Utah-Aid and or Free

[COL._Von_Spanker]

I am going to Utah the first week of June and would like to do some aid and free climbing. I know it's hot as shit there, but is it going to be too hot? Are there any reccomendation of area that might get partial shade.

 

I don't have a lot of time and not going to do a wall, but would like to get on some aid routes. Any reccomendations? And maybe some easy(ish) solo aiding (I haven't scrounged any partners yet)?

 

Bouldering is also an option.

 

Thanks for any beta as I don't know shit about utah.

[Lambone]

Spanker, i don't know shit about Utah either...

 

but just as a suggestion, you might try this question on Supertopo.com, and/or rockclimbing.com...if you haven't yet. Those sites reach a much larger regional audience.

 

I do know alot of people go slot canyon hiking that time of year, which can be just as cool, if not cooler len climbing.

[dberdinka]

Exactly where are you going in Utah?

 

If your in Zion go climb Ashtar Command (2p 5.9) and the Headache (3p 10+) They are near the tunnel and face north (shady) Very, very good well protected climbs.

 

Prodigal Son on the N Face of Angels Landing is also a shady route. It's easy, fast, enjoyable aid that makes for good soloing. In June you might not even have to wait in line. You could do a couple pitches then bail.

 

I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend doing some canyoneering if you're in Zion. Particularly if it's really hot. PM me for details if your interested.

 

Around Moab I've only climbed around the River Road. Ancient Art in the Fisher towers is a must do even though it gets lots of sun. Do it in the evening (4p 5.9 C0)

 

Most of the easier aid routes also get a fair bit of shade like The Colorado Ridge on Kingfisher (5p C2), Phantom Sprint on Echo Tower (4p C2+), Finger of Fate on the Titan (8p C2) and the North Face of River Tower (3p C2). Probably not a place to learn to aid or solo-aid but the climbing there is much better than commonly thought.

Edited May 18, 2004 by dberdinka

[Loose_Brie]

Climbing Moab

[COL._Von_Spanker]

Our destination is salt lake city, but we are going to leave the city and go climbing/camping somewhere. Of course, the closer to SLC the better cause less driving=climbing time, but I am willing to drive cause zion is the shit. Basically I am trying to pool as much info as possible so I can get some climbing in no matter what happens.

[Dru]

1) big & little Cottonwood Canyons

2) CANYONING CANYONING CANYONING!!!

3) City of Rocks

 

Really if its at all hot canyoning will be more fun than climbing.... my 2 cents.

[Lambone]

Another vote for City of Rocks.

[cj001f]

Tetons.

[freeclimb9]

I am going to Utah the first week of June and would like to do some aid and free climbing. I know it's hot as shit there, but is it going to be too hot? Are there any reccomendation of area that might get partial shade.

 

I don't have a lot of time and not going to do a wall, but would like to get on some aid routes. Any reccomendations? And maybe some easy(ish) solo aiding (I haven't scrounged any partners yet)?

 

Bouldering is also an option.

 

Thanks for any beta as I don't know shit about utah.

June is a great time of year to climb out of SLC. It won't be too hot. The LCC has many routes that get shade, Ferguson Canyon is mostly shade, Bell's Canyon is like LCC but a little higher in elevation, Millcreek Canyon (a short hike from Big Cottonwood Canyon) is cool, and Lone Peak Cirque can be freezing. Bouldering is very good in LCC (there's an online guide somewhere). So, take your pick.

[smiley]

Little Cottonwood has some great climbing on nice granite. Lots of routes, multipitch and cragging, only 10 min from SLC. Also lots of bouldering. I don't remember any route names, etc, only climbed there a few times, but it's a great place for being so close to that damn city.

 

(get ready for shitty )

[David_Parker]

Go climb the original Dorsal Fin in LCC. Think about George Lowe doing the crux in Mt. Boots! Great climb!

[Distel32]

LCC has some of the best granite bouldering in the nation. Trad and sport in big and little as well.

 

check out Utahclimbers.com

 

Most of the people on the site are from SLC, but there are different forums for each area. Talk to Shaft and Jun, both very nice guys and they can give you all the beta.

[atg200]

www.climbingsaltlake.com has some good info as well. its been fairly cool lately, so climbing anywhere aside from lone peak has been pleasant.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

Hello? Maple Canyon, anyone?

 

Maple is tops for summertime Utah sports climbing. AF stays cooler than downtown SLC, but Maple is actually comfortable, and the climbing is fun, fun, FUN. For a slew of long, excellent .10s, the Orangutan wall is great, although sorta sunny. Great string of fun stuff from .9 to .11c in the Maple Corridor (think that's the name). Mega-fun long .12s at the Minimum Crag, with some fun but somewhat loose warmups (.9-.10+) at the Zen Garden in the same area. Bring your helmet; sometimes the cobbles like to jump out of the wall, but it's 99% solid.

[freeclimb9]

There were snow flurries last week. Today the temp is barely hitting 70, and it's supposed to get cooler. That doesn't mean that June will be cool, but June isn't far off either.

If you have a jones for aiding, the Coffin Roof is spectacular, though very easy. Otherwise, pick a crack and get on it.

