Little Cottonwood Canyon: Bad News and a Bouldering Video

I'll start off by apologizing for the prolonged absence from posting.  There are multiple reasons for the break and hopefully I'll get back into semi-regular posts.  If there is anyone out there that still reads this blog but wants more frequent "climbing porn" then I'd recommend following my Instagram, Facebook, and/or checking out Climbingpics (I post photos there for time to time).  Ok, now to an actual blog-post.
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A couple weeks back a Salt Lake City climber discovered that several problems in Little Cottonwood Canyon had been vandalized.  Apparently someone went to several popular sectors and smashed/pried off some holds.  There were roughly 20 problems effected and while all of them still go (I'm told most are actually easier now) it's a real shame someone would do this.  Obviously the culprit had at least a basic understanding of climbing as they targeted classic problems with their blatantly malicious act.  You can read more about the vandalism at Rock and Ice.

Anyways, the bad new got me thinking out Little Cottonwood Canyon and I decided to finally throw together some footage from my brief time there last year.  This little video is from a brief solo session where I had a couple hours to try to do as many of the classics as I could.  It ended up being very productive as I was able to do every problem on my list and even had time to add one from the 5-Mile sector across the road from Riverside.  Doing this circuit is less impressive when you consider that I had previously done 5 of the 8 problems in the video but I was still pretty happy with myself.  It's also worth noting that of all the problems in the video only Butt Trumpet (from the 5-Mile sector) was vandalized as the perpetrators were apparently too lazy to walk further than 20 feet from the road.

Hope you enjoy the video


Little Cottonwood Canyon Bouldering: The Riverside Circuit from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

Wrist Rocket (aka Triple Threat Arete): Little Cottonwoods Best Problem?

Wrist Rocket is an amazing climb in Little Cottonwood that is a contender for best in the canyon.  I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a crew there as it does require a few pads and/or a solid spot. Also a big thanks to my buddy Kyle for prepping the top and spraying me down with beta.  

It's also worth noting that the name of the problem can cause some confusion as it also goes by the name Triple Threat Arete.   I'm not actually sure which name is "correct" but it is a great problem regardless.

Ben pulling on to the start of Wrist Rocket

The start of the problem is straight forward fat-boy climbing with big moves to big holds and lots of foot cutting.

Ben eyeing the last dyno before entering the crux lip encounter

Here Kyle and Ben attempt one method to do the crux that uses a small crimp to the right and standing up.  I prefer the alternative of matching the arete and doing a balancey mantel.  When your foot is on the lip the hard climbing is done but you still need to keep it together for 15 feet of slab climbing.

Loving the Granite of Little Cottonwood Canyon

I've arrived back in England so now I've got some time to do some retro-posts from my time in the States.  I'll start out with some pictures from Utah's beloved Little Cottonwood Canyon.  Hope you enjoy.......

Little Cottonwood Canyon seems to be one of those areas you either love or hate (for the record I lean heavily towards loving it).  This boulder strewn canyon is located just 20 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City and is a huge selling point for climbers that move to the city.  Regardless of whether or not you think LCC is destination worthy, there is no denying that is would be a phenomenal place to have as your local haunt.  

Little Cottonwood of course refers to the entire canyon but the bouldering is actually quite varied depending on which of the many sectors you visit.  The entrance to the canyon provides climbing at lower elevation for the colder/snowy months and the alpine areas high up provide a respite from the sweltering summer months.  You can even optimize temps by choosing either the sunny or shady side of the canyon and if you really want to get nerdy you can select you area by the rock itself as the granite can vary between areas.  

The climbing itself tends to cater to more technical climbers and it helps to be good at mantling as crux lip encounters are common and many a strong gym-rat have left the area with their egos slightly bruised (this also might explain why some folks don't like the area).  That said, the bouldering is pretty extensive so I'm sure you can find something to fit you style....... 

Here are some photos

Located at the Secret Garden sector, Copperhead is a crimpy test-piece on one of Little Cottonwood's best boulders.  It essentially boils down to bearing down on the sharp crimp Ann is reaching for in the picture.  I actually never thought I'd do this problem but having done all the other straight-ups I figured I'd give it a shot and miraculously found myself on the top.  Sometimes I surprise myself.  

