Jackson Hole  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  1,997. Good page?    Administrators:  Andrew Gram, Perin Blanchard, grk10vq, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Bill Duncan on Sep 1, 2009 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon 97° | 64° 97° | 66° 97° | 63° 100° | 68° 97° | 66°

Sunset from Jackson Hole

Description 

Jackson Hole in a small mecca of excellent Wingate sandstone that boasts cracks of all flavors, and even has a nice little hidden spire. It is accessible by road, and is administered by the BLM, so camping is not an issue, and offers seclusion despite its proximity to Moab. At the moment, Moonlight Spire is its primary feature.

Getting There 

So close, yet so far . . . Jackson Hole is very close to Moab, but at the same time it may take awhile to get there. It's directly across the river from the Potash road, but getting there is the conundrum. To drive there may take you a couple of hours, but there IS a road that goes in and all of the way around the Jackson Hole rincon. If you have some kind of a boat, you may want to consider parking at Long Canyon and floating across.
To reach Jackson Hole, you can swim or take a four wheel drive HIGH clearance vehicle. Jackson Hole is south of the Amasa Back, and directly across the river from Potash. This is southwest of Moab a few miles as the birds see it. You can take a tube, kayak, canoe or raft and float across from the Potash mine (this is the shortest approach), or hike there via one of two ways (not recommended). You can also drive there (high clearance only!) by taking Kane Springs Valley Road to Hurrah Pass. Descend the other side of the pass and turn right (west) at the first drivable drainage (near river level). Go down the wash about 1/2 a mile (.8km), then turn right (north) and follow a (faint at first) two-track which crosses another drainage before heading northeast for awhile then gradually turns back to the west. It then veers north and begins the descent into Jackson Hole where a loop goes around the Rincon.

The Classics

Featured Route For Jackson Hole

Moonlight Spire 5.9 C2  UT : Moab Area : Jackson Hole

The route ascends the crack system on the east face.Pitch 1: Ascend to the saddle between the spire and the butte behind, C2.Pitch 2: Climb up some big steps to a chimney, climb the chimney to a drilled pin, pendulum down and left until a thin crack is within reach (tiny cams). Climb the C1 or 5.11 thin crack to hands (5.9), then fist and offwidth (5.9) to a nice ledge and belay. Take two fat ropes for this pitch to be safe. Use one for the climb through the pendulum, then the other after the pe...[more]   Browse More Classics in UT