Mountain Project: Climbing San Rafael Swell

Submitted By: Andrew Gram on Jan 19, 2006
Administrators: Andrew Gram, Perin Blanchard
Latitude: 38.8525 Longitude: -110.7010
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Description

The San Rafael Swell is a huge area in the center of Utah. There is everything from Indian creek style cragging to long sandy slabs to towers. The swell has seen a lot of new route activity lately, so keep checking for more updates.

In addition to rock climbing, the San Rafael Swell is home to impressive rock art, many slot canyons, mountain biking, mellow flatwater canoe trips, and wild class V whitewater kayaking. Crowds are minimal compared to the Moab area, though so are any kind of developed services.

Getting There

This is a vast area in the center of Utah split by I-70. The most popular areas are accessed by the Buckhorn Wash Road. Most of the main roads in this area are good dirt roads, and you can usually at least get close in a 2WD. The road conditions can change quickly since they don't see much traffic, and the remote parts of the swell are not a good place to have car trouble. Visitors should always come to the swell with a full tank of gas, a spare tire in good condition, and extra food and water just in case.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for San Rafael Swell:

1000' of Fun 5.6 Trad, 5 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade II San Rafael Swell (south) : Eastern Reef Slabs

Knights-Errant 5.8 Trad, 5 pitches, 870 feet, Grade II San Rafael Swell (south) : Eastern Reef Slabs

Death by Chocolate 5.8+ R Trad, 9 pitches, 1700 feet, Grade III San Rafael Swell (south) : Eastern Reef Slabs

Private Pizza 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 70 feet San Rafael Swell (north) : Private Pizza Wall

Unknown Handcrack?? 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet San Rafael Swell (north) : Private Pizza Wall

Old Bushmills 5.10 Trad, 1 pitch, 70 feet San Rafael Swell (north) : Pine Canyon

James Tower 5.10 A1 Trad, Aid, 3 pitches, 200 feet San Rafael Swell (north) : Lower Buckhorn Wash

Anchors From Hell 5.10c Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet San Rafael Swell (north) : Pine Canyon

Featured Route For San Rafael Swell

Commitment 5.9+ R UT : San Rafael Swell : ... : Eastern Reef Slabs

Hike to the top of the brown wave, then from a cairn scramble about 300' diagonally up to the right to a large bush. Here one can downclimb a small crack into the gully and gain the slab. The climb starts up an open ramp about 20' below the crack.P1) A bolt will be seen at about 20' up to the left. Climb about 20' past a second bolt then straight up the dark dyke to another bolt at about 40'. From here, go slightly right to double anchors. 2...[more] Browse More Classics in UT

Photos of San Rafael Swell

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Middle Sister Photo by: Frosty Weller	Thin Man Pinnacle Photo by: Frosty Weller	Thin Man Pinnacle Photo by: Frosty Weller
Thin Man Pinnacle Photo by: Frosty Weller	BETA PHOTO: Looking down the southern end of the Eastern Reef ...	BETA PHOTO: Looking up the northern section of the Eastern Ree...
The Weasel and Pinnacle formations.. Northern Swel...	Dawn from the Eastern Reef Slabs looking towards t...	The Hollow Men ..A climb out of Three Finger Canyo...

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