PRINT: Rock Climb Neon Leon, Big Cottonwood Canyon

Neon Leon

5.10+, Sport, 60 ft (18 m),

Avg: 1.4 from 21 votes
FA: Howe, Howe
Utah > Wasatch Range > Central Wasatch > Big Cottonwood… > Speed Trap

Description

This is a steep overhanging route that starts with the rightmost bolt. It then angles left to the left arete and finishes up on the south face. This climb utilized sidepulls and laybacks. Footwork is very important. A very pumpy climb that I felt like I was doing on my side.

The route starts climbing to the shelf with guano on it right of the lower 2 bolts. It clips the bolt off the guano ledge, and then the bolt at the 10 'o clock position. The third bolt is just right of the arete and the fourth is on the south face. All the routes on this wall share either one bolt or more, so it is kind of confusing.

Protection

2 bolts atop and 4 draws for the climb. Bring medium runners for the anchors as they are placed poorly. Also, careful with a top-rope, as the rope can get wedged into a crack rather easily. Then you might get hung up on the wall. I used a large hex to protect the initial moves.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Moving around the corner.

That foot actually IS helping

Getting off the ledge.

Hanging on those arms

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Nathan Fisher
St George

5.10d

I changed the rating to 5.10d as I feel that is more accurate. The book says 5.10a, but every time I do this I doube that rating. If this is a 5.10a, it is the hardest 10a in the Wasatch. Aug 11, 2006

Adam Fisher
sandy, utah

5.10d

Not the greatest climb in the world, but fun none the less.
Worth climbing for sure.
Watch for rope Snag on 2nd or TR. Apr 30, 2007

Boissal .
Small Lake, UT

5.10

Quite the sandbag at 10a, mid 10 felt more accurate with pre-hung draws. Hanging the draws would have put me on higher holds that looked worst. Not the best warm up either way...

Scary lead up top, you wouldn't want to fall off the last move, a weird mantle to get to the anchor. That slab below looks a bit close.

Lowering off the anchor is almost impossible, I had to actively feed rope through the grigri. Downclimb to get the last draw then rap clean the next bolt and leave the bottom 2 draws on to work the routes to the right (hint: leave draws on the anchor for these routes)
Even on rap it might be a good idea to pad the razor flake the rope runs on at the top... Jun 18, 2009

tenesmus

5.10a

If you talk about how you're going to do it first with your partner, then rap a single with your belayor as the anchor its easy and safe. Kind of like you do with Half a Finger and saves the rope on those sharp edges.

and its .10a but you have to know where you're going, then execute. Jun 18, 2009

B V

Neon .10a ALTERNATE START: (If you want the .10d this beta will confuse so don’t read it) The bottom left bolt of the SE face can be clipped with a 6’2” wingspan, creatively from the crack, or stick clipped if you are short to keep this variation safe. Directly above that bolt is what I would call the PG13/R first bolt if you don’t have a stick clip or a human stick clip. I traverse left off the guano ledge to clip it. It’d be a dangerous fall without the clip below it.

Follow the jugs over the arete, climb up a few feet and eventually reach right over the arete to make a clip. The roof is a .10a with smart feet, .10b without. Jun 3, 2023