Elizabeth stares down the crux of Lance's Dihedral.  This problem is on the same boulder as Copperhead and is not to be missed if visiting the area.

Dain give St Nicholas a raspberry.  Also at the Secret Garden this problem comes highly recommended and is one of the first problems I'll go back to when visiting the area.  Unfortunately I don't have a photo that shows the problem better so you'll have to settle for Dain looking swoll.  

The Round Room is a hidden gem that is worth seeking out.  This gentle scoop requires some technique to make the use of non-holds and is fun for the whole family......unless you are short, in which case you'll find yourself reduced to tears.

Another angle of Kyle on The Round Room just reaching for the crux move.

Bronson Arete at the Riverside area is one of my favorites.  In this shot Noki sets up for the big move out right, which he was just able to span. 

Austin on Bronson Arete

Also at the Riverside area is Alzheimers.  There are two solutions to the crux final move and Carrie opts for the heel-hook right hand up method instead of the deadpoint/dyno with the left hand.  Both options are hard and it's just a matter of what fits you better.

One of my favorite problems from this trip was the tricky Gerbils.  While it might not look like much this problem packs a considerable amount of climbing into its two moves and should be a rite of passage for folks hoping to master the subtleties of Little Cottonwood.  Tommy trying to find balance for the reach to the lip.

Just to the right of Gerbils is Duct Tape.  It is also a two move problem but of a very different style from Gerbils.  You do get to use this amazing sloper and hope it provides enough purchase to do the dyno crux.

Back in 'Merica and a Moab Drive By

Man it still feels great to be back in the USA.  We've been here for almost 2 weeks and I've got that hankering to move back.  Maybe some day......
The kids and I flew to NM and moved into the Motherload (our beloved van) to make the initial journey to Salt Lake City.  I've missed life on the road and while adding a couple kids to the mix certainly complicates things there is still nothing quite like the joy of van living and I'm glad I get to share it with my family.  Of course I'm not sure how much the kids appreciate the long drives as they can turn even the best behaved kids into grumpy little monsters.  Fortunately since arriving in SLC we've spent minimal time in the rig and the long drive up included occasional stops so the kids could stretch their legs and dad could climb some boulders.

Here are a few pictures from the start of the trip

My dad knows how to make the grand kids happy.  Fortunately this is a rarity but damn are donuts delicious.   

You got to love the Southwest.  Looking Glass Rock just a bit south of Moab. 

One of the quick stops on the trip North was in Moab.  I opted to check out an area I'd never seen that was a short walk and a nice place for the kids.  Zen Garden (aka Ninja Training Cave) is a pretty cool spot with a trickling waterfall feeding a little pond next to this amphitheater.  

My mom, who came along for the ride, helps Nalani wash her hands in the waterfall.

I believe this climb is called Shaolin Donkeypunch and is one of the two main lines in the cave.  I imagine there are tons of variations and links to be done if one is so inclined.  It's also worth noting that the climbs do topout but most folks seem to opt for dropping from the highest jugs as I did.  I'd love to go back with a spotter as the high dirty top just wasn't worth it this time around.

The crew at the Ninja Training Cave

I also stopped briefly in Price Canyon for a little sandstone.  I'd been to this small area about 11 years ago and it works great for a quick hit.  The Price is Right boulder provides several sweet lines but some of the holds can be a little tweeky. This problem is either called Off the Couch or is some variation of Showcase Showdown.  Regardless of name, it is a nice problem.

Castle Valley: I want to climb that.

"Because it's there" was George Mallory's famous reply to the question of why he wanted to climb Everest.  The question itself might seem a bit preposterous to some climbers as it can be hard to understand how someone can see a towering peak, jutting pillar or any similar formation and not want to be on top.  That seeming innate desire had me scrambling up buildings, trees and rocks as a small boy and when I grew older it transitioned to hiking up mountains just to be rewarded with a grand view.  So when I eventually found climbing it would seem that it would take me to new heights, but instead that initial desire to simply reach the highest point quickly morphed to include finding the most striking and/or difficult line and over time I was standing on fewer and fewer summits until eventually I reached the point where I'd exert days of effort to crawl out of some 10 foot hole covered in graffiti.  It's an interesting place to end up.  

