    
| | | | Out and About in Grand Junction |  | Top attractions for tour operators in Grand Junction range from the natural to new-fangled. The Colorado National Monument is... |
| | Across the Top of the Mesa |  | Outdoor enthusiasts from nearby Grand Junction escape there to camp, hike, mountain bike, fish in hundreds of lakes or... |
| | | | Take a Hike! |  | "Take a hike," isn't a blow-off in Grand Junction, but sage advice for a healthy, pleasurable activity. From high... |
| | Rim Rock Run |  | Ready. Set. Run! There is no other road race quite like it in the United States. For runners it's... |
| | | A Grand Canyon by Any Other Name |  | The Colorado National Monument, an unsung treasure in far western Colorado, typifies Colorado Plateau's distinct and dramatic mesa-and-canyon topography.... |
| | | Summer Sizzles with Sound |  | My idea of heaven? Spread out a blanket under the stars, put a glass of chilled, well, anything in... |
| | | | A Day at the Monument |  | In a region known for vast, spectacular national parks, such as Arches and Canyonlands, Colorado National Monument near Grand... |
| | Three Quick Getaways |  | With a cluster of top-notch wineries, a vibrant downtown and stunning natural wonders, including the Grand Mesa, Colorado River... |
| | | | | Mountain Bike Heaven |  | Normally, my brother, Bill, is fairly civilized – a hard-working real estate broker who rarely lets his wild side... |
| | Crag Crest Trail |  | The spectacular Crag Crest Trail is literally atop the spine of Colorado's Grand Mesa. The Mesa, as locals call... |
| | A Hometown Homerun |  | Celebrating 50 years of competitive collegiate baseball, the JUCO World Series is one of the country's longest running baseball... |
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Rock Climbing in Grand Junction
By Amiee White Beazley
 | Repelling Independence Monument
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In Grand Junction, the arid desert landscape is the ideal environment for outdoor adventure, and its towering red rocks, deep canyons and large boulders make this area the ultimate destination for rock climbers. And with 275 days of sunshine per year, it means almost every day is the perfect day for climbing.
Jose Iglesias is an international climbing guide based in Grand Junction. He and Kris Hjelle are co-owners of Colorado Alpine and Desert Adventures, a rock, ice and big mountain guiding company, and climbing manager of the Core Elements center. According to Iglesias, both beginner and expert climbers will find something to challenge them in Grand Junction.
"You have granite, sandstone, big wall climbing, bouldering and a bunch of different cracks and towers. This is a peak location for climbers," he says.
According to Iglesias, the first stop for climbers of all levels should be the beautiful and vast Colorado National Monument.
Colorado National Monument  | Climbing Chimney Rock
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is located south of I-70 between Grand Junction and Fruita. Here large jutting sandstone cliffs and towers rise from the canyon floor. At the heart of the Colorado National Monument is Independence Monument – a massive sandstone tower that stretches approximately 500 feet. Iglesias describes this crack climb as similar to the world famous climbs in Indian Creek, Utah, with multiple routes.
"Just about everything here is crack climbing, with just a few limestone face climbing routes nearby. Everything is crack, adventure and sport climbing. There are also some bolted routes," he says.
At Independence Monument is the popular climb called Otto's Route. According to www.rockclimbing.com, Otto's Route is "one of the best beginner desert tower climbs anywhere." This route is often used for training and novice instruction.
Another great location for climbers to visit in Grand Junction is Unaweep Canyon on Highway 141. Unaweep is the only canyon in the world with rivers flowing out in two  | Colorado National Monument
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directions – east and west. It was named by the area's original inhabitants, the Ute Indians, literally meaning "canyon with two mouths."
Unaweep Canyon is lined on both sides with 25 miles of beautiful, solid granite cliffs, crags, boulders and cracks – many of which are made available via Access Fund properties. This is a favorite spot for both traditional and mixed climbing. Unaweep also has many Dakota sandstone boulders, appropriate for every skill level, and enough isolated walls to keep expert climbers busy for weeks.
In addition to these two areas, there are dozens of other locations to explore in Grand Junction such as Sentinel Spire and Kissing Couple in the Colorado National Monument and Escalante Canyon, 20 miles south of Grand Junction.
On the rare day when it's actually raining in Grand Junction, there is a great indoor wellness center and climbing gym called Core Elements (970-241-7622). They have both indoor and outdoor climbing areas with more than 6,000 square feet of wall space, two bouldering caves, a lead wall, repelling station, and even a movie area that plays adventure and climbing films throughout the summer.
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