Virgin River Gorge  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  25,613. Good page?    Administrators:  Greg Opland, James DeRoussel, JJ Schlick, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Josh Janes on Nov 15, 2007 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed 75° | 36° 73° | 34° 73° | 36° 68° | 32° 68° | 34°

Eliot on High flames Drifter

Description 

There are two camps when it comes to the VRG: Those who scoff at the idea of ever climbing there and the die-hard few who swear it is the best climbing in the country. The truth is the VRG has some of the worst scenery of any climbing area, but some of the best rock. If you can get past not being able to hear yourself think (or your partner for that matter), ugly road cuts, graffiti, and sometimes inhospitable temperature extremes, you will be rewarded with difficult, sustained lines, fantastic movement, and plenty of hard climbing.

Grades pretty much start at 5.12 here, and the best lines are in the hard 12 and up range. Climbing exists on both the sunny, north side of the gorge (Sun Cave, Sun Wall, and Fossil Cave) and the shady south side (Mentor Cave, Planet Earth Wall, Blasphemy Wall). Bring draws and a 60 or 70m rope. Generally, climbing season is from October to April. Summer months are hot.

Getting There 

From the North: Take I-15 South from Saint George. After mile marker 14 cross a bridge over the Virgin River. Park immediately after this at a pullout on the right by an immense embankment/dirt mound. From the South, continue past the VRG to exit 18, turn around and follow above directions. There is camping amongst the used syringes and condoms in a gravel pit just north of the highway at exit 18.

The Classics

Featured Route For Virgin River Gorge

Fall of Man 5.13b  AZ : Northern Arizona : ... : Blasphemy Wall

Previously excluded from the Mountain Project because I couldn't give it sixty million stars, but accurately described on rockclimbing.com: "Fall of Man, 5.13b. This route gets progressively harder until you take a long whipper at the top."I remember reading somewhere that Fall of Man was the first "futuristic" line in the VRG. It is a world-class stretch of perfect limestone... a breathtaking and outrageously intimidating line up the very center of the Blasphemy Wall.Climb up the steep A-shap...[more]   Browse More Classics in AZ

Photos of Virgin River Gorge Slideshow

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VRG. Photo by Blitzo.

Parking area as viewed from Mentor Cave.