Indian Creek advice on climbing, camping, surrounding areas etc.

Taking a trip out to Indian Creek for the first time Tuesday after work. I'm meeting a couple of friends to climb with on Wednesday, but they are not very familiar with the area either.

Any suggestions on where I should car camp? Would be ideal to set up at a campground with toilets, water, a fire pit, etc. Worth mentioning: I'll have a small pup with me.

What conditions should I be preparing for? Going to be packing all of my cold gear, but how warm can I expect it to be during the day at the crag? Any suggestions on areas close by that I should check out? Going to be solo after Wednesday and am open to any hikes or different areas I should go check out close to Indian Creek.

Also worth mentioning: if anyone would like to meet up on Thanksgiving or the Friday after to climb, shoot me a message. Thanks in advance!

Forecast is calling for snow/rain on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Monticello, the closest town to Indian Creek.  Sandstone gets fagile when wet and can take multiple days to dry out after a rain storm.  It's probalby best to find somewhere else to climb this Thanksgiving.

Edit: Shelf Road would be a great alternative.  Looks like you already have some to-dos there!

Thanks for the advice, Adam. That's a bummer, was starting to read up on Creeksgiving and it sounds like a great time. Still may just head to UT to camp & check out some National Parks, we shall see. Thanks again for the advice! 

So, some guy on the internet tells you what the weather will be in five days and you are ready to change your plans???  Hello.

Seriously, the most educated forecasters with advanced computer modeling can’t tell you with a high level of certainty how much precipitation, if any, will fall in five days most anywhere. Furthermore, using a city several miles away and higher elevation, Monticello, as his guideline is rather flawed if you understand the basics of orographic lift.

That being said, the creek is generally a junk show around thanksgiving. Even our buddies at rei promote it.  So, marginal weather may be the best time to go.

Cave route is always a good go to when the weather is bad 

Hobo Greg wrote:

A point forecast from NOAA shows similar, and they know more about orographic lift than you and me both. In my limited creek experience, it's almost always Coloradans who climb the wet rock, because they drove so far, man. So telling a Coloradan to maybe not come because of the weather seems like a great idea considering how fragile a resource the rock and desert is out there.

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-109.69114780426027&lat=38.21863971183777#.XdikP5NKhE4

On Tuesday night, a closed low digs southward along the West Coast
with overrunning moisture generating light showers over the area
during the night. Models continue to struggle with this system in
days 5 through 7 with GFS quicker to move the low inland and more
aggressive with QPF output. Canadian and ECMWF more similar. What
all models share is the idea that this will be protracted event
with the potential of yielding heavy snow in the mountains from
Thursday through Friday and beyond which could very well impact
travel before, during and after the Thanksgiving holiday. Until
models come into better agreement, hesitate to get into the
details, but urge those reading this to be prepared for
challenging, and possibly hazardous winter driving conditions.

Sooooo, lets see, ALL MODELS AGREE WILL BE PROTRACTED, I'd bet more on that than what anyone here has to say, although knowing Adam personally, he isn't a troll or a dick, so I'd trust him too.

Makes me think you don’t know where I C is or what orography is. 

Greg D, If you actually look at the rest of that page, it has three locations.

• Grand Junction, CO: The local forecast office - i.e. The place where the meteorologists in charge of this area live and work.
• BIG INDIAN VALLEY (BIVU1): The location for the current conditions data. I would assume the closest weather monitoring station. (Looks to be about 20 miles away and 2000' higher)
• 16 Miles SE Canyonlands Np UT: The location for the projected forecast. A pinpoint right on top of Indian Creek.

Campgrounds with water are limited to the Needles Outpost and Canyonlands National Park. Both are $20 per night. Superbowl, Creek Pasture, and Hamburger Rock have pit toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings, but no water. They are pay sites as well. Any other site will be the unofficial campgrounds or dispersed camping. The BLM kiosks at Supercrack, Beef Basin Road and other locations will have a map showing where the no camping zones are.

This is the weather spot I use for the Creek, centered on the Beef Basin Road junction. It is generally accurate, but canyons make predictions difficult. This Thanksgiving will probably be cold and cloudy, even if it doesn't rain or snow. But hey, most people aren't really there for the climbing anyway.

Hiking trails are just about non-existent in the Creek, unless you are exploring climbing access trails. Canyonlands, at the end of Highway 211, has phenomenal hiking opportunities with trails from half a mile to 30 miles in length. I've killed many mornings there waiting for rock to dry out. Chesler Park is one of the area highlights.

Greg D wrote: Happy to bet today on the forecast five days out. And watch all the social justice wet rock warriors get up in arms.

Even more fun, prove how much water actually gets in cracks of vertical routes in IC when it rains, snows.

