All Locations > Utah > Southeast Utah > Grand County

Onion Creek Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Onion Creek

Deeper Mysteries 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 3

Hindu, The 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 3

Mongoose, The 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 1

Mystery Towers & Top of the World Overlook 16 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 13 / 0 / 1 / 18

Roadside Cragging 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 3

Sari 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 1

Trojan, The 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 1

Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	5,289 ft	1,612 m
GPS:	38.6962, -109.3137 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	83,890 total · 284/month
Shared By:	Andrew Gram on May 12, 2002
Admins:	slim, Cory N, Perin Blanchard, GRK, David Crane, Nathan Fisher Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: RAIN, WET ROCK and RAPTOR CLOSURES: The sandstone around Moab is fragile and is very easily damaged when it is wet. Also please ask and be aware of Raptor Closures in areas. Details

WET ROCK: Holds rip off and climbs have been and will continue to be permanently damaged due to climbers not respecting this phenomenon. After a heavy storm the rock will remain wet, sometimes for several days. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB IN MOAB during or after rain.

RAPTOR CLOSURES: please be aware of seasonal raptor closures. They occur annually in the spring. Indian Creek Raptor Closure walls include: Echos, The Wall, Far Side, Original Meat, Tenderloins, Second Meat, First Meat, Selfish, Six Star, Cliffs of Insanity, Public Service Wall, Disappointment Cliffs, Fin Wall, Broken Tooth, Cat Wall, Slug Wall, Reservoir Wall, Critic’s Choice.

Description

Onion Creek is a small complicated area of Cutler sandstone towers and walls. Most of the activity here is on the Hindu, the Mongoose, and Sari - a cluster of three towers right next to Onion Creek Road. There are also many walls and towers along the slot canyon leading to the mystery towers which sport some fixed anchors and have a great deal of new route potential. As with all areas on Cutler, be wary of loose rock, bad anchors, and scary free climbing.

Getting There

The Onion Creek Road is in between the turnoff to Castle Valley and the Fisher Towers on River Road(SH 128). The turnoff is about 22 miles northeast of Moab. There is great free camping along Onion Creek Road on designated BLM sites. The Hindu, Mongoose, and Sari will be obvious on the right side of the road after many creek crossings, and the slot canyon leading to the Mystery Towers is not far past this point. The road is rough but passable for passenger cars most of the time-if the road is wet or icy 4WD is a good idea.

30 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location:	Onion Creek Change
Type:	to Trad Sport Toprope
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:	then:

Classic Climbing Routes at Onion Creek

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a A2+ 5 ● The Forrest/Briggs Indirect ( T… Aid 4 pitches Mystery Towers… > Citadel
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c A3 4 ● The Wait of the World Trad, Aid 6 pitches Mystery Towers… > Atlas
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a C2 53 ● Maverick Trad, Aid 4 pitches Hindu
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A2+ 5 ● Something Wicked This Way Comes Aid 6 pitches Mystery Towers… > Gothic Nightmare
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 5 ● Cooler than Jesus Trad 3 pitches Mystery Towers… > Top of the World Over…
5.12c/d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b PG13 4 ● Maverick (Free) Trad 4 pitches Hindu