Please respect this beautiful area. Stay on established trails and do not trample any vegetation
John Star on Anti Hero`s Creek Side Wall
Description
There are several crags in the area, two are just below Cecret Lake - Whipper Wall and Creek Side and three that are above Green Stash, Stinky Stash and Cecret Stash. The crags are shadded throughout much of the day making it a nice place to climb on hot days. Unfortunately this can also make them very crowded. More than a few parties can make the crags a zoo as the routes are very close to each other.
The rock is quartzite like that found in Big Cottonwood Canyon but with some bands of non or semi-metamorphosed sandstone on many of the routes. The routes are realitively clean - however there is still some lose rock as such helmets are advised for both leaders and belayers.
There is a mini guide to this area.
Getting There
Drive up to the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon stopping at the information kiosk and let the nice person giving out trail maps know that you are going up climbing. Continue up the road which eventually turns to dirt. This is now the Albion Basin Road which leads to a camp ground and several day parking lot. You can park at the end of the road at the Cecret Lake Trailhead. However, it is often very busy with hikers as it is the most popular area in the Wasatch. As such, it may be necessary to park in the lower lots or even down at the town of Alta and take the free shuttle van which runs continuously during the weekends.
From the parking lot hike up the Crecet Lake Trail. Just before the switchbacks leading up to the lake and off to the left is the Whipper and Creek Side Walls. One can either diagonal up before the swtichbacks or take the first couple and then head over to the crags. Which ever you take - avoid creating a trail and instead walk on the slabs of rock as to minimize your impact. Please do not mark anything with carins - although this area is in the middle of a ski resort it already has alot of impact.
For the upper crags continue up to the lake and traverse around to the northside. The Green Stash Wall sits a couple hundred fee above the lake and is obvious, Stink Stash and Cecret Stash are around the corner to the west. To get there follow the trail up to Cecret Pass. Just before the pass diagonal off to the left. Again avoid creating a trail and instead walk on the slabs of rock as to minimize your impact. Please do not ascend or descend from Green Stash directly down to Cecret Lake there is already a gully forming from run off hiking it will make it worse.
Cecret Lake
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