Virgin River Gorge

Description 

There are two camps when it comes to the VRG: Those who scoff at the idea of ever climbing there and the die-hard few who swear it is the best climbing in the country. The truth is the VRG has some of the worst scenery of any climbing area, but some of the best rock. If you can get past not being able to hear yourself think (or your partner for that matter), ugly road cuts, graffiti, and sometimes inhospitable temperature extremes, you will be rewarded with difficult, sustained lines, fantastic movement, and plenty of hard climbing.

Grades pretty much start at 5.12 here, and the best lines are in the hard 12 and up range. Climbing exists on both the sunny, north side of the gorge (Sun Cave, Sun Wall, and Fossil Cave) and the shady south side (Mentor Cave, Planet Earth Wall, Blasphemy Wall). Bring draws and a 60 or 70m rope. Generally, climbing season is from October to April. Summer months are hot.

Getting There 

From the North: Take I-15 South from Saint George. After mile marker 14 cross a bridge over the Virgin River. Park immediately after this at a pullout on the right by an immense embankment/dirt mound. From the South, continue past the VRG to exit 18, turn around and follow above directions. There is camping amongst the used syringes and condoms in a gravel pit just north of the highway at exit 18.

The Classics

Featured Route For Virgin River Gorge

Mentor 5.12b  AZ : Virgin River Gorge : Mentor Cave

Super classic! If you can stand the road noise and the guys breaking into your car, this is the route you want to be doing while you are here. Climbs out the Mentor cave (just right of the Blasphemy wall) on great pockets, edges, sidepulls... the whole kitchen sink. Very Steep!Somewhere toward the middle you even get a leg thread to cop a rest. Once you pull out of the cave onto the headwall, you lose sight of your belayer - and the road noise...[more]   Browse More Classics in AZ