Good spot for trad intro for kids near park city ?

Hello. Visiting park city 7/30-8/13 with my wife and kid. Up from dallas. My 6 year old and I climb at a Dallas gym 3x a week and are really looking forward to doing anything (bouldering, practicing placing protection, clipping in to bolts on rock,) pretty much any opportunity to do something climbing related on actual rock. I've found guardsmen pass and that's about it. I think going all the way out to Unitas may be overkill this year. Any suggestions? My son is really eager to place protection, climbing with other parents/kids outdoors would be awesome too. Also open to paying for a kids trad lesson outdoors somewhere close. Thx

-david

Wow, 6 years old and placing gear? Would you have him leading, or simply placing gear on top rope? I'm assuming you'd be doing what I do with my kids which is tie them into both ends of the rope, one end is top roped through the anchors above and the other end he can clip gear to. I don't know the skill level of your son, but I can't imagine allowing a 6 year old to lead, let alone lead a trad route. Anyway, there is a 5.5 at Beachball crag in Big Cottonwood called Masters of the Obvious you might try. Just a short yet fun finger crack that can be top roped as well. Only obstacle is the creek, depending on how high the water is. Have fun!

Hi. Would be as you described or on the ground or bouldering with a rope and a crash pad at heights no higher than a few feet and or simply traversing with pro. But yeah he's obsessed with the knots and gear aspect and is slowly building his rack one piece at a time, we read the John Long books at bedtime after an afternoon at the gym:)

I appreciate the reccomendation also if there's even simply boulder with cracks in park city that someone can recommend that may save us a rental car rental as we're flying in to the area...

David Daniels wrote:...we read the John Long books at bedtime after an afternoon at the gym

Lucky father. My kids roll their eyes at me when I talk of such things.

David Daniels wrote:Hello. Visiting park city 7/30-8/13 with my wife and kid. Up from dallas. Also open to paying for a kids trad lesson outdoors somewhere close. Thx -david

It would be well worth the car rental to head up to Idaho's City of Rocks. There is a ton of exactly what you are looking for. I will be leading a climbing group on Bath Rock on Aug 3rd. After I am done with them (early afternoon) I could show your family some climbs in the area. (too oh ate) three won too -8062 call or text.
Kevin

Hope you have a good visit in Park City. It has been really hot here in Utah lately. I would recommend going to the Uinta's for climbing; high elevation and much cooler. From Park City it is a very scenic one hour drive along the Mirror Lake Highway to get to the climbing. There is an assortment of easy sport climbing, some trad routes, and some little rock outcrops near the road if you want to play around placing gear. Echo Canyon is 30 minutes from Park City, has roadside sport climbing easy to hard, it's not a real attractive setting and not the best rock, but it is convenient. It would be way to hot during the day, but early morning and late evening may be tolerable. The Psicobloc deep water soloing wall might be open for climbing at the Olympic Park. That could be a fun vacation activity on a 100 degree day. The comp is August 3-5 if you want to watch the strong kids climb.

I didn't even think of the psicobloc wall. That would be awesome a must do experience in park city. I have done that the last two summers.

Psicobloc wouldn't work for kids though due to needing to be very comfortable swimming and the last few years they only set 1 route on each side <= 5.9. Then maybe 1 5.10 and the majority of routes as 11's and 12's with a one 13 thrown in.

The climbing in the Uintas is only about another 10 to 15 minute drive compared to going to Big Cottonwood...from Park City. Might be a fair bit cooler up there too (been hot!).

Brian in SLC wrote:Might be a fair bit cooler up there too (been hot!).

The Uintas have been in the 70's while we're baking in the 100+ valley!

"I think going all the way out to Unitas may be overkill this year."

Well if you really think this is true I'm sorry to say but outdoor climbing is not for you and just plan to spend your life in the gym. Someone has already suggested you drive 4 hrs. Most climbers would say you went to Park City and drove to the City of Rocks for one day of climbing;...Sweet! So a 50 mile drive to be on fair quality rock in an amazing place is hard to beat and what we call a short car trip. Most folks posting have probably already been there once this season from the SLC Valley which doubles the trip length.

Take a day and go to Ruth Lake. Since you probably have an open schedule DON'T GO ON THE WEEKEND.

If you want to be conservative on your safety stop by IME and pick up a stick clip. I recommend the Beta Stick Compact which last I knew they normally carry. It is very nice and will fit in a typical large suitcase.

IME
Address: 3265 E 3300 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84109
Phone: (801) 484-8073

Hi Ken (and everyone else),

Thanks for all the great the suggestions. Much appreciated.

Just to be clear when I talk about the Uintas and 'overkill' its not at all to suggest its not a worthwhile visit to any of the many beautiful areas in the great state of Utah. (We climb in the gym in Dallas because its flat here and hot as hell in August, not because we do not appreciate the outdoors.) And yes I get that 45-90 minutes from Park City is not in the grand scheme of things that far, so perhaps I should have simply said if there is a small boulder or little canyon RIGHT in town (I see something about Temple Har Shalom) my 6 year old would enjoy alot of multi day practice on real rock very nearby; otherwise I appreciate everyone's suggestions and will make one of these (slightly) longer trips work!

Thanks again to all...

That's a good one. I hadn't heard that saying!

Look up the Pinebrook Crag. About 30 ft with bolted anchors accessible from the top and a variety of gear placements. Afternoon shade.