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Virgin River Gorge Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Virgin River Gorge

Blasphemy Wall 0 / 14 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 14

Mentee Slab 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Mentor Cave 0 / 15 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 15

Money Walls 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Planet Earth Wall 0 / 13 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 13

Sun Cave 0 / 7 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7

Sun Wall 0 / 14 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 14

Warm-up Wall 0 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 5

Elevation:	2,258 ft
GPS:	36.91368, -113.84038 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	197,781 total · 1,044/month
Shared By:	Josh Janes on Nov 15, 2007
Admins:	Greg Opland, Brian Boyd, JJ Schlick, Kemper Brightman, Luke Bertelsen Page Updates (admin only)

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.

70 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Virgin River Gorge

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

5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a 49 ● Brutus Sport Mentor Cave
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 29 ● Bloody Mary Sport Blasphemy Wall
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 30 ● Don't Believe the Hype Sport Planet Earth Wall
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 79 ● Mentor Sport Mentor Cave
5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 12 ● Sunburst Sport Sun Wall
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 23 ● Forever Man Sport Sun Cave
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 17 ● High Flames Drifter Sport Blasphemy Wall
5.12+ 7c 28 IX 27 E6 6b PG13 5 ● [Redacted] Sport Blasphemy Wall
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c 27 ● Joe Six Pack Sport Planet Earth Wall
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c 12 ● I Saw Jesus at the Chains Sport Blasphemy Wall
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c 7 ● Dark Boy Sport Blasphemy Wall
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c 12 ● Fall of Man Sport Blasphemy Wall
5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a 3 ● Captain Fantastic Sport Planet Earth Wall
5.14a 8b+ 32 X+ 32 E8 7a 5 ● Horse Latitudes Sport Planet Earth Wall
5.14a 8b+ 32 X+ 32 E8 7a 3 ● F-Dude Sport Blasphemy Wall