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Best slab climbs in the wasatch

Original Post
emorekul · · SLC · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 10

I'm looking for some nice slabs to get after...
I've hopped on a few in little cottonwood that I really enjoyed. Final Link, Tingey's terror and some I don't recall the name.

Looking for a little harder and/or more sustained routes.

Y'all have any suggestions?

-Gracias

JeffL · · Salt Lake City · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 65

Fin arête and the first pitch of shock trama. Intensive care and dorsal fin if you have massive testicles. Let me know if you want a partner!

ddriver · · SLC · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 2,084
Rock routes (Trad) in Little Cottonwood Canyon between 5.8- and 5.10c/d with a quality score of at least 2 stars sorted by Area then by Difficulty

Look through these. If they are PG13 or R you can safely assume they're slab routes. Others may be as well.
ddriver · · SLC · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 2,084
Rock routes (Sport) in Little Cottonwood Canyon between 5.8- and 5.10c/d with a quality score of at least 2 stars sorted by Area then by Difficulty

So, some of the steeper bolted routes are listed as sport routes. Depends on your definition of slab.
ton · · Salt Lake City · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 0

Fin Arete/Dark Horse looks amazing. over my ability level, but amazing.

Daniel Winder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 101

A few I've enjoyed off the top of my head:
Redneck Slab 10-
Paranoia Streak 10
Mind Blow 10+
Littlefoot 11-
Prepositional Phrase 11-

Kevin Piarulli · · Redmond, OR · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 1,678

Kermit's Wad 5.10a

Garret Nuzzo Jones · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 1,436

For the next step up check out:

Green Adjective (kind of a slab) 5.9
Barefoot in Barbados 5.10a can be TRed
Comfort Zone (5.9)
Leggo My Eggo (5.10a)
Unknown Slab next to Blue Collar Crack (5.10-)

emorekul · · SLC · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 10

Thanks all, this is exactly what I was looking for!
Excited to hop on some of these before ski season gets too deep.

Garret Nuzzo Jones · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 1,436
emorekul wrote:Thanks all, this is exactly what I was looking for! Excited to hop on some of these before ski season gets too deep.
A bunch of those are good, even in winter. The first time I successfully led the Green A was in January with a couple inches of snow on the ground.
Gary Taylor · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2008 · Points: 11

Romance on the Rocks 10d
S Direct 9+
Air Express 11d (TR recommended)

RKM · · Alpine, Utah and Almo, ID · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 2,233

If you want to climb a little Wasatch history, the first three great Little Cottonwood slab routes were: 1) Dorsal Fin, 2) S Direct, and 3) S Matrix. All three were originally rated 5.9, but that changed fast. The first two have been mentioned, but not the S Matrix. Hard and old school slab at its best.

mountainproject.com/v/s-mat…

emorekul · · SLC · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 10
Garret Nuzzo-Jones wrote: A bunch of those are good, even in winter. .
Yeah Ill check out the south facing routes here soon.

I got on Sasquatch last weekend and was knocking ice out of the crack the whole way up, the approach was the gnarliest part for sure.
tenesmus · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2004 · Points: 3,023
RKM wrote:If you want to climb a little Wasatch history, the first three great Little Cottonwood slab routes were: 1) Dorsal Fin, 2) S Direct, and 3) S Matrix. All three were originally rated 5.9, but that changed fast. The first two have been mentioned, but not the S Matrix. Hard and old school slab at its best. mountainproject.com/v/s-mat…
plus what Gary said:
"Romance on the Rocks 10d
S Direct 9+
Air Express 11d (TR recommended)"

Don't forget Bell's canyon: Arm and Hammer, Cymbals in the Sun, Butcher Knife, etc.
There are new classics that aren't as frightening: Stiffler's Mom, House of Cards, The 7th Way, etc.

The best thing about climbing slabs in LCC/Bell's is that you can find a classic at almost any grade. Start at 5.8 and work all the high-star lines through 5.12. The joke is that there aren't very many .12 slab lines because after .11d they become a little impossible and/or not really slabs.

Once you really start working .11's, spend some time at the East Gate. Most of the lines on the lower tier were put up in the late 90's, early 2000's and have some of the best rock around. If the routes are too spooky, you can TR them first. Might sound crazy, but even though you're perfectly safe, you can still be terrified on TR.

One more thing: If you can boulder the V3-5 slabs down near the road, you'll feel 20-times more comfortable on lead. Its the same rock and you'll have a much better feel for the required movement.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northern Utah & Idaho
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