Sat, May 11
|Giant City State Park - Shelter 1
Giant City State Park Grand Re-Opening
Time & Location
May 11, 2019, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Giant City State Park - Shelter 1, 235 Giant City Rd, Makanda, IL 62958, USA
About the Event
The ICA is proud to announce the May 11th, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Grand Retro-Opening of Illinois' most historical rock climbing destination, Giant City State Park! Located just outside the quaint town of Makanda, Giant City is the original home of progressive climbing in Illinois. The ICA has spent almost two years working with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Friends of Giant City to retro-bolt these historic climbs.
Unique for its highly featured sandstone formations, the park offers a different feel to other Illinois areas. The iron rich content of the sandstone bluffs has weathered perfectly, creating thousands of holds, making almost every inch of rock climbable, and the possibilities endless. Thanks to this, Giant City boasts a rich climbing history and in 1975, had the hardest route in the world, City Limits. Overall, the park offers nearly 60 classic routes and over 40 great boulder problems, perfect for all skill levels!
This is the second time the IDNR has reached out to the ICA to develop a climbing area in one of its state parks. The park has been bolted with ClimbTech Stainless Steel Wave Bolts chosen for their long lifespan, and to preserve these great climbs for generations to come.
Come celebrate this huge achievement with the ICA, the Friends of Giant City, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, and enjoy a day of great sandstone climbing!