PRINT: Rock Climb Badlands, Little Cottonwood Canyon

Badlands

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

Avg: 3 from 26 votes
FA: Drew Bedford and Seth Shaw, 1985
Utah > Wasatch Range > Central Wasatch > Little Cottonwo… > Green Adjective Gully

Access Issue: Gate Buttress Area Recreational Lease: Climbs on Church Buttress above vault remain closed Details

Climbers Partner with LDS Church on Stewardship of Little Cottonwood Canyon Climbing

June 1st, 2017:The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and Access Fund announce the signing of an unprecedented lease for 140 acres in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC). The parcel, known as the Gate Buttress, is about one mile up LCC canyon and has been popular with generations of climbers because of its world-class granite.

The agreement secures legitimate access to approximately 588 routes and 138 boulder problems at the Gate Buttress for rock climbers, who will be active stewards of the property. The recreational lease is the result of several years of negotiations between LDS Church leaders and the local climbing community.

Access Note: The climbs on the Church Buttress above the vault as well as the Glen boulders that have been traditionally closed will remain closed.
Please help us steward this area and leave no trace.

Read More:

saltlakeclimbers.org/climbe…

SLCA and AF recreational leased area on LDS Church land

Description

The route begins from the set of bolts up and right of the Looney Tunes chains (that is, the P1 anchor for what used to be Catalyst); thus, it can be linked with Looney as one long pitch.

From the chains, lieback up the leftward arching corner/seam, clipping 4 bolts along the way. A few funky moves and long reaches puts you at the last bolt below the easy finishing roof. Chains appear just above the roof at the top of the buttress.

A single rap (with a 60m) reaches the gravel base of Looney Tunes with a few feet to spare.

Location

Above and slightly right of the Looney Tunes anchor.

Protection

All bolts

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Zach, preparing for the weird boulder.

Oli on TR dancing his way through the lieback section.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

kalockwood
SLC, UT

Really fun, techy and powerful climbing. The initial flake is sequential and tenuous. The larger move up high is tricky, but there's just enough there to make it go. A great line that should be climbed more. Aug 22, 2016

Past User

5.12c

A key crystal some-what recently peeled off on this route rendering it more difficult at the crux. Of course if you are one of the few who are over 6 feet tall and have great flexibility you can simply stem the crux and earn the 12a grade. Calling Big Red!!! Or you can deadpoint/powerglide into catching a slot in the left crack. If not, and you go right, you must perform one of the strangest moves this strange canyon has to offer. These strange-hard moves prove quite satisfying once unlocked. I feel confident calling the rightward crux solid V5, and therefore calling the route 12c. There are many moves in a row where it's easy to unexpectedly slip and fall-off on this route. Rebolted May 2018. Oct 31, 2016

Greg Gavin
SLC, UT

5.12a

I'd be hardpressed to call this thing 12c like bheller as I've never climbed the grade. The crux is devious, but once unlocked can be executed without the required effort of an LCC V5. I believe it is a solid, and tricky 5.12a with great movement in the lieback section all capped off by the crux up top. For this I give the climb 3 out of 4 stars. Nov 10, 2017

michalm

The anchors have been fitted with durable lower-off hardware courtesy of the ASCA.
To support work like this or to learn more about the Lower-Off Initiative, please visit:
safeclimbing.org/lower-off-…
The lower-offs are installed perpendicularly to the rock with both gates facing away from the rock as per ASCA single pitch lower-off anchor guidelines. Please do not change the orientation of the lower-offs. Feel free to use your own gear for toprope sessions.
safeclimbing.org/new-anchor… Oct 10, 2022