I N T R O D U C T I O N
INTRO
THIS SITE IS PRIMARILY INVOLVED WITH ROCK CLIMBING AT VEDAUWOO,
"Land of the Earthborn Spirit". . . . . . . .
At an altitude of
8,000 feet, Vedauwoo is a rather secluded rocky oasis in southeastern
Wyoming, filled with dense pine
forests and asp
en 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, 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.
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 are
2 live cams
at the Vedauwoo Exit -
#1 (looking west) and
#2 (looking east) - 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 just
wandering around the back country engaging the
flora and fauna,
the promise is one of a unique and unforgettable experience. More can be found on the Other
Activities page - and opening dates, road closures, etc. are found on the Current Events page and on the
U.S.
Forest Service website.
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. You can check out the Terraserver Image for a cool satellite view of Greater Vedauwoo - keep clicking 'down' to get closer. Here is another general orientation map. *NOTE: This one is referred to throughout the site!
A = Central Vedauwoo, B = Reynold's and Outback, C = Lower Blair
D = Upper Blair, 700, 720, etc. = USFS Road Designations
WHEN: The climbing season stretches from about Mid-April thru Mid-October. Some push it past these limits, 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.
. . . . . 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.
. . . . . 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 one called "BADWATER" utilizes 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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