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Elevation: 6,740 ft
GPS: 38.8525, -110.701
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Shared By: Andrew Gram on Jan 19, 2006 · Updates
Admins: Andrew Gram, Nathan Fisher, Perin Blanchard, GRK, D C

Description Suggest change

The San Rafael Swell is a huge area in the center of Utah, with few people and fewer services. It is the area roughly bordered by Price in the north, Green River to the east, Capitol Reef to the south, and the mountains to the west. I-70 divides the swell into two parts, and is the only paved road within the swell. US 6, Utah highways 10 and 24, and the Moore cutoff road travel around the edges of the swell, and there are many dirt roads - some are good, some are very bad, and all can be difficult to travel during big storms.

The climbing in the swell is tremendously varied, and lies on the adventurous end of the spectrum. Buckhorn Wash is the most popular area, and hosts a high concentration of excellent Wingate crack climbing, as well as towers and bouldering. The San Rafael Reef, AKA the Sandstone Alps, have extremely long slab routes on mostly good rock with very significant runouts. Other areas are less popular, but the climbing is very good for those who are interested in exploring.

Eric Bjornstad's Desert Rock II is the main printed guide to the swell, but it is out of print and only has a small percentage of the routes that have been done. Cam Burns Selected Climbs of the Desert Southwest has a few routes, as does the Falcon Rock Climbing Utah guidebook. New routes are going in constantly, and at this point mountainproject supplemented by Desert Rock II is the best source of information, though it is far from complete.

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

There are no towns or services in the San Rafael Swell aside from a rest area on I70 and a few outhouses along the Buckhorn Wash Road. The closest places for food or gas are Green River, Price, Castledale, Hanksville, or Salina depending on where in the swell you are. Cell phones get no reception except for a few spots along I-70. There is great camping pretty much everywhere in the swell, but bring all of your food, water, and firewood.

The swell is all BLM land, and has little regulation aside from the wilderness study areas. The downside to this is that the area gets trashed sometimes, especially by OHVers who visit the area in large numbers. Practice leave no trace, clean up after others as much as you can, and consider using wag bags if you can't make it to one of the outhouses.

Getting There Suggest change

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.

593 Total Climbs

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Location: San Rafael Swell Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at San Rafael Swell

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 192
Private Pizza
Trad
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b A1
 59
James Tower AKA The Lightblub
Trad, Aid 3 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 29
Jamison Engineering
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 93
Old Bushmills
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 72
Anchors From Hell
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 24
One More Cup of Coffee
Trad
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 42
Lite Not Solid
Trad
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 28
Short Stack
Trad
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 50
Planet Waves
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 47
Taco Terror
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 9
Mean Weener
Trad
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 80
Idiot Wind
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 27
Tippin The Bottle
Trad 3 pitches
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a
 8
BBQ Bomber
Trad
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 21
Blood on the Tracks
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Private Pizza San Rafael Swel… > … > Lower Buckhorn > Private Pizza Wall
 192
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
James Tower AKA The Lightblub San Rafael Swel… > … > Lower Buckhorn > Red Corner
 59
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b A1 Trad, Aid 3 pitches
Jamison Engineering San Rafael Swel… > … > Lower Buckhorn > Chocolate Wall
 29
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad
Old Bushmills San Rafael Swel… > … > Lower Buckhorn > Pine Canyon
 93
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Anchors From Hell San Rafael Swel… > … > Lower Buckhorn > Pine Canyon
 72
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
One More Cup of Coffee San Rafael Swel… > Mexican Mtn Rd… > Dylan Wall
 24
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Lite Not Solid San Rafael Swel… > … > Lower Buckhorn > Pine Canyon
 42
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Trad
Short Stack San Rafael Swel… > … > Lower Buckhorn > Chocolate Wall
 28
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad
Planet Waves San Rafael Swel… > Mexican Mtn Rd… > Dylan Wall
 50
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Trad
Taco Terror San Rafael Swel… > … > Lower Buckhorn > Pine Canyon
 47
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
Mean Weener San Rafael Swel… > … > Lower Buckhorn > April Fools Wall
 9
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
Idiot Wind San Rafael Swel… > Mexican Mtn Rd… > Dylan Wall
 80
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad
Tippin The Bottle San Rafael Swel… > Bottleneck Peak
 27
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad 3 pitches
BBQ Bomber San Rafael Swel… > … > Lower Buckhorn > Vertical Smile Wall
 8
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a Trad
Blood on the Tracks San Rafael Swel… > Mexican Mtn Rd… > Dylan Wall
 21
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Trad
More Classic Climbs in San Rafael Swell »

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