Maybird Slide Area

The impressive-looking Butterface Buttress further...

Description 

The Maybird Slide Area is home to some recently developed areas. A big thanks to those who built the trail; that must have taken a lot of work. The rock here is Little Cottonwood's famous quartz monzonite, but don't be expecting to find sweeping slabs here. Most of the walls are steep, juggy with the occasional crack or seam. The rock quality is good and the routes have been cleaned up, but there are sections of rotten rock. Given that this is further up the canyon and the trail isn't obvious, this area is secluded in nature. Most of the cliffs are east-facing, so they are in the shade after 2pm or so. This makes for great climbing on hot summer afternoons or for early morning climbing in cooler weather. There was a gentle breeze coming down the gully in the evening. If you're looking for something new, this is definitely worth the hike.

Getting There 

Reset your odometer at the "neon" sign at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Drive ~3.8 miles up the canyon. You'll pass the "Maybird Avalanche Area" sign, go around a corner and then pull off to the side of the road. A lone pine tree (not very big) and a rock cairn mark the trail. This trail has cleared away most of the brush but is still relatively new. It is easy to follow and leads to a rock-filled gulch. Rock cairns take you on the path of least resistance through the gulch and into the side canyon. There are remnants of two stone huts at the first climbing area, the Purple Wall. The Maybird East Area is visible to the east from this point. Plan on a 20-25 minute approach from the car to this point.

The Classics

Featured Route For Maybird Slide Area

Feline Stall Tactics 5.8  UT : Wasatch Range : ... : Maybird East Side

Feline Stall Tactics starts in a crack inside a small dihedral to the left of the primary corner. It climbs over the arete and into this primary corner system. This section of the climb is shared with Pentapussy. There are some cool fingerlocks and stems inside the main corner system. Climb the handcrack that diagonals up and to the left through the crux roof and enjoy the sweet flake above. Rather than aiming directly for the tree, climb th...[more]   Browse More Classics in UT

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Looking down at the road from the Purple Wall.	The view from the Maybird East area.	BETA PHOTO: Butter Face climbs the crack that emerges from the...
BETA PHOTO: When you see these signs, pull off the road. This...	BETA PHOTO: This is the trailhead. You can see the Maybird gu...	Mike Bird on the Purple Pumper.