Notch Peak/Sawtooth Canyon/Painters Springs

A secret spot for years, but no longer. So who is willing to share info on the routes in the area? Specially the plethera of incredible granite gems.

James did give you some in his guidebook. Ask NOLS too because they retro'd a bunch of his routes and re-named them.

Not that I wouldn't love to know some names and ratings... but one of my favorite things about Painter/Sawtooth is not knowing. There is something about jumping on a random granite slab without a tome of a guidebook that lends to a certain adventure. But, I guess I'd still be a little curious to know the name of that fantastic 5.5 dike that always leaves me quivering...

Arie Leeflang wrote:There is something about jumping on a random granite slab without a tome of a guidebook that lends to a certain adventure.

Yeah, but, there can be a diminishing return there sometimes too. And when there is, do your best to avoid the ER in Delta (personal experience).

Arie Leeflang wrote:But, I guess I'd still be a little curious to know the name of that fantastic 5.5 dike that always leaves me quivering...

Me too! Fun route.

The 5.5 dike up the Candyland Buttress at the mouth of the West Sawtooth Canyon is called Candyland done by Bill Robins in the early 80's.
There (before entering the canyon) are other spectacular (read more difficult, too) dike routes on some nearby crags that I would love to know the history of! NOLS does have its own "guidebook" to the area. I, too, have mostly heard the sentiments expressed by Ari and probably most of the FA history will remain the guarded info of those few doing routes out there.

Bringin up old memories-Kent Wheeler, Susan Wheeler, Rush Bowers and I put up a grip of routes back in the 80s and 90s-I will look up what we had recorded for any intersted. Quite the cool place.

Hi Chris,
That would be great. I'd love to get some of your info from that period. I've been thinking that some of those good unknown lines out there might be from you!! On the otherhand, I think alot of the Bill Robins stuff will remain secrets that died with him. RIP
Good to hear from you!

I'd also like to know. That place is one of the most magical I've been to. I'm so glad that there are acres of rock close to SLC so most climbers won't bother going to some out of the way place like Sawtooth. When I think of the most special days I've had climbing, more than a couple of them are in that little canyon.

Cheers,
Nate

Yeah, I don't think the place will ever get that popular considering its location, lack of water, multitude of creepy-crawly things, too far from anything (i.e. ANYTHING), and as mentioned, god forbid that anything would ever happen as no one may show up for weeks...
Nonetheless, we do like the adventure of the canyon and specially the beautiful setting. We have done the routes in the IBEX book, and would like to check out some more in that range.

Yeah, that place is really beautiful. That Candyland route is really fun! Me and some other friends put up some 6-8 routes out there in the mid-90's, but I would be hard pressed to remember how hard they were, I don't think we named any.
Also, I am curious about the nice crack on the tombstone looking rock right there at the campsite. I did that sometime in the 90's and it beat me up pretty well. Looking at it I thought it would be much easier than it felt. Anybody know the name of that line? I haven't been back there since the early 2000's except to climb on Notch Peak. Reading this brings back some great memories, thanks.

I don't know the real name of the route. That crack is so good, though. I just got on it this last weekend for the first time in several years. It's mostly enduro, but so varied...and it ends in a pretty strenuous offwidth. The OW section would probably only be 5.9 if it were right on the ground, but after 70 feet of difficulties it feels so hard.

The two other cracks that I like best is a 10b/c thin hands on the approach to Notch Peak and another 10a-ish lieback even further up the canyon.

Ben Folsom wrote:Also, I am curious about the nice crack on the tombstone looking rock right there at the campsite. I did that sometime in the 90's and it beat me up pretty well. Looking at it I thought it would be much easier than it felt. Anybody know the name of that line? I haven't been back there since the early 2000's except to climb on Notch Peak. Reading this brings back some great memories, thanks.

Same here Ben. Seems like JG described it as 11 or 11+. Seemed that way to me.

Just looked at the photos here and it appears to be Optimizer (11b/c).

Robert

I think Robert is correct. It is most likely called the Optimizer, 5.11a-b. When I first climbed it, somebody insisted it was 5.10....I thought not. This topic under the Wasatch got me thinking I need to address this here in this forum instead of elsewhere. The 7 year itch.....seems like guidebooks come along every 7 years?

Anyway, I am trying to gather the latest and greatest new data for a West Desert 2nd edition. I plan on continuing with the "select" approach rather than being conclusive, but would love to receive your submissions about new route info you have in the Sawtooth Area, West Sawtooth, Notch Peak, Ibex, Steamboat Rock, Mineral Mountains, Death Canyon, Marjum Canyon, Wheeler Peak, the rock in the NV-Utah corridor along 50-6, Painter Springs, The Bluffs, Masada, The Silver Island Mountains, the Deep Creeks...and numerous areas out there I haven't even mentioned.

