About the FHRC
Since 2003, an agreement between the Flatirons Climbing Council (FCC) and the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Department (OSMP) has put in place a program allowing for the replacement of exisiting hardware and the placement of new fixed anchors in the Flatirons. This has allowed for the updating—to safe, modern stainless-steel hardware—of dozens of classic climbs, as well as the installation of a “new wave” of rock climbs, ranging in difficulty from 5.9 to 5.14, that have been well-received by the climbing community. There are now dozens of new formations open for bolting, and as of spring 2018 there have been 54 new routes installed, which collectively have transformed rock climbing in the Flatirons into a world class destination. The permit process allows the climbing community to comment on proposed routes that require fixed gear, and is similar to the fixed hardware review process in Eldorado Canyon. In 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2017 what had originally been a pilot program, limited to Dinosaur Mountain only, was significantly expanded under each new Memorandum of Understanding. Additional areas on Dinosaur Mountain and in Fern, Bear, and Skunk canyons have been established as well as several completely new sites, including the Maiden and the Matron, among others.
A list of routes installed through the FHRC program can found here.