My rookie ascent with Denver Mountain Guiding

By Malena Larsen

There was 200-odd feet of air between me and the ground, the distance I’d just tackled on my first traditional outdoor climb. While the climb itself had my heart thumping in my ears, the next part felt like a whole new challenge: trusting the figure-eight knot I had just learned to tie and the guide I had just met to get me safely back to the ground.

“So, I really just have to lean back?” I asked with a nervous smile.

“Yup!” came the nonchalant, yet reassuring, reply from Kevin Capps, owner of Denver Mountain Guiding (DMG). His calm and confident presence encouraged me to rappel down with my feet firmly pressed against the cliffside.

Before this, my climbing experience was limited to bouldering, where I'd never been more than 20 feet off the ground. I put my trust in Capps and it resulted in an exhilarating experience and an interest in a new hobby.

“My favorite experience as a guide or climber is that ‘wow’ moment when a beginner or first time climber really is truly taken aback by the beauty of climbing,” Capps says. “It happens quite often and it’s why I am still as psyched as ever to bring beginners climbing.”

DMG is based in Golden, and offers beginner climbing, multi-pitch climbing, ice climbing, alpine climbing, self-rescue and more.

Capps got into climbing in high school as a way to bond with his family. “My dad was really into mountaineering and climbing big mountains,” he shared, “so we hired guides to help teach us and guide us.” His passion for the outdoors mixed with a strong entrepreneurial spirit eventually led him to create DMG.

All of the company’s guides receive training by the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA).

“We are very selective when hiring our guides,” according to the DMG website. “We ensure that your guide is not only qualified to take you climbing, but is also a wonderful person to share your experience with and guide you through your day.”

During my day out with DMG, Capps took me to the Wind tower in Eldorado Canyon State Park. We completed two classic routes: The Bomb with a grade of 5.4 and the more challenging West Overhang with a grade of 5.7.

These grades are based on something called the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), which divides terrain into five classes:

Class One: Easy hiking on a well-marked trail.

Example: The East Ridge to Mount Elbert

Class Two: Rugged hiking with the potential use of hands for balance.

Example: The East Slopes to Mount Massive

Class Three: Scrambling with regular use of your hands for balance.

Example: The Keyhole Route of Longs Peak

Class Four: Simple climbing, often with exposure and use of a rope for safety due to risk of serious fall.

Example: The Northeast Ridge of Capitol Peak.

Class Five: Technical rock climbing where a rope and other climbing are used.

Example: The Combination Route of the Maroon Bells Traverse.

Climbing Class Five

When you’re in Class Five territory, the number after the decimal tells you how tough the hardest move (or the “crux”) on the whole route is. Basically, the bigger the number, the harder the climb.

5.0 - 5.4: Easy Climbing
These routes have large and plentiful handholds and footholds. They are typically considered suitable for beginners to learn on. The Bomb, for example, fits into this category as it has easy and obvious moves and no shortage of holds.

5.5 - 5.7: Beginner to Intermediate Climbing
Here, holds become smaller and less obvious. The moves require a bit more technique and balance as the terrain might be low-angle to vertical. The West Overhang falls into this category; it was moderate, but required more thought and strength than The Bomb.

5.8 - 5.9: Intermediate Climbing
These routes have smaller, less obvious holds and more technical moves. They might involve steeper sections or overhangs.

5.10 and Up: Experienced to Elite Climbing
From 5.10 onwards, letter grades (a, b, c, d) are added to further subdivide the difficulty within each number. So, 5.10a is easier than 5.10b, which is easier than 5.10c and so on.