Pitch 1: This is an amazing 5.9 handcrack. The crux of the pitch comes right at the start where the crack is thin hands (.75 camalot) size for a few feet before you gain a big jug and the crack widens to perfect hands for the rest of the pitch. The pitch ends at the obvious 3 bolt anchor after maybe 75 feet.
Pitch 2: Continue up the crack which turns into an offwidth dihedral right after the anchors. This is the technical crux of the route at 5.10. At the top of the dihedral you'll see two bolts off to the right. This is the top of another route. When you see the first bolt, traverse left and continue up another 25 feet of easy climbing to the large belay ledge with a bolted anchor.
Pitch 3: Sandy slab with a bolt to a sandy dihedral to a few sandy slab moves to the bolted anchors.
Pitch 4: sandy 5.8 crack to a bolted headwall with a scary looking pile of rocks for a back step. Tread lightly in spots.
Enjoy the views from the top of the mesa. They are spectacular.
You should be good with a double set of cams up to 3" plus a couple of larger pieces for the offwidth on pitch 2.
From what I understand you can rap off the route in four single rope raps, I'm not sure if you can do it with a 60, but think so. For the third rap, use the anchors that you saw off to your right while climbing the second pitch.
This route is the leftmost route on the scenic byway wall and is the wall's namesake.
Salt Lake City, UT
I climbed the route again in early May and decided to retrofit the upper pitches adding a few glue-in bolts and mostly equipping the belays with chain. Pitch #3 and Pitch #4 (they didn't need to be as run out as they used to be) are practically my favorite pitches and though still only 5.8ish, they seem much more comfortable now as I enter my "Alpenheimer" years.
I really still like the 2 minute approach time best of all! Where else in the Desert can you get 4 such varied pitches? Hand crack to OW (take one #5 and you can totally zip it up) to a slab to Navajo face climbing...all no harder than 5.10-.
A wall register was added.
Rapping the route with ONE 70m rope works fine. Jun 13, 2013
Your Mom
West Jordan, UT
SLC, UT
Pitch 1 Super fun. If you want to be very comfortable, bring three #1s, and you could even use a #4 for the top. ( gear beta is in BD )
Pitch 2 is a lot easier than it looks, and quite fun. I bumped one #5 with me for a few moves, felt pretty safe, but you could bring two #5s or a #5 & #6 if you want something between you and the belay at all times. Ditch the big gear at the top of this pitch.
Pitch 3 has a few slabby cruxes that could feel insecure if youre new to sandstone slab, but arent too hard. There are bolts ( I think 2 ) in good locations. I had a red c3 for the crack section ( amongst other gear ) and felt plenty comfortable.
Pitch 4 interesting crack climbing to a steep well bolted face, great pitch! Great Scenery! I thought you could put a few bolts in 20ft left of the route to have a fun alternate final pitch if anyone is feeling motivated.
Enjoy! Sep 30, 2014
Park City, UT
SLC, UT
SLC, UT
Cuneo