[J_Fisher]

If you want to stay in the SLC area, the Wx is hot and you don't mind a slog, Lone Peak cirque has a pile of awesome grade II and III crack routes at a refreshing 11,000 feet of elevation. Gorgeous position too.

 

Even if its 95 degrees in town, as other posters suggested, by chasing shade in BCC and/or Ferguson canyon you should be able to stay cool and get plenty of good climbing in. The granite in LCC is pretty much all south facing, but it's high enough that it may be fine too. I've climbed there comfortably in July.

[erez]

north chimney and north face routes on castelton stay in the shade. North Chimney 5.9 III is fantastic.

[COL._Von_Spanker]

There were snow flurries last week. Today the temp is barely hitting 70, and it's supposed to get cooler. That doesn't mean that June will be cool, but June isn't far off either.

If you have a jones for aiding, the Coffin Roof is spectacular, though very easy. Otherwise, pick a crack and get on it.

 

Tell Me more about coffin roof?

[freeclimb9]

1000 words:

It goes free at 5.12 something. The roof is at the top of Coffin crack which goes at 5.9+ (another classic).

[sayjay]

Indian Creek ROCKS!

Didn't do a lot there, but what we did do was stellar as well as having gorgeous views. And there are multiple walls with different exposures so you can move with the shade if it is too hot.

Recommend Chocolate Corner (5.9+), Binou's Crack (rated 5.8, but feels harder!) and THE INCREDIBLE HAND CRACK (10c). I left a lotta blood on this one despite taping, but a a certain member of this board who usually frequents Darrington cranked up it...

 

The feet on this climb are SLICK from so much traffic...

 

HAVE FUN!

Edited May 22, 2004 by sayjay

[marylou]

Big Bend Boulders just outside of Moab are a lot of fun and worth checking out if you are in that neighborhood.

[willstrickland]

I'd go to City of Rocks. That said...

 

Coffin roof is not really a good aid practice route. Maybe if you aid the whole route including the .9 approach. The reason I say this is that the roof is only about 10-15 feet, takes bomber TCUs, and once over the lip it's a slab that goes free at 5.6 or so. The route is more like a boulder problem with an approach pitch. Makes an excellent free route though, because even if you get spanked on the crux (and I did) you can either aid through or retreat without much drama.

 

If you go to:

 

Indian Creek (sandstone parallel cracks, bring all the cams you can find): Bridger Jacks, Battle of Bulge areas face NW.

Supercrack butt, Cat Wall, Donnelly Canyon face southwest (cat is almost due south, and Donnelly climbs face due south). I wouldn't get on anything south facing down there after early May.

 

LCC recommended (granite trad - actually quartz monzonite...but not cheese grater like Josh quartz monz): Satan's Corner .8 (2p), Mexican Crack .10-, Gordons Hangover .10-, Coffin Crack .9, Fin Arete .10 (3p), Dorsal Fin .10+ (4p). All these are fatastic. Satan's is one of the best routes of it's grade in the state. Set nuts, double set TCUs to #3 cams should get you up any of them)

 

American Fork (limestone sport): If it's hot, Membrane area is close to the river, north facing, and stays very cool with a nice cool breeze about 10 routes evenly distributed across grades from .9-mid.12, Hell Cave itself is on a south facing wall but stays cool in the shade ...go here if you're looking for the hard shizzle, the warm up routes are mid .11, routes in the cave run from .12a to .14c. Division wall is north facing, has a very short (2 minutes?) approach, is VERY popular on weekends, and has about 20 routes, mostly .11

 

Logan Canyon (limestone sport) - The 385 crag faces mainly north. Mostly .11s (it's near the mile marker 385).

 

Maple Canyon - (conglomerate sportmonkey) - The weirdest, most novel, odd hold climbing you'll ever do. It's worth a trip even even if you hate sport climbing just for the sheer bizarre factor. Imagine climbing a petrified riverbed laid vertical to overhanging.

 

If you want an adventure type trad route, and can either handle .11 trad or don't mind aiding a few moves...do one of the routes on Middle Bell. Arm and Hammer goes .11c or 10a A0, Butcher Knife is about the same. The Bell towers are just south of LCC, maybe a mile or two in Bell canyon. Middle bell has the best rock (quartz monz again).

 

If you want to aid, just go to Zion. For free, The Headache .9 (up by the tunnel) faces north. You can do short stuff on the Organ - Organasm (.8, C2, 4p) and Organ Grinder (.9+, 2p) are both north facing and you could knock out both in the same day with no problem.

 

There's more developed bouldering in Utah than you could imagine. In June it's all about LCC.

 

I lived in Utah for a couple of years. If it were me, in June, and I was in SLC already - I'd probably shoot up to City of Rocks myself. Mainly for the variety of trad stuff, a nicer atmosphere, not having to stay in the city at night, etc. Lots of excellent moderates and stuff as hard as you want to climb.

[EWolfe]

I think we should give Utah aid first: help them get back on their collective feet, so to speak.

 

Once we can see positive results (monogamy, good beer) then we can let them be free.

 

I am not optimistic.