Being that it’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to go all in on an Irish slanted Cragies and Snackies. When people think of Irish-American destinations, lots of places come to mind. Corktown in Detroit, The Irish Channel in New Orleans, Dublin Ohio, Breezy Point in Queens, NY, and especially Boston Massachusetts. What people don’t usually think about is Grand Junction, Colorado. Grand Junction, also known as Colorado Wine Country may not have the largest percentage of Irish decedents in the world, or even the largest percentage of Irish decedents in the state, but what they lack in Irish history, they make up for in Irish rock climbing, and the folks in Grand Junction go hard on St. Patrick’s Day!
Now, what is Irish rock climbing?
It’s just rock climbing with the word ‘Irish’ in front of it, but that’s beside the point! Trust me though, this will all come together in a minute.
Grand Junction is home to Colorado National Monument a beautiful climbing destination filled with sandstone walls, towers, and spires. Among the walls are over 200 routes including the noted Independence Monument, a 400ft tower, and the beautiful Sentinel Spire. There is also the less noted tower Irishman’s Temple, and the even less noted route Leprechaun (I told you it would come together).
Leprechaun is a pretty straight forward 70ft 5.10a left-facing dihedral. It has a solid crack with plenty of laybacks all the way up. If it were me, I would start early and climb as much as possible before the Irish festivities kick off back in town. However, if you are just trying to mark the day with some Irish rock climbing, then jumping on Leprechaun is a great way to do it!
Less than 30 minutes away is the town of Grand Junction, and they have put together a really fun St. Patrick’s Day weekend! Starting with the St. Patty’s Day 5k which includes free beer after the run, after which, you can head over to Teddy Morse’s Harley for free corned beef sandwiches and more free drinks. From there you can join in the annual pub crawl or jump in on some of the bagpipe performances. I’d vote for the latter as Grand Junction has two premier bagpipe and drum groups, and they will both be playing at various pubs throughout the day.
Finally, after a long day, it’s time for some more Irish snackies.
Now, what are Irish Snackies?
It’s just snackies with the word ‘Irish’ in front of it.
But, over at the Goat and Clover Tavern, you will find all the traditional Irish meals and drinks you can handle! With entertainment and specials throughout the weekend, you will have your fill of live Irish music, live Irish dancing, corned beef and cabbage, green beer, and of course Guinness.
While green beer and corned beef may not be for everybody, Goat and Clover has options that will satisfy the preferences of anyone.
Goat and Clover go all in on the Irish Pub motif! Whiskey, Beer, and Potatoes are readily available, but there is so much more! Shepard’s Pie, Guinness Irish Pot Pie, Corned Beef Sandwiches, Jameson BBQ Burger, Pot-O-Gold Potato Soup, Guinness Stew, and of course everyone’s favorite Irish tradition…Street Tacos and Irish Egg Rolls!
All great options of course, but if you are looking to me for some recommendations, I got you covered! Salt and vinegar are such a great combination. After a day on the rocks, my body calls for sodium, so the Malt Vinegar Crisps are a must! At the same time, I don’t usually have a huge appetite after climbing, so I’m passing on the heavy carbs and proteins, and heading straight for the Mixed Veggie Bites! They don’t necessarily scream Emerald Isle, but they are ale breaded and come with a curry dipping sauce, which are clearly Irish staples!
In terms of drinks, if green beer is for you, then by all means go green! But, from my perspective there is only one drink to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day properly, and that is a classic Black and Tan the definitive way! A pint of Guinness, a ½ pint of Harp, drink ½ the Guinness, and then pour the Harp into the remaining Guinness!
I’m not sure why I love St. Patrick’s Day so much, maybe because it’s just based on people having fun and wearing green. It’s not overly commercial, it doesn’t have any real requirements, and there is no pressure for anyone to participate!
So, whatever you do this St. Paddy’s Day, hopefully it includes some fun, some luck, some climbing, and some green!
Location: Grand Junction, Colorado. Sláinte mhaith!
Crag: Colorado National Monument
Restaurant: Goat and Clover
Distance: 15 Miles
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