Citadel, 5.8-5.12a

Overview/Approach

The Citadel is a feature in and of itself in the “Citadel Area”.  It is the largest formation in this section of Vedauwoo and includes a broad south face.  It also features a few shady routes on the north side of the formation.  Its namesake, Citadel Crack, 5.10b***, offers a stout hand crack roof-pull and some finicky pro at the grade above the roof.  The route is not that clean and one should be solid at the grade to lead it.  Heads of the Valley, 5.10b***, is a full-on dike traverse on the right side of the south face that is misrepresented in the local guide as a 5.9** with a description relating to some other route.  On MP.com the beta was accurate.  Stout moves off the deck for the grade to get started on the left end of the dike.  A fixed nut (2019) protects the start.  The crux is getting the first and second bolts clipped on the traverse whilst not far off the ground.  Heads of the Valley offers a piton and gear placement to supplement the bolts.  The second half of the traverse is much easier than the first half.  The north face routes are not listed in the guide.  They feature a few easier bolted climbs with one decent easier crack climb named Stems and Weeds, 5.8**.

Take 700L east off of Vedauwoo Road and park at the dead end.  Go through a gate, follow the road down and follow a trail in short order on the left side across a creek.  Follow the creek/fence line east.  Mechanical Transmission Crag shows up on the left first and sort of looks similar to Plumb Line.  Keep on the trail until Citadel, a larger formation, is right in front of you (just up and left off the fence line).  Hike through a marshy area and up and left to the south face.  Citadel Crack takes on the obvious lower roof at the left end.  Heads of the Valley is the obvious left to right dike at the right end of the south face.  Circumvent the formation around the west end to reach the shady north face routes.

South Face, Left to Right

Scary Garcia- 5.12aPG/R/

Citadel Crack- 60’-5.10b***/ Excellent route with several cruxes at the grade.  Climb the finger crack section to under the significant roof.  Make a physical and dramatic pull of the roof via imperfect hands.  Can place solid gear before making the move.  The upper section takes small to micro gear and requires some delicate climbing up chossy rock to yet another hand pull over a bulge to finish at a fixed rap.  Dow

Creeps at the Crags- 5.10/

Heads of the Valley- 60’-5.10b***/ The local guide as of 2019 has this route description and grade completely wrong.  Heads of Valley is a traversing dike whose crux is at the point of entry.  Climb the overhanging start to the dike past one fixed nut (2019) to your first bolt.  Make a desperate clip and then a wild mantle up onto the dike for the second bolt.  Then clip a solid piton, 2019.  Place a small to medium piece before making a committing hands traverse right.  The feet are hidden.  Then up to clip another bolt.  At the end of the traverse, transition into the wide crack and up to a ledge.  Place a directional for the 2nd (3#) and make a gear belay on the ledge to the right (or sling a block).  Downclimb from there back to the ground.  Single to #3.  Dow

Northwest Face, Left to Right

Last King of Vedauwoo- 60’-5.9+**/ Fully bolted route on the north face.  Located to the left of the good splitter running up the right side in a mossy dihedral.  Climb up mostly all slab as you trend left to the arete and make an easy layback up and left of a roof and back onto slab for the finish, 7-8 bolts to fixed rap.  Dow

Stems and Weeds- 50’-5.8**/ The dihedral to the right of Last King of Vedauwoo, north facing still.  Solid lead for the grade (sustained).  As the name implies, stem off of the corner itself as you ascend the mostly hands crack on the right wall, placing gear at will.  Dow

Unknown- 40’-5.8/ Climb the “chicken head” crystals up the left arete of the west facing wall, just a few meters to the right of Last King, out on a different face with several unknown bolted routes.  This is the easiest route of the group and is closely bolted, 8! To a fixed rap.  Dow

Castles in the Sand- 5.11cPG/

Man Who Would be King- 5.11/