Hey Greg , what are you wanting to bet and how much  $ and terms. (Asking for a quite interested friend who likes to gamble) thanks!

Greg D wrote: Umm your link:

Your local forecast office is
Grand Junction, CO
Damaging Winds Likely Over Portions Of Montana, Locally Heavy Rain And Flooding Over The Appalachians

Makes me think you don’t know where I C is or what orography is. 

Makes me think you don't understand the NWS page.

Greg D wrote: Happy to bet today on the forecast five days out.

This forecast is pretty solid. 5 days for current weather models is fairly accurate.

 And watch all the social justice wet rock warriors get up in arms.
Even more fun, prove how much water actually gets in cracks of vertical routes in IC when it rains, snows.

It's not about water "actually in the cracks", it's about water being absorbed by the sandstone. Have you climbed in the Creek? Why do you seem so torqued out about this?

Marc801 C wrote:
It's not about water "actually in the cracks", it's about water being absorbed by the sandstone. Have you climbed in the Creek? Why do you seem so torqued out about this?

This might give some insight into Greg D's torque: https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/106104217/uknown-belayer-at-the-base-of-static-cling-this-route-has-a-500-foot-over-hang-a

Marc801 C wrote:

Makes me think you don't understand the NWS page.

TLDR

Marc801 C wrote: This forecast is pretty solid. 5 days for current weather models is fairly accurate.

This we can agree to disagree.  I track long range forecast regularly.  Many climbing days would be canceled if I went by the 5-7 day forecasts.  

It's not about water "actually in the cracks", it's about water being absorbed by the sandstone. Have you climbed in the Creek?

Yes, I use to love it there.  Thanksgiving used to be nice and quiet 10 years ago.  I'm saddened when I go there and see some much wear and tear, so much damage.  I choose to go elsewhere these days.  

 Why do you seem so torqued out about this?

I just find it amusing, well irksome.  Every time there is someone asking about the creek, we can pretty much guarantee someone will say "stay away, stay in Colorado" because there is a 20% of rain in a 5 day forecast, usually by someone that calls themselves a local (moved there X years ago).  I am all for protecting the rock when its wet.  I have bailed on climbing there several times due to rain (even after the long drive, ha).  I do see this as an issue.  But, it pales in comparison to the groups of 5, 10, 15, sometimes 30 or more gang banging the crap out of the place, tons of vegetation trampled, white chalk everywhere, deep, deep, permanent grooves in the rock from those that insist on lowering despite the obvious soft rock being cut by ropes on some routes, REI's newsletter promoting it, and don’t forget about Chicks on Cracks, Guys on cracks, people on crack on cracks. The list goes on.  But, god forbid, you touch the rock after a sprinkle.  The internet warriors will take your head off.  Break out the pitchforks.  The usual players are giving me flack.  Shrug.  

Greg- It is easy to get away from the crowds if you know where to go. We camped 2 weekends ago without anyone within two miles. We climbed with two other parties at the crag. On a perfect fall weekend.
And sure, the creek is more crowded than it used to be. But it was also more crowded when you started going than it used to be before that.

Greg D wrote:Umm your link:

Your local forecast office is
Grand Junction, CO
Damaging Winds Likely Over Portions Of Montana, Locally Heavy Rain And Flooding Over The Appalachians

Hobo Greg

Makes me think you don’t know where I C is or what orography is. 
Scroll down buddy. GJ is the local regional NOAA office for that area. The point forecast is dead on Indian creek itself.. Oh, the feeling of thinking you’re right, only to discover YOU are incorrect. Sweet, sweet justice.

Haha Hobo nice one☝️ he also likes to say he will bet, yet alas he does not mean it. I would not bet either if i was talking out my rear end and did not even understand the forecast for the area I thought I had an idea of yet actually did not. 

Hobo Greg wrote:

Scroll down buddy. 

Way to go champ.  Did you read where I said "tldr".  I guess not.  I already said I did not read the page.  Late to the party buddy.  But, way to be an internet hero.  We need more "winners" like you.  If this is "sweet sweet justice" for you, I feel bad for you.

Next.

Benny J wrote: 

Haha Hobo nice one☝️ he also likes to say he will bet, yet alas he does not mean it. I would not bet either if i was talking out my rear end and did not even understand the forecast for the area I thought I had an idea of yet actually did not. 

Happy to bet sincere people.   You said you were asking for a friend.  Not sincere.

Its just for fun.  Happy to pay up whatever the wager is if I lose.

I have documented the five day forecast.   It has changed quite a bit since then.  I would have won if someone took me up on it. 

Next.

So what you’re saying is....send it to the creek? 

Weather in the creek is always terrible on thanksgiving.  1 in 4 years is good