Volunteer Canyon 

Wow...seems like there's some stoke about this place here. I was the one who initially posted this page, woops. Hope it was a good idea.

I have known that it was amazing since the first time I ever laid eyes on it. I got lost up there on the forest roads years ago, and ended up at this glorious basalt canyon. I took some friends up there that fall and we were scared, but some dabbling showed us that the climbing there can be awesome. I have climbed a variation on one of the routes you show here... "Experimental Forrest". You can cross from that lower, left-facing dihedral into the right-facing, hanging dihedral, to the left of the top of the route you have drawn there, and keep it at 5.8. We called it "Bat or Rattlesnake" because something rattled in the crack and we weren't sure which it was. We also cleaned and climbed a line that could work as a first pitch for the Canary Cracks, called it "The Choss Chimney" 5.10, it is on the north facing side of the toe of the Canary Cracks Buttress. I think it actually might be fun after the work we did.

I'm pretty sure there are over 100 routes here, maybe even more...and lots of them are really, really good, as people seem to be aware of.

And it seems that bolts have been added to the mix, which ups the potential for incredible, creative routes to appear. I trust that an ethic will stay in place here that keeps people from bolting lines that are perfectly protectable with trad gear. This is technically a part of the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, and I believe that law has it that once you drop below the rim of Volunteer Canyon you may not alter the stone, or attatch gear to it. I'm not saying that I wouldn't use your bolts, but It's worth being aware of.

Rusty Pipe,
Folks have been climbing out here for over 40 years, and it was published 20 years ago in a Cheap Way To Fly. I don't think you let the cat out the bag, and I wouldn't worry too much because the place, while stunning, only seems to appeal to a select few, especially with the Forks so close by. There's no taming this beast, and I'm not trying to. See Phantasm comments if you haven't checked it out.

I am aware that this place has a long history. There is evidence of that in several places around the canyon. Thanks for directing me to that other conversation. I appreciate what you said there. I posted this page because I am of the same mind-set as you. We all could benefit from seeing this place become more established as a local climbing resource. I even wanted to see routes put up in the exact style in which you are doing them and know that I will never do it myself. Thanks for your ethic and your work. The routes look awesome. I am not a total purist when it comes to bolts in wilderness. Particularly in this situation where you can dangle into this "wilderness" literally anchored to the frame of your car, 100 vertical feet away. I think the general danger, and the existing "juju" will keep this place wild enough.

Right on Rusty, maybe see you out there this summer.

This is such a cool place to go climbing. Canyonphobia atomized here. Who added the bolted belay on the south rim, with a couple of now rusted looking lead bolt into that thin archning crack? Looks fun.

I got within 1.75mi with my Accord but had to hop into a friends Subaru to make it the rest of the way.

The area in general is perfect for those with adventurous tastes in trad climbing but it's not way out there either by any means.