Prairie Fire

Prairie Fire was the first route at the wall. It was named after Vietnam era emergency radio transmissions for SOG recon teams operating deep in the backcountry. Typically it was a call for last ditch efforts of air support when being overrun.

This route begins with 3 bolt of chill entrance climbing up the vertical/slab until you must utilize your trad skills to negotiate a left-traversing crack with foot smears. 3 bolts of vertical pulling and a fun mantel follow suit until reach the bat ledge beneath the headwall.

Once atop the bat ledge, the rock climbing really begins. The headwall steepens, and the rock quality shifts to a perfectly smooth sheen of granite with just enough holds to make it interesting. Fire 3 bolts of pocket pulling, compression, a small traverse, and a large move to gain the sculpted jug where you can cop a quick shake before negotiating the redpoint crux. Clip the extended chain draw, and blast your way up the crux that features a precise deadpoint and sparse feet. Core up, and gain the jug above. Keep it together for the spicy finish to the chains, or fall to the flames below.

This is not your typical clip up sport climb. The route hosts a bit of wandering and is quite adventurous. Gym climbers, beware.

This route is a classic for the crag, and hopefully one day the south platte. Definitely should be the destination route for climbers venturing to the fortress!

It can be located by a black Fixe permadraw and long chaindraw with blue 'biner. This sits to the left of "

Holiday in Cambodia

" and right of "

Ranch Hand

."

12 bolts (alpine draws are useful to mitigate drag).