We know you’ve been hitting the gym all winter long in preparation for this moment: ropes season! While I know we’d all love to continue pushing our limits within these warehouse walls, with guaranteed sending temps and Yerbas just moments away, there’s a draw (or, quickdraw) to head outdoors and pull on some rock.
Whether you’re a certified trad dad or a newly minted leader, there’s a bounty of outdoor climbs for you that are beautiful, accessible, and just a short drive away. Go on, get exploring.
Maple Canyon
Maple Canyon sits an hour and a half south of Provo and hosts steep, powerful sport routes for folks hoping to climb at their max—or get pumped trying. With unique geological features and cobble terrain, Maple is sure to be a crag that feels like no other; you may even feel like you’re on a different planet.
Up the right fork of the canyon, climbers can find Pipe Dream. You’re sure to find fellow climbers taking a moment in the shade or working some of the 41 climbs hosted inside the cave. Expect limited warmups (unless you’re keen to get prepped on 5.11s) and excellent projects ranging from moderates up to the king line, PipeDream, coming in at 5.14a.
Most of Maple is permadraw’ed, so you won’t need too much equipment to boogie up these walls. We of course recommend a helmet while doing any outdoor rope climbing—Petzl’s Meteor is one of my favorites.
Ogden Canyon
Hi, O-Town! We could not make a list of crags to hit without highlighting our northern neighbors. You may know Ogden’s bouldering fields, lovingly tended to by our Front Climbing Club Trail Pigs (not sure what we’re talking about? Read all about our summertime Trail Dig program), but Ogden also hosts lovely quartzite trad and sport lines.
When looking for areas to explore, the Diamond Area tics all the boxes for us: short approach, tons of moderates, and out of direct sunlight the majority of the day. If you’re looking for a relaxing time, knocking out some sends with friends, this is spot is sure to scratch your itch. With walls shorter than most, you may be able to get away with something shorter than an 80m rope. Explore shorter lengths from Petzl and Sterling in our Gear Shop to save some weight.
Indian Creek
If you’ve got a long weekend or want to work on your trad skills, a trip to the Creek may be in order. Indian Creek is our southernmost recommendation, drawing climbers globally to a sandstone paradise between Canyonlands and Moab. Unlike our National Park Service friends, this crag is surrounded by BLM land—hello, affordable camping!
Pistol Whipped is a classic area of the Creek, featuring trad routes ranging from the 5.10s upward. Climber be ware, there are no sport routes at this crag so come prepped with your Camalots. Be sure to pay attention to the weather, too—Indian Creek is full of sandstone, which becomes extra fragile when wet. Take care with your brushing, and never climb when the stone is damp. When it’s dry and warm, take yourself up classics like Girls Just Wanna Have Guns and Spaghetti Western. Get incredible climbing in, take in the views, and build your tic list with these iconic routes. While you’re out there, you may even see some archeological sites!
Big Cottonwood Canyon
You know her, you love her—Big Cottonwood Canyon is the local legend. Truly around the corner from our Salt Lake and South Main facilities, BCC is close enough to swing by on your way home from work or to climb at after a quick warm up on the training boards (psst—view all the boards at your home gym on Pebble Climbing.)
The Wasatch is full of granite, so it’s no surprise that this crag is full of the sharp stuff. If you’re an unlikely first timer, we recommend S-Curves as one of the best known and versatile spots in Big Cottonwood Canyon. If you’re a group of friends with varied abilities, avoid the Slips and head out here. Hop on trad, sport, or build a top rope anchor for folks who haven’t taken Learn to Lead quite yet. With everything from 5.8s to V10 boulders (yes, boulders!), versatility is the name of the game.
Climbing is for everyone, everywhere. We hope seasoned professionals and our newest climbers (bring an friend as a mentor, please!) experience these spots before it gets too hot—and we hope you find some local spots of your own. Let us know your crags on repeat the next time you’re in. We want to hear about your latest and greatest send.
Stop by the Front Desk to get all the advice on outdoor gear before venturing out on the wall. We’d love to offer advice and brainstorm – it’s our favorite thing.
This April, all members get 30% back in Retail Credits on ropes, quickdraws, and helmet purchases in any of our Gear Shops! That’s an additional 20% – stock up on sport gear and use your credits on snacks for your trips, classes like Learn to Lead, or the rest of the gear and apparel you need to make this spring the best one ever.
