Good early season climbs around SLC?

I live in SLC and I have a friend visiting from New Orleans next weekend (3/28). I want to show him some good outdoor climbing, but I've never tried to go outside this early in the Spring. We'd be climbing sport and I'd like to have some easier stuff for him (anything 5.6-5.8) and some more challenging routes for my other friends and I (anything 5.9-5.11). I'm willing to drive about an hour, so I was thinking BCC, LCC or American Fork, but I'm open to any other suggestions. Do you guys know which walls are sunny and warm this time of year?

Thanks!

You're missing out! This can be one of the best times of year to climb in the Wasatch.

Most everything in lower LCC, BCC, and AF canyon will be good, especially South-facing stuff. Just search the MP database for grades/star ratings and you'll find a ton of quality routes. Rock Canyon might be your best bet for moderate sport.

I've climbed both lcc and bcc and they both are dry except for the higher stuff. If your trying moderate routes head to rock canyon like was suggested, the rocks is dry right now and awesome!

Me my wife climbed hard rock in AF canyon a few weeks ago. We also climbed down in Rock canyon. Both were mostly clear of snow.

Does anyone know is maple canyon is dry?

A large portion of LCC is in the sun with cool air temps and this is the time to get on it.

Awesome, thanks guys! How crowded are these canyons this time of year? You guys seem pretty excited about it. Do the cool temperatures keep people away or are they more crowded because the higher areas are closed?

Hellgate limestone would be prime on a warm sunny day. Bring a tarp to stand on to keep off the mud and snow at the base of the wall. Moderate sport and harder routes for those who wish.

Hellgate Limestone would have significant avalanche potential any time that it is warm enough to climb before all the snow melts off the top.

Not looking to start a battle here, but significant is an awfully strong word right now to describe natural wet slide potential. Especially with the hard freezes we are still getting each night. However that is certainly one factor to not overlook and in my opinion the next few days is low.

Hellgate can be climbed year round if temps are in the 40 range.

Josh Barrios wrote:Awesome, thanks guys! How crowded are these canyons this time of year? You guys seem pretty excited about it. Do the cool temperatures keep people away or are they more crowded because the higher areas are closed?

Kyler R wrote:but significant is an awfully strong word

Brendan,

I'm glad you read the avy forecast on occasion and use it as a decision making tool. As do I everyday of the winter as part of my job.

However your post is 100% irrelevant because no one is even considering Hellgate limestone in the middle of the storm. On the day of the post and several there after the danger ratings were low across all elevations and aspects.

So please stop trying to make an argument without legs to stand on.

Sincerely,

Kyler

P.S. Hellgate is currently in a Moderate Danger zone today if it were even possible to climb right now.