Climbing Rock Canyon

Rock Canyon is an awesome place to go climbing for people of all ability levels. There are routes for the absolute beginner all the way up to 5.13c (borderline professional). It is right above the temple in Provo and there are more than 400 bolted sports routes within a half hour walk from the parking lot, a couple hundred of those being only a 15 minute walk. I just counted recently and I've climbed over 100 routes in the canyon on 25 different walls. 

"Fluffer" 5.11a at The Jobsite

"Dr. Teeth" 5.10a at the Mouth Boulders 

"Radidudical" 5.10c at The Wasp. The Wasp is one of my favorite climbing areas in the lower canyon. It has a quick and easy approach, hosts my favorite 5.11b "Green Hornet," has some great photo opportunities, and I've only seen another group climbing there once.

"Excessive Bail" 5.11a at The Zoo. The Zoo is a really cool area to go climb and hang out.  I've camped up there twice. There is a little flat area for a tent, a great fire ring, an abandoned mine that goes back 40 feet or so, some bouldering, and seven bolted routes from 5.8 to 5.11c.

 "Simple Simon" 5.11b at the Superbowl Wall. This is my second favorite 5.11b in Rock Canyon. It is the most overhanging route at this grade in all of Utah. It also hosts one of the best photo opportunities in the canyon.  Unfortunately I don't have any pictures actually climbing it since there were only two of us there. Climbing with two people is faster and more convenient but you don't get any good pictures. 

 "Bosko Loves Barbed Wire" 5.10b at Bug Barn Dance Wall. This is one of the best limestone walls in the canyon.  It hosts twelve very long single pitch routes that have fun roof problems as well as very crimpy sections. The routes are all pretty close in difficulty, from 5.9 to 5.11b. Not a wall for beginners, but a lot of fun for the comfortable 5.11 climber. 

V4 boulder problem at the Heroin Hut

 "Bloody Ruby" 5.11d at Treasure Island. This is the highest quality rated

5.11d in the canyon and is the hardest route I've ever led. 

Clipping off of three fingertips at the crux.

"Pirate Booty" 5.10b at Treasure Island

Despite all the misconceptions people have about the dangers of rock climbing, this is the worst climbing accident I've ever had: a little cut on my knee requiring 11 stitches. Climbing is dangerous when people aren't familiar with the equipment, or other technical aspects of climbing. If you want to get into climbing, start by going with experienced climbers.

If you ever want recommendations on which walls to go to at certain times of the day or year, with certain difficulty grades in mind, or a place where you're not going to run into any other people, or just a cool place to go with a group and hang out, feel free to send me an e-mail with any and all of your questions. I'll probably be adding to this, or creating more posts about the climbing in Rock Canyon as I'm there about three times a week.