The first crag on the left heading up Clear Creek always caught the eye but was a pain to access. This all changed when JCOS put in a new foot bridge. With surprisingly excellent CCC rock, the crag holds the shade through the mornings until around 2:00 in the summer and stays shady all day in the fall. The Canal Zone is somewhat slabby in nature so I'm hoping the routes that go in here provide some consolation for the loss of Catslab.
For steeper, more challenging routes check out The Twilight Zone, just past The Canal Zone perched on the hillside above.
Getting There
Park in the first pullout on the left, right after you enter the canyon. Pick one of the gullies beyond the parking lot and descend to the foot bridge. Cross the bridge, head up river on the trail and ascend steep switchbacks to the canal. Follow the canal trail up river about 1/4 mile to the crag. A longer but more enjoyable approach can be had by parking at the end of Eighth Street in Golden and walking the river path, under the highway, up river to the foot bridge.
Thin sustained crimps, cool movement, and intricate footwork lead up a steep line. Avoid the bailout left and stay on course through the last clip for full value. A two bolt variation to start adds to the fun; Snake Eyes comes in from the left, starting just right of Turkey Jerky, and pulls through two amazing huecos to clip the second bolt on Ghost....[more]Browse More Classics in CO
Great area, loved the 3 routes I did, can't wait to get back to do some more!! Watch out for rattlesnakes, they don't seem to be too afraid of us up there, but don't take your chance. I had one slither by us less than 3 feet away from me and some other climbers. He just went into a corner and watched us, not rattling or anything, but still I would be very watchful of these dangerous guys!!
Every one of these routes has something to offer in the way of fun climbing. Well-protected crux moves make it a good place to push one's level on lead. I think it will be interesting to see what the consensus for route grades become after they clean up a bit more with increased traffic. All-in-all, another great addition to CCC.
Kirk- thanks so much for the nice routes, although you forgot to place few bolts on the 5.8! (see runout). Made in the Shade (5.9) is great stuff. Keep up the good work.
Does anyone have beta on the bouldering directly below this area next to the creek? I can see the bloc, and chalk marks from the canal zone but have never ventured down there.
Thanks to Kirk Miller for this great addition to CCC. I really enjoyed all the routes I was able to get on today. All are well-bolted with good anchor positions and the movement is fantastic! Thanks for the investment.
By Dan Godshall From: Colorado Springs, CO Jul 18, 2009
Great new crag. Perfect to start with before heading to the Twilight Zone. Definitely beware of rattlers. We saw two today (one right at the crag and one in the bush on the trail leading in.) Neither warned us it was in the area. I am more cautious of the snake that snaps at you without warning than the snake that tells you to "get the heck out of here".
Anyone know what the deal is with the trail. It is becoming horribly eroded. Is the trail on private property or can we build a real trail there? Any info would be good. Thanks.
The trail and crag are on Jefferson County Open Space land, specifically Clear Creek Canyon Park. The Trails Department is aware of the issue. I'm hopeful that we'll see a better access become available soon.
We went up here for the first time yesterday and found that if you cut left right after the foot bridge, there is a very well established trail that leads to the area. Not steep and no erosion.
Thanks Kirk! It's great to have a crag so close to home for a quick session.
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