Monitor and Merrimac Buttes  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  3,103. Good page?    Administrators:  Andrew Gram, Perin Blanchard, grk10vq, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Stacy Bender on Mar 22, 2002 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

BETA PHOTO: Taken 3/13/02 two or three miles east of the Butte...

Description 

These are two impressive formations that can't be missed as you drive about 3 miles southwest into Tusher Canyon. They are a softer sandstone; easy on your hands, but can crumble with pressure. Most climbs are hard trad mixed with aid. Be prepared to leave webbing since any you find is most likely years old. This area is not climbed in much, and the isolation is a big part of the fun. Any climb on these rocks takes big balls since the softness of the rock makes even good looking gear placements questionable.

Getting There 

The directions for the Tusher Canyon area will get you in view of these formation. After that, you can continue to try following the directions or, as I did, just follow any 4x4 road heading towards them. A little trial and error is just as quick as stopping at every crossing or Y to reread the directions. If you are in a jeep, and you should be, it's fun just getting there anyway. Just don't be a jerk by taking shortcuts off the existing roads. Allow yourself a full day to get in, do a climb or two and get out.

The Classics

Featured Route For Monitor and Merrimac Buttes

Without A Net 5.8 X  UT : Moab Area : ... : Monitor and Merrimac Buttes

This climb is an experience you won't forget. For the most part, this might as well be a solo climb for the lead climber. Protection is nearly non-existant, especially on the 2nd pitch. We did this route in 3 pitches, and on the 3rd pitch, we used a large flake about 30 feet into the chimney to place #4 & 5 friends. The rock is very soft though, and these cams may not have held if we had actually taken a fall. The solitude of this area along with the depth we progressed into this ch...[more]   Browse More Classics in UT

Photos of Monitor and Merrimac Buttes Slideshow

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Monitor and Merrimac	A giant pothole on the summit of Monitor Butte... ...	Monitor Butte from between the two.
Looking at the Monitor from the base of the Merrim...