An intravascular access system (300, 1300) for facilitation of intraluminal medical procedures within the neurovasculature through an access sheath, the system (300, 1300) comprising: a catheter (320, 1320) comprising: a flexible, distal luminal portion (322, 1322) having an inner diameter defining a lumen (323, 1323) extending between a proximal opening at a proximal end of the luminal portion (322, 1322) and a distal opening at a distal end of the luminal portion (322, 1322); and a catheter spine (330, 1330) extending proximally from a point of coupling adjacent the proximal opening, wherein the catheter spine (330, 1330) is configured with sufficient stiffness to control movement of the catheter (320, 1320), wherein the flexible, distal luminal portion (322, 1322) has an outer diameter at the point of coupling that is larger than an outer diameter of the catheter spine (330, 1330) at the point of coupling; and a dilator (340, 1340) comprising: a flexible, distal dilator portion having a proximal end, a proximal end region, a distal end, a distal end region (346, 1346), a single lumen, and an outer diameter, wherein the outer diameter of the dilator portion is sized to be received within the lumen (323, 1323) of the luminal portion (322, 1322) of the catheter (320, 1320), and wherein the single lumen of the dilator portion extends longitudinally through the dilator portion to a distal opening at the distal end of the dilator portion; and a rigid, dilator spine extending proximally from the proximal end region of the dilator portion, wherein the dilator spine is made of a different material than the dilator portion and has a single lumen that communicates with the single lumen of the dilator portion, wherein the dilator (340, 1340) is configured to insert into the lumen (323, 1323) of the flexible, distal luminal portion (322, 1322) of the catheter (320, 1320) such that the distal end region (346, 1346) of the dilator portion extends distally beyond the distal end of the flexible, distal luminal portion (322, 1322) of the catheter (320, 1320). a catheter (320, 1320) comprising: a flexible, distal luminal portion (322, 1322) having an inner diameter defining a lumen (323, 1323) extending between a proximal opening at a proximal end of the luminal portion (322, 1322) and a distal opening at a distal end of the luminal portion (322, 1322); and a catheter spine (330, 1330) extending proximally from a point of coupling adjacent the proximal opening, wherein the catheter spine (330, 1330) is configured with sufficient stiffness to control movement of the catheter (320, 1320), a flexible, distal luminal portion (322, 1322) having an inner diameter defining a lumen (323, 1323) extending between a proximal opening at a proximal end of the luminal portion (322, 1322) and a distal opening at a distal end of the luminal portion (322, 1322); and a catheter spine (330, 1330) extending proximally from a point of coupling adjacent the proximal opening, wherein the catheter spine (330, 1330) is configured with sufficient stiffness to control movement of the catheter (320, 1320), wherein the flexible, distal luminal portion (322, 1322) has an outer diameter at the point of coupling that is larger than an outer diameter of the catheter spine (330, 1330) at the point of coupling; and a dilator (340, 1340) comprising: a flexible, distal dilator portion having a proximal end, a proximal end region, a distal end, a distal end region (346, 1346), a single lumen, and an outer diameter, wherein the outer diameter of the dilator portion is sized to be received within the lumen (323, 1323) of the luminal portion (322, 1322) of the catheter (320, 1320), and wherein the single lumen of the dilator portion extends longitudinally through the dilator portion to a distal opening at the distal end of the dilator portion; and a rigid, dilator spine extending proximally from the proximal end region of the dilator portion, wherein the dilator spine is made of a different material than the dilator portion and has a single lumen that communicates with the single lumen of the dilator portion, a flexible, distal dilator portion having a proximal end, a proximal end region, a distal end, a distal end region (346, 1346), a single lumen, and an outer diameter, wherein the outer diameter of the dilator portion is sized to be received within the lumen (323, 1323) of the luminal portion (322, 1322) of the catheter (320, 1320), and wherein the single lumen of the dilator portion extends longitudinally through the dilator portion to a distal opening at the distal end of the dilator portion; and a rigid, dilator spine extending proximally from the proximal end region of the dilator portion, wherein the dilator spine is made of a different material than the dilator portion and has a single lumen that communicates with the single lumen of the dilator portion, wherein the dilator (340, 1340) is configured to insert into the lumen (323, 1323) of the flexible, distal luminal portion (322, 1322) of the catheter (320, 1320) such that the distal end region (346, 1346) of the dilator portion extends distally beyond the distal end of the flexible, distal luminal portion (322, 1322) of the catheter (320, 1320).