo at dozens of different crags.
This information was adapted from the extensive history section of Skip Harper's website: vedauwoo.org.
Laramie
Climbers can be valued economic drivers! Check out these resources in Laramie and visit the Visit Laramie site for even more.
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For your USFS Pass visit the Laramie Ranger District Office.
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For showers, visit the City of Laramie Recreation Center.
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Tape and gear can be found at:
