The Scar

The Scar from Potash Road. Just right of the photo...

Description 

The Scar is a beautiful cliff overlooking Moab, the Matheson Wetlands and the Colorado River. The routes here are all overhanging sport climbs. The wall catches morning sun and afternoon shade and there is often a slight breeze.

The Scar seems to have a higher percentage of calcite in it's matrix, giving the stone a much more solid character than most Wingate (more similar to Castleton Tower). The routes here are not that long, ranging from 30 to 70 feet in length, but the flat-nature of the holds make the routes pumpy. All in all it’s a distinct change from the other climbing venues around Moab.

Getting There 

As Potash Road enters the Colorado River Canyon at what is commonly called The Portal, the Wingate Sandstone layer angles to road level. This is between 2.5 and 3 miles from the turn off onto Potash from US 191.

Just before the point where the Wingate layer meets the Colorado River, one can see a beige “scar” about 200 feet above the road.

The Classics

Photos of The Scar Slideshow

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Looking one way from The Scar.

Looking another way from The Scar.