I N T R O D U C T I O N
THIS SITE IS PRIMARILY INVOLVED WITH ROCK CLIMBING AT VEDAUWOO,
"Land of the Earthborn Spirit"
JUMP TO A MAP OF GREATER VEDAUWOO
At an altitude of
8,000 feet, Vedauwoo is a rather secluded rocky oasis in southeastern
Wyoming, filled with dense pine
forests and aspen groves. It is surrounded by a seemingly endless expanse
of high plains and lies under a dome of intense cerulean blue sky. Views
from the tops of the crags are stunning, and one can see from Wyoming's ragged
mountains clear down the Continental Divide to Long's Peak, some 75 miles south
in Colorado. A
multitude of free-ranging animal species are commonly found here, including
small mammals, antelope, moose, deer, cattle,
climbers and an occasional black
bear or cougar.
Today, climbers and others come here from nearly
everywhere to indulge
themselves
within
a setting of alien rock formations and scenic valleys found only at
Vedauwoo.
See the MAP of Greater Vedauwoo for a quick orientation to
the entire area.
This is 'high country' and wind is ever present, whether just a light breeze
prowling through the aspen groves or near hurricane force gales. Storms of
near bestial proportions are spawned in the
SNOWY
RANGE about 50 miles to the west and many times descend upon the valleys of Vedauwoo. Should you decide to visit, you might want
to check the weather prior to coming, especially in the
spring or late
fall. There
is a live cam
at the
Vedauwoo
Exit as well as
atmospheric
sensors near Vedauwoo. There is another live cam
south of Cheyenne (if you're
coming up from the
Front Range). In fact, no matter what the conditions or season, come
prepared for CHANGE (*check
this
out!!)
- it can occur in an instant! So
whatever you decide
to do here, from aggressive sports like
climbing, bouldering,
biking
or trail running, to
more quiescent activities like attending the Vertical
Dance Performance
or hiking around the back country engaging the
flora and fauna,
the promise is one of a unique and unforgettable experience. There are
more photos in the PHOTOGALLERY.
Additional information can be found on the Other
Activities page. Opening dates, road closures, etc. are found on the Current Events page and on the
U.S.
Forest Service website.
This is Offwidth Country!
WHERE: Vedauwoo is located in southeastern Wyoming along Interstate I-80, about 30 miles west of Cheyenne and/or about 20 miles east of Laramie at Exit # 329.
WHEN: The climbing season stretches from about Mid-April thru Mid-October. Some push it past these times, but 'windows of opportunity' become much less frequent outside these limits. You might want to check out the Current Events Page for Gate Opening Dates, Pass Prices, etc.
YOU can check out GOOGLE MAPS for a cool satellite view of Greater Vedauwoo - explore around.
HERE is a GENERAL ORIENTATION schematic. *PLEASE NOTE: It is referred to many times within the site! See another clickable MAP HERE.
A = Central Vedauwoo, B = Reynold's and Outback, C = Lower Blair
D = Upper Blair, 700, 720, etc. = USFS Road Designations
. . . . . G E T I T O N ! !
YOU MIGHT WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE FASCINATING HISTORY OF THIS ALLURING PLACE, VISIT THE VEDAUWOO MUSEUM, OR GO TO THE SITE MAP AND SEE HOW THE SITE IS ORGANIZED AND GO FROM THERE.
. . . . . R E A L L Y ?
Y E S !
REMEMBER.... A 'COWBOY SPIRIT' PERVADES THIS PLACE. THIS LAND BREEDS ADVENTUROUS PEOPLE WHO SOMETIMES IGNORE POTENTIAL RISKS .... 'BRUSHPOPPERS'. MANY ARE SLIGHTLY UNSTABLE, BUT READY FOR ANY CHALLENGE - WITH A RECKLESS PERSEVERANCE TO "HANG ON IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY OR GET BUCKED OFF". THIS IS BUT ONE OF MANY ELEMENTS THAT MAKE THIS PLACE SO UNIQUE. SO DIG IN YOUR SPURS AND GET READY FOR A RIDE!!
. . . . . W H A T 'S T H I S ? ?
A NOVEL called "The Edge of Justice", written by Clinton McKinzie, centers around Vedauwoo! Another more recent adventure novel called "BADWATER" uses well-known features of Vedauwoo (like the "big, bad wide crack 'Lucille") within the plot. Check these out at his website.
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