BETA PHOTO: This shot was taken near the intersection at the m...
Description
This small canyon is just to the south of Big Cottonwood Canyon and is a great place to beat the summer heat. There are several small crags on north-facing walls under a canopy of large trees. A small stream runs by and sometimes makes it difficult to get up there without getting your feet wet. The canyon is also a popular place for picnics or walking your dog. (Ferguson, along with Mill Creek Canyon is one of the few canyons you can take your dog).
Ice Climbing
The popular summer crag canyon actually has ice! No much of ice, but I was able to front point up about 45' in April. If you hike on the Ferguson trail, passing all the climbing buttresses, you'll see some flows on the south side of the canyon. It's as simple as that, hike till you see ice, if you don't see ice, keep hiking (unless nothing formed that year).
Getting There
Follow directions to the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon. There is a 7-11 store here, at the intersection of Wasatch Blvd (Hwy 210) and Fort Union Blvd (Hwy 190, also 7200 South). From this intersection, head south on Wasatch Blvd for a quarter mile and turn left (east) into the Prospector Drive neighborhoods. Take an immediate right and head south up the hill. Take the second left onto Timberline drive and park alongside the right side of the road near the trailhead sign. A dirt road leads to a white water tower and then turns into a trail that descends into the canyon. Follow various branching trails east into the mouth of the canyon. The trail and almost all climbs are on the south side of the stream. The approach for the first climbs on the Watchtower is 15-20 minutes.
Fun climbing on an upside-down staircase, then an easy face. The crux is at the big roof followed by another short easy face. Very varied. To find this route, follow the first main Watchtower wall around to the right into a corner and look for the upside-down staircase between two large chimmneys....[more]
This is one of the funnest areas around. There are a lot of routes not mentioned here. Does anyone know anything about the climb just starting up the steep path to the right, it is about 7 maybe 8 bolts, feels like a 5.9+ or 5.10. Just hunting a name a and such.
By Drew Bedford From: Wasatch Back, UT Mar 31, 2008
This is a popular canyon, with a long climbing history. Sadly, it is being loved to death--trash, erosion and dog shit to name a few. Get on the ass of anyone leaving trash, lighting fires, or smashing bottles!
The lack of a guidebook update in the last ten years has led to a number of "repeat FA's". If you find a route with fixed gear, it's most likely been freed before (duh). A few routes in this canyon were first done as solos, then got bolted later by others. My point is, do your homework and ask around before claiming a FA, and certainly before you bolt. And DON'T STEAL FIXED PITONS. Get a job dirtbag.
This is a beautiful canyon. It is a shame that some people don't take care of it. There is a lot of trash all around. Climbers are probably not much of a problem in that regard. I spent an hour or so the other day picking up little pieces of shattered glass from around the base of the Watchtower, and there is still a lot of glass around. A week or so ago I was up there and I saw a group of young (underage) kids hiking up. There were about ten of them. Each was carrying 4-6 bottles of Corona, no backpacks. When they came back down later, they weren't carrying anything. That means that those 40-60 bottles are still up there somewhere, probably smashed to bits. I should have confronted them about it, and I am still kicking myself for not doing so (but there were 10 of them and 1 of me). Every time I hike up the trail I pick up at least 20 cigarette butts and other odds and ends of trash. My dog comes up there with me, and I always pick up and pack out his poop. Many others do not, as there are always piles of poop all over the place. I think it would be a good idea as a community of climbers to carry trash bags with us when we use this canyon. Lets pick up the trash of others, and ourselves and clean up this nice canyon. It may help preserve our access as a user group and it will definitely show others that we are a responsible and respectful user group.
Ferguson Canyon
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