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AAA Crag

Colorado > Golden > Clear Creek Canyon
Warning Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closures/CDOT Road Work DetailsDrop down

Description

This compact crag features two distinct walls: the slabby west-face with two enjoyable mixed lines, and a slightly-overhanging north-facing wall with four challenging lines. The north wall is covered in exfoliating dinner-plate flakes that offer intermittent incut jugs. Where flakes are lacking, the wall is virtually blank, resulting in boulder climbing between taxing rest stancing. The west wall is laced with discontinuous crack systems and 1-pad-deep edges that make for fun, entertaining moderates.

Most climbers will want to visit this crag during baseball season (say, early April through late October) to take advantage of the shade. That said, the west wall can be nice and toasty on sunny winter afternoons, and the north wall seems to be relatively sheltered from the wind, making it a viable cold-weather option for those in search of “sending temps.”

NOTE: The proper name for this crag is unknown. "AAA Crag" is used here as a placeholder until the proper name is determined.

Routes L -> R:

North Face:
1. Albuquerque Isotopes, 5.13, 40', 4 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
2. Unknown 1, 5.11+, 40', 5 bolts, 2 bolt anchor (begins on #1, traverse right, finishes on #3, shares anchor with #3).
3. Rusty Bridges, 5.13+, 40', 5 bolts, 2 bolt anchor (shares last bolt and anchor with #4).
4. AAA, 5.11-, 40', 5 bolts, 2 bolt anchor (shares last bolt and anchor with #3).

West Face:
5. Unknown 2, 5.10, 40', 3 bolts + gear, 2 bolt anchor (shared with #6).
6. Unknown 3, 5.10, 40', 2 bolts + gear, 2 bolt anchor (shared with #5).

Getting There

This crag is located directly across the canyon from New Hipster Rock (just upstream from Tunnel 1, and a few hundred yards downstream from the Ghost Crag). There is no approach trail, so once across the river, follow your nose for about 10 minutes up the steep (and sometimes loose) hillside to the crag.

Routes from Left to Right

5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c
 2
Albuquerque Isotopes
Sport
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a
 1
"Unknown 1"
Sport
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c
 3
Rusty Bridges
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 3
AAA
Sport
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 3
Unknown 2
Trad
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 2
Unknown 3
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Albuquerque Isotopes
 2
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c Sport
"Unknown 1"
 1
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a Sport
Rusty Bridges
 3
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c Sport
AAA
 3
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
Unknown 2
 3
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Unknown 3
 2
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

North Face topo. <br>
<br>
Routes:<br>
<br>
1. Albuquerque Isotopes.<br>
2. "Unknown 1".<br>
3. Rusty Bridges.<br>
4. AAA.
[Hide Photo] North Face topo. Routes: 1. Albuquerque Isotopes. 2. "Unknown 1". 3. Rusty Bridges. 4. AAA.
Close-up of the crag from the road, showing the North (L) and West (R) faces.
[Hide Photo] Close-up of the crag from the road, showing the North (L) and West (R) faces.
West Face topo.<br>
<br>
Routes:<br>
<br>
5. "Unknown 2".<br>
6. "Unknown 3".
[Hide Photo] West Face topo. Routes: 5. "Unknown 2". 6. "Unknown 3".
AAA Crag overview. This is the view from the road, just upstream from Tunnel 1.
[Hide Photo] AAA Crag overview. This is the view from the road, just upstream from Tunnel 1.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

John RB
Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] This thing sucks to get to... the bridge across the creek is private property, so you need to ford the creek (waders are nice). Then you have a 20 min uphill slog up loose scree, talus, brush, cacti, and dirt, often at a pretty steep angle and quite loose. Good luck getting a partner up there, but you will almost certainly have the place to yourself. New Hipster (directly across the canyon) has some nice routes too and is quite a bit easier to get to (though still involves some grunt work). Maybe if this area gets enough traffic, the approach will get better... doubtful though. Mar 30, 2018