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DescriptionWhat were you doing on January 20, 2009? The first route on the relatively diminutive Inaugural Crag was put up shortly after the inauguration, hence the commemorative name. IC is a south facing crag composed of almost perfect granite. It should be host to half a dozen routes from low angle slabs to gently overhanging faces. IC gets good sun most of the day. While the hill-side above IC is very broken up, there are other good granite crags with potential for much longer routes. The first route in on IC has been called "Ascendancy", in recognition of Barack Obama's election. Ascendancy was bolted and cleaned on Jan. 20th. A run through the next day revealed it to pack a lot of strenuous punch in 60ft. Presently there are six routes established on the crag. Getting ThereTraveling west on I-70, Inaugural Crag is approached from a pullout 1.9 miles west of the exit 232 sign for Empire. The pullout will get a car far enough off I-70 that the police won't tag the vehicle. IC is readily visible low on the hill side 0.1 miles east of the pullout. No specific trail exists at this point although a system of cairns maps an easy way through the fragile terrain. The ClassicsMountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Inaugural Crag:
The Ramp 5.9 Sport, 1 pitch, 90 feet
Giuoco Piano 5.10- Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 40 feet
Fallen 5.10 Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet
Face-Off 5.11a/b Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet
Rise Above This 5.11b Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet
Ascendancy 5.12a Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet
Featured Route For Inaugural Crag
Best route at the crag, Ascendancy fires up a nice face and dihedral system at 5.11 climbing to a difficult arete sequence. A no hands rest comes just before the left arching finale and after standing on top of the arete. Cruxy work comes in getting established on the arete and then moving up it via a powerful pinch. I was spit off the arete on a red point burn, where upon Mark clinched the FFA with a nice solution to getting established on the arete and then powering straight up it. Despite bol...[more] Browse More Classics in CO
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