Another beautiful day at Kelly. Jeff Snyder on awe...
Description
A peaceful ponderosa-forested canyon with tons of bouldering on cliffs and boulders of Coconino sandstone. This is THE place to come to get your sloper fix in Arizona. Many, many fantastic problems with some of the most incredible features anywhere - rails, dishes, pockets, pinches, crimpers, cracks, most of them solid and all of them finger-friendly. Some problems are over 20 feet and many have committing, sloping topouts so multiple pads and spotters are pretty much essential. Since it is sandstone, a soft-bristled brush (especially an extendable one) is nice to have as well. This is a great place to come and forget about names and grades, to just find a line that inspires you and throw yourself at it. For many it's the best bouldering in Flagstaff.
Getting There
From I-17 exit Kelly Canyon Rd. and go west then immediately turn right (south) on a dirt road, passable by most cars if you drive carefully. Drive a couple miles staying right at all forks, passing a big area where people go to shoot their guns, until you see a fairly obvious parking area with fire pit on the right. Follow the trail down to the canyon (stay on the trail!) until you reach the bottom - this is the Trailer Park. Maybe 20 driving minutes from Flagstaff, followed by less than 5 minutes walking.
Coconino sandstone is a cross-bedded, wind blown, tan sandstone that can be seen in the Grand Canyon, among other places, below the Toroweap formation. It is typically not red, but can be stained red when mineralized. The Toroweap is not a sandstone although there are some really thin sandy layers within the formation. I think it is mostly limestone with gypsiferous beds (from what I have seen). So, the Coconino is not red, the Toroweap is not sandstone, and Kelly Canyon is the Coconino. For whatever it is worth.
Kelly Canyon
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