Now don't get me wrong, I love bouldering and have no intention of forsaking my beloved pebbles but there is a yearning when visiting certain places that makes me want to put aside the pad and tie in to a rope.  There are features that are so impressive in scope, contrast, ascetics and/or magnitude that they beckon like sirens, appealing to that fledgling climber that like Mallory felt the need to climb it simply because it's there.  I'd know the big walls of Yosemite or perhaps the peaks of the Sierra Nevadas might come to mind for many but if you're not willing to commit the time/effort or lack the expertise necessary there are some dessert towers that will appeal to the "Mallory" in us.

Though lacking the commitment of El Cap and on a much smaller scale Castleton Tower in Utah's Castle Valley just begs to be climbed.  There are plenty of towers in the area but this one stands out as it stands imposingly, demanding your attention.  The first time I drove through the valley I was captivated by Castleton and felt the urge to stand on top of it.  Of course having dedicated myself to bouldering all these years I had to recruit someone capable of helping me to the top and luckily for me my sister Prairie has become an excellent trad-climber.  So it was with great excitement that I joined my sister to bag a tower for what has been a highlight of my 15 years of climbing.

It's easy to see why Castleton is a "must do" for climbers visiting the region.  And while I can't help but want to stand on top of such formations this desire is not shared by all.  When asked, my sister Heather replied with no hesitation that she had zero desire to see the view from the top of Castleton.  I'll share my pictures with her though just in case. 

The hike to the base was fairly casual and took roughly 40 minutes.  Prairie had done Castleton a couple years earlier and said the trail was much better now.  Even if you got off the trail you'd have to be dumb or blind to actually get lost.  "Does anyone know how to find the massive tower?"

At the base of Castleton.  A note to those going for a winter assent of pretty much anything in the northern hemisphere, if the high temperature for the day is going to be just just a few degrees above freezing it is best to avoid routes with the word "north" in their name.  As I mentioned earlier Prairie had done Castleton a couple years earlier via the classic Kor-Ingals route.  Wanting to take an alternative route to the top she opted for 5.8 on the other side of the tower and I foolishly followed....  The first pitch of the North Gully is superb climbing in an ascetically pleasing dihedral but I couldn't appreciate any of it as my hands were so cold I had to fight the urge to vomit while I wondered how long it takes for frostbite to set in.  Seriously though, my hands have never been colder and I really felt like vomiting.  When I finally joined my sister at the anchor after climbing the first pitch we chuckled about how miserable we were and how we had never thought it possible to have to try so hard on a 5.8.  When the blood flowed back into my hands along with the feeling best described as the "screaming barfys" (you want to both scream and barf simultaneously) we decided it was best to just rappel down and go around to the sunny side and do Kor-Ingals.  I must say that while I was jamming my numb meat-hooks into the freezing crack I couldn't help but be impressed with my sister.  Not only did she lead with absolutely no feeling in her hands but she belayed me up the first pitch thinking we'd continue climbing through icy hell.  Or maybe she just wanted me to expericne the same suffering she just went through.  Either way I was happy to have had that miserable experience and even happier that we bailed and went to climb in the sun. 

Prairie racking up.  Needless to say, things went great once with got in the sun.  We danced up Kor-Ingals wondering how we could have been so dumb.  Live and learn.

The mandatory summit photo. 

The view on top for my sister Heather (just in case).  And there are some more towers I'd like to stand on.  

The beauty of climbing like this is the gratification you get when you get to a remote place.  It might not require great strength but even an easy climb can be an adventure and give a sense of fulfillment much greater than sending a V-hard boulder problem.  Maybe the reason I explore and develop so much is that it is a way to instill that sense of adventure that is generally lacking in bouldering.

Castleton casting a shadow.  Clearly this tower was happy to see me.

Getting High on the Chaos Boulder

I had mentioned earlier that Big Bend has one of the better boulders I've climbed on in North America.  It's rare to find a boulder that packs such a punch as the Chaos Boulder boasts 5 problems that would be classic anywhere (Circus Trick, Hell Belly, Chaos, Phantom Fighter, Grim Reacher Left) and a number of bonus filler problems.  

