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Tear Garden
Utah
> Wasatch Range
> Central Wasatch
> Big Cottonwood Canyon
Description
East facing wall with near vertical sport routes, holding edges and funky moves. Lichen exists on this cliff, but will clean up in time. Also, it seemed that all the 1st bolts were very high. The lines here vary, but difficult face climbing is the theme. Expect shade in the afternoon. Routes are as follows, from left to right:
If visiting this area, take a look at the lines on The Penguin as well, as they are basically the same crag.
Getting There
Follow the approach for The Penguin. Park on the right side of the road, 3.8 miles up canyon. Hike up the north side of the road; hiking up talus slopes until they end, and then crossing through small patches of scrub oak until the next talus field is acquired. There are cairns, so look for them. The approach is hard and hot, but do-able. This is the east-facing wall that is "slightly" up the wall from The Penguin. Expect a hot, dry hike, with lots of loose talus.
[Hide Photo] A topo to help out with route locations.
[Hide Photo] Start of the approach to Tear Garden/Penguin, which can be seen in the upper left-hand corner of the photo. Look for the large, bleached downfall; cairns lead from there.
[Hide Comment] There are now 4 routes on the wall. I am not sure what the left most route is rated but it sure ain't no 5.9!! The 5.9 is the second route from the left. The only routes with what I would consider "high" first bolts were the 5.9 and 10a.
Also, watch that first bolt on the Penguin (old rusty, spinner barely hanging on in a seam) - it really needs replacing.
Sep 1, 2004
[Hide Comment] Sorry to take too long for this. Here is the information of the Tear Garden routes in order from left to right:
#1: Feels like the first time 5.10a **FA John Rogers/ Dave Moore 10/99 (Dave Moore First First Ascent)
#2: Cleanse, Fold, And Manipulate 5.9** (if you use the crack on the left at the end) or 5.10** (if you go straight up the bolted face at the top) FA John Rogers 7/99
#3 The Centre Bullet 5.10d *** FA John Rogers 10/98
#4 The Greater Wrong Of The Right 5.11b** FA Brandon Wicks/ John Rogers5/99
#5 You, Me, and Rainbows 5.10a FA G Kirchhoff, A Mollard
Oct 16, 2004
[Hide Comment] i did not feel that the approach was worth the climbing. the rock is dirty and broken in many places. the first bolt on the 5.9 route is high. the belay stance is also unconfortable and unsafe. not any room for a spotter. i pulled a hold out of the wall and experienced my first groundfall ever just below the first bolt on the 5.9. too bad whoever bolted this climb did not consider saftey as a factor on such a dirty, loose climb. i do not suggest visiting the area.
Jul 12, 2006
[Hide Comment] I am curious, with a name like Tear Garden, I expected climb names like "Crystal Mass", "In Search Of My Rose" or perhaps "To Be An Angel Blind." But the only apparent connection here is "Cleanse, Fold, Manipulate" a Skinny Puppy album title. I suppose Cevin Key was part of both projects. Is that the connection or is there some other thing I have missed? The "Feels Like the First Time" title seems a little Foreign on this wall (snicker).
Oh, and I just noticed 'Greater Wrong of the Right,' S.P's last effort, which I found lacking. Maybe because it was more Key and less Ogre?
Jul 12, 2006
[Hide Comment] C.F.M.: Bolt was added to lower section in 2009 per e rock's observation. The rock does have a great deal of lichen on it, and holds have broken off at times. This area will clean up with time, and the brush at the bottom will clear out with additional visitors.
Sep 20, 2011
[Hide Comment] Tear Garden and the Penguin (which are essentially the same crag) are well worth the walk for an afternoon cragging. Centre Bullet and Greater Wrong are almost worth it by the themselves -- they are as good as anything at Challenge, for example -- and you won't find any free standing pinnacles like the Penguin anywhere in main BCC. The area gets good afternoon shade (on August 1, by 1pm), and the approach is well cairned through successive talus fields (when in doubt go left) and generally free of vegetation as of this writing.
Aug 3, 2015
[Hide Comment] Get ready for some hard scrambling with your gear to get to this crag. Takes 20-30 min depending on how fit you are and your ability to spot/follow carins. Good luck!!
Jun 16, 2020
[Hide Comment] Maybe I'm missing something here but I'm a 50 year old overweight guy with a bad knee and the hike takes maybe 15 minutes? Follow the cairns marking the very short sections of trees that link the mostly larger and stair-like scree.
Get your mind in the right place for the hike and go enjoy one of the better face climbing venues in BCC. Add in the Penguin for a really nice crag with stout 5.10 climbing similar to the thin face crags in AF but with more rests.
The views are incredible, looking across the canyon at Broad's Fork, around the gully at the Point and up higher at Beer Belly. In the spring there is even a nice little waterfall on the way up which helps drown out the road noise.
Really don't understand all the moaning about the hike, unless maybe the stout grades and hard to see feet is robbing people of their confidence?
May 5, 2021
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Also, watch that first bolt on the Penguin (old rusty, spinner barely hanging on in a seam) - it really needs replacing. Sep 1, 2004
USA
#1: Feels like the first time 5.10a **FA John Rogers/ Dave Moore 10/99 (Dave Moore First First Ascent)
#2: Cleanse, Fold, And Manipulate 5.9** (if you use the crack on the left at the end) or 5.10** (if you go straight up the bolted face at the top) FA John Rogers 7/99
#3 The Centre Bullet 5.10d *** FA John Rogers 10/98
#4 The Greater Wrong Of The Right 5.11b** FA Brandon Wicks/ John Rogers5/99
#5 You, Me, and Rainbows 5.10a FA G Kirchhoff, A Mollard Oct 16, 2004
portland, or
Around Boulder, CO
The "Feels Like the First Time" title seems a little Foreign on this wall (snicker).
Oh, and I just noticed 'Greater Wrong of the Right,' S.P's last effort, which I found lacking. Maybe because it was more Key and less Ogre? Jul 12, 2006
USA
Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City, UT
Get your mind in the right place for the hike and go enjoy one of the better face climbing venues in BCC. Add in the Penguin for a really nice crag with stout 5.10 climbing similar to the thin face crags in AF but with more rests.
The views are incredible, looking across the canyon at Broad's Fork, around the gully at the Point and up higher at Beer Belly. In the spring there is even a nice little waterfall on the way up which helps drown out the road noise.
Really don't understand all the moaning about the hike, unless maybe the stout grades and hard to see feet is robbing people of their confidence? May 5, 2021