Type: Trad, 1200 ft (364 m), 10 pitches, Grade IV
FA: "Jersey" Dave Littman, Gordy Loritz, April 2006
Page Views: 33,031 total · 189/month
Shared By: john durr on Nov 13, 2009
Admins: Andrew Gram, Nathan Fisher, Perin Blanchard, GRK, D C

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Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Warning Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closures ***** RAIN AND WET ROCK ***** The sandstone in Zion is fragile and is very easily damaged when it is wet. Holds rip off and climbs have been and will continue to be permanently damaged due to climbers not respecting this phenomenon. After a heavy storm the rock will remain wet, sometimes for several days. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB IN ZION during or after rain. A good rule of thumb is that if the ground near your climb is at all damp (and not powdery dry sand), then do not climb. There are many alternatives (limestone, granite, basalt, and plastic) nearby. Seasonal Raptor Closures DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

Cowboy Ridge is a long day, hiking, scrambling and climbing through some amazing terrain to a fantastic summit. Mostly easy roped scrambling. Great exposure and plenty of loose rock to help stay focused all day long.

Approach

From Springdale drive west on SR 9 towards Rockville, before Rockville turn north onto the paved Anasazi Plateau Subdivision road marked "Private Drive", go a short way and take a right where marked to the start of the Chinle Trail parking lot.  Follow the Chinle Trail, up some switchbacks through the subdivision crossing to the west of the road, soon the trail turns north along a wash and crosses to the north side of the paved road and out into desert, there is a small parking area on the road here that should not be used.  It should take about 15 minutes hiking to get to this point.  After crossing the road the second time, follow the Chinle Trail about 200-300 hundred yards further and then leave the Chinle Trail turning north up an obvious wash, there is a use trail that can be followed. There should be flat desert to the left (west) and a low hill to the right (east) of you.  If you look at a map, it should be pretty obvious.

Follow this wash a long way, past many side branches, but it is pretty easy to follow a use trail here, heading generally to an obvious break in the Springdale cliff band.. Early on the NPS park boundary barbed wire fence is passed. A while later spot high tension electric lines on top a split hill, power up this to an obvious break in the Springdale Band.

From the top of the break, hike west along the top of it to the deep cleft leading up to the southwest end of the ridge. Allow about 2-3 hours from car to the ridge crest.

Route

From near the bottom of the ridge, head up into a recess located a short ways up the ridge. 2nd and 3rd class scrambling on blocks and ledges up to and along the ridge, passing any hard looking gendarmes on the right (east) sides.

At some point you will put on a rope, but likely stay in your approach shoes. A narrow passage with great exposure and a short gap will get your heart racing. 4th class up from the gap either straight up or instead head right and then up maybe easier and safer but less exposure. Head back left and up to a big dark chimney, the right one of two on a small buttress. This has a ramp in the back that is class 3 or 4 at the very end.

A great view of the upper ridge comes in view here. Head towards a prominent cleft, then up the fun 4th class ramp/flake in the cleft. A large shrubbery is at the end.

Technical climbing for the next two pitches. A low angled corner with a nice crack steepens and widens as you go up, move left just before the end to gain a flat ledge on top the block. Keep heading down and west to a ledge below the other side of the block. The 5.7 hand crack is right in front of you. Climb it (40') and then work up and left on pretty chossy rock to a big oak and a ledge like alcove.

Very loose, moderate 4th class scrambling for another rope length, then things ease to class 2 or 3 for 200 feet to the south summit marked with a distinctive cairn.

From the south summit, continue north descending on class 2 down to a large prickly pear filled meadow. On the east side of the meadow past a few notches is the top of the descent gully. On the opposite (west) side of the meadow, a short class 3 ascends Mt. Kinesava which is definetly worth visiting before descending.

Descent Suggest change

Descent is class 3. Expect some 4th class if you miss the optimal way but no rappelling should be necessary.

Scope out the descent before you pass through the Springdale Band on the approach, it is the blocky green slope and chute on the east face. The chute diagonals down from the summit to the southeast. You will definitely see signs of previous passage if you are going the right way and possibly a few cairns. Look for, but do not enter a very deep chimney about 3 feet wide between the rock face and the ramp near the start, see photo. Head down (south) and zig a little left (east) then zag back south to the end of the 3rd class along the wall and to the other side of a small E-W ravine.

Hike south along the wall for a few hundred yards then down the slope passing south around some large red boulders, head to a low notch in the ridge to the east and down a deep ravine to the top of the Springdale Band. Retrace your steps to car from here.

Plan about 3 hours from the start of the descent back to the car. This would be a real adventure in the dark.

Protection Suggest change

A helmet may be a good idea, a light rope that you don't mind getting sand and cactus spines in. About 4 double length runners and 4 shoulder length runners, a good, but light selection of stoppers and cams to 3" with a couple extra hand sized.

Headlamp, tweezers and cute power rangers bandaids?

Photos

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