Ferguson Canyon

fun neighborhood climbing, mellow approaches, stout ratings, many toprope opportinities.

This is one of the funnest areas around. There are a lot of routes not mentioned here. Does anyone know anything about the climb just starting up the steep path to the right, it is about 7 maybe 8 bolts, feels like a 5.9+ or 5.10. Just hunting a name a and such.

This is a popular canyon, with a long climbing history. Sadly, it is being loved to death--trash, erosion and dog shit to name a few. Get on the ass of anyone leaving trash, lighting fires, or smashing bottles!

The lack of a guidebook update in the last ten years has led to a number of "repeat FA's". If you find a route with fixed gear, it's most likely been freed before (duh). A few routes in this canyon were first done as solos, then got bolted later by others. My point is, do your homework and ask around before claiming a FA, and certainly before you bolt. And DON'T STEAL FIXED PITONS. Get a job dirtbag.

This is a beautiful canyon. It is a shame that some people don't take care of it. There is a lot of trash all around. Climbers are probably not much of a problem in that regard.
I spent an hour or so the other day picking up little pieces of shattered glass from around the base of the Watchtower, and there is still a lot of glass around. A week or so ago I was up there and I saw a group of young (underage) kids hiking up. There were about ten of them. Each was carrying 4-6 bottles of Corona, no backpacks. When they came back down later, they weren't carrying anything. That means that those 40-60 bottles are still up there somewhere, probably smashed to bits. I should have confronted them about it, and I am still kicking myself for not doing so (but there were 10 of them and 1 of me). Every time I hike up the trail I pick up at least 20 cigarette butts and other odds and ends of trash. My dog comes up there with me, and I always pick up and pack out his poop. Many others do not, as there are always piles of poop all over the place.
I think it would be a good idea as a community of climbers to carry trash bags with us when we use this canyon. Lets pick up the trash of others, and ourselves and clean up this nice canyon. It may help preserve our access as a user group and it will definitely show others that we are a responsible and respectful user group.

I talked to a lady who was leaving the canyon with her dog yesterday. She was carrying a ton of trash out, which made me pay close attention to what she was saying (as Ben mentionned, trash gets in this place but rarely out): apparently the city of Cottonwood Heights is contemplating closing Ferguson to dogs.

I don't know how much of this is true. She may have been ranting or she may have been the mayor of the city for all I know. Nevertheless, a bit of cleaning is certainly not gonna hurt access to the canyon... Do your part peeps!

Would anyone be down for a "trail works day"? Some of the landings are loose and eroded and could use repair.

Funny you should mention that. The SLCA is having a Ferguson Canyon Adpot-A-Crag day that is tentatively scheduled for September 26th, 2009. Projects include graffiti removal, repairing trails and building belay platforms to reduce erosion as well as the usual trash removal.

More information will be available on the SLCA website as it becomes available.

http://www.saltlakeclimbers.org

ferguson is now home to probably the nicest approach trail in the wasatch!