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M3 Crag

Colorado > CO Ice & Mixed > Clear Creek Canyon - Ice

Description

The M3 Crag is located across the creek from the Wall of the '90s and just downstream of the Mission Wall. This “alpine training ground” offers some great potential for chossy, mossy, wintry goodness.

This secluded crag offers some excellent relief from the road and some promising potential for winter ascents.

Getting There

The M3 Crag lies just west of tunnel two in Clear Creek Canyon behing the Mission Wall. Parking can be had in the same spot used for The Wall of The '90s. Head South along the creek towards IROK and Punk Rock. After crossing the Tyrolean traverse, continue heading south on the west side of the river for 200 yards. You will reach a short scree gully. Ascend this gully for 200 feet to the M3 Crag.

This is a winter crag. Cross the frozen creek to gain the west bank. If the creek is impassable, use the Tyrolean traverse.

Tyrolean traverse:
"For the wire tyrolean, a metal pulley is recommended to avoid chewing through your carabiners. Safety glasses or sunglasses will help with the metal shavings, too."

Descent

You can rappel the route via fixed slings at the top, or walf-off via climber's left (SW).

Routes from Left to Right

M4 PG13
 3
Plan C
Trad, Mixed, Alpine
M2+ PG13
 1
M2
Trad, Mixed, Alpine
M4+ PG13
 2
Ruckus
Trad, Mixed, Alpine
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b M3
 5
Wendy's Splitter
Trad, Mixed, Alpine
M7
 7
Pis-Aller
Sport, Mixed, Alpine
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Plan C
 3
M4 PG13 Trad, Mixed, Alpine
M2
 1
M2+ PG13 Trad, Mixed, Alpine
Ruckus
 2
M4+ PG13 Trad, Mixed, Alpine
Wendy's Splitter
 5
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b M3 Trad, Mixed, Alpine
Pis-Aller
 7
M7 Sport, Mixed, Alpine

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

A scree trail heading up with Ruckus above the tree on the right.
[Hide Photo] A scree trail heading up with Ruckus above the tree on the right.
M3 Crag - Plan C.
[Hide Photo] M3 Crag - Plan C.
Panorama shot of M3 Crag.
[Hide Photo] Panorama shot of M3 Crag.
NomadClimber enroute to M3 Crag after a long day in the office.
[Hide Photo] NomadClimber enroute to M3 Crag after a long day in the office.
CB & CS enjoying a great snowy day @ M3.
[Hide Photo] CB & CS enjoying a great snowy day @ M3.
M3 Crag.
[Hide Photo] M3 Crag.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] Approach beta:

After coming off the Tyrolean, indeed, head south...I thought it was more like 125 yds, rather than 200yds...but hey, Jason used to play football, so maybe his sense is better than mine! Just as you get south of the huge Mission Wall formation, you'll see a gully running back up and right (W/NW)--it has some talus right down the gut, but it's mostly vegetated. You can see M3 Crag clearly from the fisherman's trail beside the creek; it's not hidden or obscured by any other formation. There is a prominent (40ft high) ponderosa pine at the right edge of the formation--the tree sits just left of the gully. If you continue along the creek you'll come to a big cottonwood right on the bank, just before the river turns S and then SE--if you hit the cottonwood, you have gone too far. Turn around, look back up the hill to the NW and you're looking right at M3 Crag--it's the first chunk of rock you come to while hiking up the gully. Hope this helps.

Needs cleaning and be very careful working along the top--tons of loose rock, still flakes coming off while working routes. Could be a fun crag once cleaned.

Thanks, Jason, for getting it started! Oct 19, 2015
Ellen S
Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] The tyrol IS still there but is a huge pain. Oct 29, 2023