Desert Climbing

[Sol]

Looks like I got about 11 days in early december to head over to Utah to do some desert climbing. Plan is to first check out indian creek for a few days then wander on down to Zion and do a wall. First off, i'm looking for any recommendation in the indian creek area (5.8-10b/cish), as well as a general idea of the temps we might encounter. how many #2's should we bring? As far as zion goes, what's up with the weather this time of year? super cold, rainy, will we be alright without a portaledge fly and only bivy sacks? we're considering prodigal son, space shot, moonlight buttress, etc. if you only had time for one zion wall what would you climb? we've got the normal aid trickery for granite: cam hooks, slider nuts, offset nuts, hybrids, do we need anything special for the desert? good guidebook recommendations? thanks for any info.

[freeclimb9]

It will likely be very cold. It's more likely to snow than rain. The upside is that gobis don't sting so much when your hands are numb.

Cam hooks suck for soft stone. Slider nuts are useful. A fat freeclimbing rack works for a lot of Zion routes. The ranger office used to have extensive information on routes (precise rack recommendations and such). Many routes don't even require a ledge, especially if you blast in a day. Bring extra headlamp batteries.

[Distel32]

frosty you know Jenny jo right???

 

ARe you in anthropology 210???

[dberdinka]

I can only give beta for Zion.

 

I've spent time there once in December. It was COOOLD! but warmed up nicely in the sun. I would expect precip at somepoint in time though snow is probably as likely as rain. Days are obviously short, Oscars was a good place to loiter at night. Get some chips and a beer and read a book.

 

If doing any of the popular trade routes that you listed don't bring a ledge, just fix and fire.

 

Sunniest routes are Spaceshot and Touchstone Wall. They might just be perfect in December. Moonlight gets morning sun but is shady after mid-day. Prodigal will probably be shady all day long in December.

 

I avoided Touchstone for a long time because it has a rep as the "Cattle Route". However I did it this fall and found it to be excellent. The aid is great and the last four pitches of free climbing are really good. Basically a more varied climb than the other aid-trade-routes there. PM if you want details on any of them.

 

Please don't bring cam hooks to Zion. They are unneccesary on the easier climbs and have badly blown out pin scars on them. HB aluminum and brass offsets and Aliens rule. Have fun!

[Sol]

Ok so cam hooks are out, makes sense. Fix the grade five's and fire in a day. Are there any moderate grade 6's, we would really like to use the portaledge thang, we like to suffer every now and again. thanks for the info folks, keep it coming

[lummox]

frosty_the_tradman said:

Are there any moderate grade 6's

i claim that at todays climbing standards there are NO grade 6 climbs in the conterminous united states.

if ya take bivy gear yur doomed to use it.

[forrest_m]

i second the motion that indian creek will be cold, cold, cold. but you'll probably not have too many crowds, so you can hit up the classics a battle of the bulge wall without much line: incredible hand crack, supercrack, etc. beg and borrow as much rack from your friends as you can, sure you can get by on most IC 10s with 3 or 4 cams in each size, but why? you'll be happier with a rack like this:

 

while down around moab, you should try to get up at least one tower, i like the ingalls/kor route on castleton tower (old school 5.9+), there is another 5.9 route as well... plus castle valley doesn't involve any 4x4ing, so this time of year should still be easy to get to.