It takes me a long time to process this information once it comes in, so the sooner I receive it, the better. I already have more than twice the data available to me than presented itself in the first edition. If you don't want the info to become public knowledge, now is the time to let me know. PM me if you wish. Voice your concerns. Being a Select Guide, I may not exclude an entire area, but will consider leaving out your favorite secret crag or climb.
A well travelled Swiss Guide friend of mine once used the analogy in guiding " I decide on the restaurant, I let the guests (clients) look at the menu". Such an analogy may be applicable to a guidebook, one which still leaves many questions and avenues for adventure open to the reader...It seems to be a valid approach.

As I have a strong personal affinity for Ibex rock quality, I hope to be fairly conclusive about Ibex proper and will document those routes as best I can. I have repeated most of the routes out there, but a few still pop up and I wonder about names, given ratings, history, etc. I recently repeated one that was absolutely delightful, but I don't know anything about it. It will be included as "unknown" until I learn otherwise.
Would love to hear from you West Desert activists. I need your help.
My Thanks in advance.

I'd love to know more about Ibex, James. I haven't done squat there except fall off some boulder problems.

James,
I know Shane Sanders, his friend Marcus, and a couple of other guys are responsible for those more difficult dike routes out at Painter Springs. I can get you their contact info if you need it.
mb

That would be great... I am definitely interested in those! Thanks. Yes, please send me those names and addresses mb! Awesome.
JG

James, the late great Kevin Gheen and I did some cracks and spires around Painter Springs years ago. I'll have to go through the old slides and see what I can recall.

Drew Bedford wrote:James, the late great Kevin Gheen and I did some cracks and spires around Painter Springs years ago. I'll have to go through the old slides and see what I can recall.

Maybe it will help this discussion to talk names. I'm familiar with three main drainages of granite out there, though there could be more.

Painter Springs is the northernmost and is normally identified as such on USGS and other maps, besides, that's where the springs and pool are.

The next drainage to the south is apparently called Delta Peoples Springs, this according to conversation with locals if I remember correctly. The road to Painter Springs forks to the right to reach "Delta Peoples Spring." There's a minimal campsite at the mouth of this canyon, a very small cliff band/sometimes waterfall, and some nice looking spires a short hike away. Unfortunately the features and connectivity is not so great, but there is fixed gear there.

The granite canyon at the hike up to Notch has been called West Sawtooth Canyon by James in his Ibex guide, but I don't think James was really differentiating the granite canyon from the approach canyon, so at some point two names may be in order. This name came from the USGS Sawtooth Canyon which is located on the east side of the range opposite from "West Sawtooth Canyon." The granite routes are in the canyon leading up to Pine Peak according to google maps.

Two of the three canyons that you mentioned--Delta Peoples' Springs and Painter Springs--are the names that I've heard in the past. I've never climbed in the People's Springs, but I have in Painters.

As I understand it, the other canyon--Sawtooth Canyon--really is two separate canyons. The western most leads up towards some large-ish granite slab climbs (about 4-5 pitches). The eastern most canyon is the canyon that goes up to Notch Peak. Both canyon have great granite climbing--the one that goes up to Notch Peak has "mostly" single pitch routes.

Just chiming in with my knowledge.

Cheers,
Nate

Wow, yea, Kevin Gheen is one of the late great ones, for sure. I miss him....too many funerals since then, it gets you to pondering it all.

Robert is so correct about the various canyons and there distinctions. My edition #1 guide is horribly incomplete and often inaccurate for describing the locations of all of that rock, in this case granite in the House Range. I know, I especially, was and probably still am very guilty of tunnel vision when it came to my personal visits there in the 80s. West Sawtooth, West Sawtooth, West Sawtooth, etc trip after trip while driving right by Painter Springs and Delta Springs. Though I am aware of the other canyons, if it does become some sort of consensus amongst the current activists to hit some select routes in all these areas, I am game. I mean....just think also of all the unclimbed big wall limestone routes still just waiting and sitting there! And for those sceptical about changing the areas with increased awareness (guidebook)...well, the ibex rock is still my favorite and that place still is infrequently visited by climbers doing actual routes. And as for the big routes...not alot of people out there with the perseverence and tenacity like Price, Howe or Weaver....it's alot of work! And we appreciate it. But I know how much work goes into one of those wall lines. Not alot of competition, if you get my drift.
Robert, do you have any route info on the granite areas you mentioned?
I am happy to hear you guys are starting to rally and spill some beta....I am all ears! DB....get cracking through those old files!!!!
JG

What I've been curious about are the granite and limestone routes in the canyon from the eastern approach - coming in from the Delta side (turn off prior to Skull Pass, Miller Canyon). I know there's established routes up there, and good ones (esp. granite), but don't know the history. . . and haven't come across any "tat" on the limestone stuff. Came across a "prospector" once, and all he could tell me is that he's seen people climbing up there before, but it had been awhile back. Would be curious to know the history. . . figure it's the same folks as sawtooth Canyon (west).