Grim Reacher Left is one of the classic lines on the boulder but it doesn't seem to get much traffic as the height deters most suitors.  Fortunately for me my budy Kyle showed up so we got to try the problem with adequate foam.  

Christmas came early when Kyle rolled up to the boulders

Just high enough to play with your nerves.  I took a few tried to commit

Early move

Firing the crux deadpoint/dyno.

Kyle on the victory jug of a great problem.

Moab Bouldering: Big Bend

Moab isn't known for it's bouldering.  People flock here for mountain-biking, trad-climbing and beautiful desert scenery but the bouldering still seems to be under the radar which is kind of surprising as the rock is good, accessible and unlimited.  Of course the thing that is lacking is development and spray but I reckon it is only a matter of time before this region starts getting an influx of pad-people as the potential is too good to be ignored for much longer.

While there is a multitude of neglected rock around Moab a small bit of bouldering does get plenty of traffic.  The Big Bend boulders alone are too small to be destination worthy but they serve as a sweet stopover for traveling climbers or a weekend spot for those within striking distance.  There is a high concentration of quality problems and maybe one of the best boulders in North America.  

Last winter while passing through I salivated at the boulders littering the hillsides and I stopped briefly at Big Bend for a little climbing fix.  I decided I needed to return to this region to do some exploring and try a few of Big Bend's offerings I never got around to.

Here is a small sampling from this years return to the Big Bend boulders and a little video of a couple classics from last year (in case you missed it).

The Colorado River winds through the canyon it carved and boulders can be found everywhere.  I do wish I had a boat as ripe boulder fields mock me the opposite riverbank.   

Big Bend is just one small cluster but the only place that gets any serious traffic.  Access is ridiculously easy and most visitors talk about how good it is but few bother to wander beyond the confines of the established area.  I promise there is lots more that is just as good.

Oskar joins us for a quick morning session to sample one of Moab's classic problems.

Prairie about to gun it on Silly Wabbit 

Looking up from the boulders makes me want to get a rope and see what's on the top of that tower.

Scoopula, One of Big Bend's hard classics that proved too much for us.

Quality climbing in a beautiful dessert setting.

Kyle fires a neglected classic.  Black Angus is one of the better problems at Big Bend and took us a bit to figure out.

The stellar Hell Belly is a compression climber's dream.  I'd like to do the proper line from the sit but wonder if I got the juice.

Chaos is another amazing problem.  Big Bend really packs them in.

And here is the video from last year.  More to come.

Moab Bouldering: Big Bend from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

Life in America.

So we been Stateside for a couple weeks now but still haven't quite "hit the road".  We've been using this time to visit family and slowly transition to life in an RV.  The weather has also cooled down considerably since our arrival and my little family, not being as climbing obsessed as me, appreciates the prolonged stay in my sister's warm house.  Fortunately the sun is shining and the road is calling so we'll be leaving for a week of bouldering and tower bagging around Moab.  Good times will be had.

Here's some pictures from our adventures thus far.

You can see fellow passengers cringe when our little family lumbers onto a plane.  Unfortunately for them it's too late to upgrade from coach but the good news is our kids are rock-stars when it comes to flying.  I almost always receive compliments on my kids when exiting the plane as people say they barely noticed their presence.  I like to think it's the excellent parenting but we may have just hit the lottery. 

The perks of seeing Fart-fart (aka Grandfather).  The sugar intake is definitely up.

And Farmor (Grandmother) with the obligatory pie in Pie Town.

My little family with Farmor in Pie Town

Björke gets used to an American breakfast.

Breakfast burrito.  Oh how I missed you.

The new whip.  We are borrowing this 21 foot Toyota Dolphin from Fart-fart.  Traveling in comfort and style.  Here we are in perhaps the lamest monument in the world, 4-corners.  We were unwilling to pay $5 each to see a spot where arbitrary lines meet.

The crew in Moab, UT

The Aunties meet their nephew for the first time 

Moab is beautiful.  We'll be hanging around for a bit.  

Climbing posts up next......