PRINT: Rock Climb Extra Lean, Indian Creek

Extra Lean

5.12-, Trad, 70 ft (21 m),

Avg: 3.4 from 159 votes
FA: Steve Steats
Utah > Southeast Utah > Indian Creek > 2nd Meat Wall

Access Issue: Limited Toilet Facilities! Raptor Closures! Details

2026 Raptor Avoidance Areas. blm.gov/announcement/blm-an…

For questions regarding climbing routes and avoidance areas please contact Jeremy Martin, Outdoor Recreation Planner, at the BLM Monticello Field Office at 435-587-1500.

Limited toilet/port a potty facilities: Have poop plan! Visit: facebook.com/friendsofindia…
saltlakeclimbers.org/news/2…

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 such as CAT WALL and RESERVOIR WALL in Indian Creek 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.

Description

This is the obvious, chalked up off-finger splitter just right of top sirloin. Climb the splitter to a ledge (orange tcu). Continue up the narrowing crack using a bizarre horizontal lieback technique to another small ledge (yellow and blue tcu). Some corner changing and occasional face holds get you to the anchor (purple tcu, black alien).

Quinlin put the anchors on this, but Steve “Roadie” Steats got the FFA (on sight) out climbing with Q. and Friends

Location

Just left of top sirloin

Protection

Cams from orange tcu down to gray tcu, 2 – 3 of each size.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Ben Wilbur shredding his suit and fingers. Photo by Will McKay

Pulling the crux

Jean-François Gravel, April 2019

Splitter fingers!

Crusher on Extra Lean

Thad Avery gets sporty on Extra Lean

climbing Extra Lean

Photo by Kip

extra lean

josh on extra lean

Adam on Extra Lean

The Rack

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Brian Weinstein

5.12-

To clarify, this route is to the right of top sirloin. It consists of a series of three splitter finger cracks, all varying in size. Sep 28, 2007

Mason Earle
USA

This route is abnormaly sporty for IC. The route is characterized by delicate moves on tight fingers linked by face holds. An exellent line... Nov 11, 2007

Christopher Hill
Charlottesville, VA

5.11+

In my opinion, one of the most beautiful and pure fun routes around. Not typical plug-and-chug jamming or laybacking, but the finger locks are just stellar and there are a few spicy face moves to mix it up May 11, 2009

Q B
Estes Park

Bouldery moves. I think I heel hooked three times! Super fun though and full of rests! Mar 24, 2014

michalm

Very unique route for the Creek with some bouldery moves to good holds. Protects like a finger crack. Discontinuous but also quite fun! Oct 9, 2017

Michael Dom

You won’t need anything smaller than a blue metolius. .3, and .4 sizes are nice to have triples of. Sep 23, 2018

blue ribbon
Indian Creek, UT

5.12-

This route was damaged a couple years ago eliminating the second crux (reach/dyno). Please encourage your strong sport climber friends to climb under their limit until they learn how to place proper gear. Over sized cams were stuffed into this climb and when fallen on they ripped out because they were on the lip of the crack. Now there are two perfect finger locks in a purple metolius sized crack. Sep 8, 2020