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The RattleHorn
Utah
> Wasatch Range
> Central Wasatch
> City Creek Canyon
Description
The RattleHorn is a big chunk of cobblestone on the north (left) side of the road (or trail) about a mile up City Creek Canyon. You get to surmount that one giant cobble stone you can see on the skyline from way down canyon.
The climbing is fairly adventurous for sport climbing and pretty sporty for adventure climbing. Take a few burns on the steep routes or just keep following the bolts up , they all go to the top eventually though the last pitch is a bit sloppy. The summit has a nice ledge and offfers pretty sweet views over Downtown and the Salt Lake Valley.
It is a pretty wild place for being so close to the city. Vultures, varmints, coyotes, flicks of wild turkeys, and rattlers have been seen and heard around the area but none have ever behaved aggressively. Help the next guy and tick mark the good holds.
Descent: Rappelling is recommended to avoid trail braiding off the summit. One 60 meter rope will take you from the summit all the way to the ground or rap twice with a shorter rope.
Gear List: 12 quickdraws/slings and 60m or 70m rope
Approach: See below for details but remember DO NOT TAKE the loose trail that turns left and up the landslide path below the climbs. It will be the sketchiest thing you attempt all day. Stay in the gulley all the way to the rock then 'shwack back up and around left near the base to the routes. Your dog will take you right to it.
This is a new crag. Beware of loose and falling rock. Helmets are recommended. Dogs are allowed. Bow Wow.
Getting There
From the gate at the mouth of City Creek Canyon, walk/ride your bike/drive about 1.2 miles up the canyon to site #8. Take the trail across from this site that turns back down canyon parallel to the road. Look up and see the crag up on your right. After a few hundred meters take a right into the gully that leads up to the rock.
Walk up the gulley. Do not take steep trail up to the left. Go left around the impressive looking Boulder in the gulley. (This nice looking boulder has a relatively good landing area and is begging to be climbed by some highball afficianado) When you are almost to the base of the cliff, take the little trail that goes up and left. This part is slippery and kind of sucks but it's over quickly. Wave of Imitation starts out on the ledge to climbers right and has a belay bolt at the bottom. Approach time from site #8 is about 15 minutes.
[Hide Photo] The RattleHorn as seen from lower in City Creek Canyon
[Hide Photo] RattleHorn as seen from City Creek Canyon road. Green = Vultures are waiting 5.8 Orange = Black Tuesday 5.11a Blue = The Fever 5.10c/d Pink = Wave of Imitation 5.9 Yellow = Sloppy Second 5.5+
[Hide Photo] Approach trail starts across from picnic site #9 about .9 miles up the canyon. Walk or ride bikes up the road or there’s a trail that parallels the road on the side opposite the creek. Fun to ri…
[Hide Comment] The climbing is good. A bit chossy (seconding the helmet advisory). It seems though we picked a bad time as the snakes were not so pleased. One made it very well known we were not welcome as I was setting up an anchor. Which lead to my fastest rappel of all time.
Aside from that, the cobblestone makes for nice holds everywhere. Good warm up spot, good place to take a beginner. Be sure to put a knot in your ropes on this one.
Climb with caution, and mind your manners around the rattle snakes.
May 30, 2013
[Hide Comment] There is a nest with a very angry mama hawk on a ledge about 30 feet above the chains for The Vultures are Waiting. I'd recommend steering clear of this crag for a while unless you're interested in getting dive bombed by a bird of prey while setting up an anchor.
Very chossy, too. Don't forget a helmet.
May 31, 2017
[Hide Comment] Lots of loose rocks on the wall and many are likely to come down while climbing. The wall seems very fragile as some holds easily break off. The east side of the mountain is falling apart which didn't make me feel safe about climbing on the other side. Not recommended...
May 17, 2021
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Fun stuff. Dec 12, 2011
Salt Lake, UT
Aside from that, the cobblestone makes for nice holds everywhere. Good warm up spot, good place to take a beginner. Be sure to put a knot in your ropes on this one.
Climb with caution, and mind your manners around the rattle snakes. May 30, 2013
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Very chossy, too. Don't forget a helmet. May 31, 2017
Salt Lake City, UT
1) very steep belay area
2) snakes on the wall!!
3) lots of loose rocks Jun 17, 2019
Salt Lake
Provo, UT