photos by Jared Boyd

Webster calls bouldering the sport of rock climbing on large boulders or low cliffs. Enthusiasts call it a low-stress way to get into your climbing shoes and go no higher than youre willing to fall. Supposedly the first recorded attempts to boulder took place in Fontainebleau in the 1870s. For Durango locals, it probably doesnt matter how, where or when it started as long as no one takes the rocks away. Regarded as world-class bouldering terrain, Durango's Turtle Lake area and the boulders scattered throughout the 176-acre Dalla Mountian Park are proving to be great places to practice the hard moves or take the family out for some easy scrambling. So, if yourre looking for quality rock and dont mind the smell of ponderosa pine, look no further.