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San Rafael Swell (south)
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San Rafael Swell (south)

Submitted By: Paul Ross on Sep 27, 2003
Administrators: Andrew Gram, Perin Blanchard, GRK
Views: 168,388 page views

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BETA PHOTO: Looking south along the Eastern Reef slabs and can...


Description 

The southern San Rafael Swell is a huge area with big slabs on the San Rafael reef, isolated towers and domes, and long large walls. Currently there are not very many routes in this huge area and there is a lot of potential for more. Free camping is available pretty much everywhere, though the only services are in Green River and Hanksville, both of which are a long way from the climbing. It is a good idea to have good maps of the area as you will likely see no one and there are a lot of old roads all over the desert out here.


Getting There 

This huge spread out area is south of I70 west of Green River. Everything is very spread out so more specific directions will be included with the rock formations themselves.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for San Rafael Swell (south):
1000' of Fun   5.6     Trad, 5 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade II   Eastern Reef Slabs
Knights-Errant   5.8     Trad, 5 pitches, 870 feet, Grade II   Eastern Reef Slabs
Death by Chocolate   5.8+ R     Trad, 9 pitches, 1700 feet, Grade III   Eastern Reef Slabs
Browse More Classics in San Rafael Swell (south)

Featured Route For San Rafael Swell (south)
A)Arrowhead 5.8.B)Shade Runner 5.8. C)Upper part of Death by Chocolate 5.9-.D)upper Endless Journey 5.9-E)upper Day of Atonement 5.8+.F)Lilli's Leap 5.8

Shade Runner 5.8  UT : San Rafael Swell : ... : Eastern Reef Slabs
A moderate climb on good rock, only the first pitch has one or two thin moves protected by bolts.An excellent introduction to the longer climbs on the Reef. Starts in the corner about 30' left of the Arrowhead route. P1). Up the corner passed 3 bolts to double anchors.170'5.8R P2).Straight up... nice climbing 150'5.4R P3)Continue up the corner to double anchors,avoid some loose blocks to the right. 200'5.5R.P4)Continue up the corner to double a...[more]   Browse More Classics in UT


Photos of San Rafael Swell (south) Slideshow Add Photo
View from the Summit area of Death by Chocolate looking south

View from the Summit area of Death by Chocolate lo...

On the Slabs

On the Slabs

Waterfalls on the San Rafael Reef after a strong thunderstorm.  Remeber that those slabs are over 1000 feet tall.  You wouldn't want to be caught on a climb in conditions like that!

Waterfalls on the San Rafael Reef after a strong t...

Scot Carson on the grove first pitches of Endless Journey, Death by Chocolate Area..View full size.. photo Paul Ross

Scot Carson on the grove first pitches of Endless ...

Scott Carson on the crux pitch of Day of Atonement.. View full size.. photo Paul Ross

Scott Carson on the crux pitch of Day of Atonement...

Escaping from a minor epic with Rosco.  Sandstone slabs are slippery in the snow.

Escaping from a minor epic with Rosco. Sandstone ...

Evening panorama from Death by Chocolate

Evening panorama from Death by Chocolate

Looking north from Death by Chocolate

Looking north from Death by Chocolate

Looking down the southern end Of the Reef Slabs. The Large slab in the forground is the Surfing the Swell formation ,over 1600' high. The dark canyon wall to the right forms Bongo Canyon > Two excellent climbs start out of this canyon. Silver Lining 5.12 and Feeding the Rat 5.9-

BETA PHOTO: Looking down the southern end Of the Reef Slabs. T...

Big Horn Sheep at the entrance of Three Fingers Canyon

Big Horn Sheep at the entrance of Three Fingers Ca...

The chap's...  the driver was responsable for most of the area's new routes.

The chap's... the driver was responsable for most...


Comments on San Rafael Swell (south) Add Comment
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By Ben Folsom
From: Sandy, Utah
Jun 4, 2008

Andrew, Nathan or Perin... The routes Angle of Repose and Wandering Poet should now be moved to the Little Spotted Wolf Canyon area now that Paul has added that.
It seems to me that there should be some reorganization here. The place is hard to figure out if you haven't done a lot of exploring. There should be a general area- Eastern Reef Slabs, and under that there should be sub-areas. Like Little Spotted Wolf Canyon and envirions, Three Finger Canyon & environs, Uneva Mine Canyon and environs, etc... At this stage, if you went there even with a whole mini guide of the area printed out (which is probably about 100 pages) it would still be hard to figure it out.

By Paul Ross
From: Colorado
Jun 4, 2008

Hey Ben that's what adventure climbing is all about ...figuring it out .We do not want to make it too easy for the lads and lasses from Boulder.

By Ben Folsom
From: Sandy, Utah
Jun 5, 2008

I know, you are right... They've been complaining so much though, that I thought I would try to help out a little. It's fine with me though if things are left the way they are. I don't have any problems with the area, it all seems pretty straight forward, especially with all the photos we have posted.

By Paul Ross
From: Colorado
Jun 5, 2008

It is still a nice peaceful place that we have mainly to ourselves or at most the few climbers who love the tranquility of the desert. Thank God its not like Rifle, Shelf Road ,or Potash with folks screaming "Take".The future of climbing in the Swell will become more understandable and perhaps more popular soon enough..................We went on the Reef with no information ,if visiting climbers cannot figure out the massive amount of info that is already on this site its perhaps better they stay with the crowds.

By Ben Folsom
From: Sandy, Utah
Jun 5, 2008

Paul, I totally agree... That is the reason I haven't been to Indian Creek in almost ten years. The climbing is great there, but the crowds and the attitude don't suite what the desert is about for me. Buckhorn has also become way too crowded for my liking. So I guess you are right, leave it organized how it is... Things are explained pretty well here anyway.