I have to say Escalante Canyon in western Colorado is my new favorite desert crack climbing destination. Very minimal crowds (closer to none at all), beautiful landscape and sandstone walls, Escalante Creek running through it, and potholes to swim in all make this canyon a great place to spend some time camping & climbing. So, when I moved my buddy Mike Santoro’s bachelor party from Indian Creek, Utah, to Escalante Canyon, CO, the day before our departure primarily because of a selfish reason to have running water nearby for Rainie & Kona, it surely didn’t disappoint and I think everyone was very satisfied and happy with the change of venue. Plus, it was a good 2 full hours closer to home. Spending almost 3 full days and nights in Escalante Canyon was special and afforded all of us the time to really explore the area whether crack climbing, hiking, or swimming. I think Mikey was more than pleased with the weekend’s fun & success. We had a motley crew most of the weekend with a few folks most of the crew had not yet met. However, we all quickly became pals and enjoyed our time together.
Escalante Canyon with the Elk Range visible in the distance to the east. Photo by Dillon on his 4-5 hour dayhike to the canyon rim on Friday
The San Juan Range and Mt. Sneffels as viewed from the canyon rim by Dillon on his Friday afternoon hike
Our camp way down below. Photo by Dillon
Another view of Escalante Canyon from the other side of the rim. Photo by Dillon on Saturday’s dayhike with J, Joel, & Lauran
We had very spacious and luxurious camp. Photo by Dillon
The days generally consisted of climbing between 8:30am and 2pm, swimming in the “Potholes” area of Escalante Creek in the heat of the day, and then climbing again for a few hours in the evening. Gosh, if every day could be lived like these days. I think we maybe saw two other people climbing all weekend. My kind of crag. We had a lot of beginners new to crack climbing as well and they all did wonderful and I think had a good time. Then, a few of us definitely challenged ourselves to some of the more difficult and classic cracks of the area. One note on the relative grades of several (most) of the routes we have experienced at Escalante: the rated grades really seem to be “old school” ratings much like Devil’s Tower. In most cases, they will feel harder than the published grade. A 5.10 at Escalante may be a 5.11 at Indian Creek, which tends to showcase “new school” ratings. Bottom line is one cannot base a climb off the published rating – its all relative and subject to the individual climber. Yet, most of these climbs seemed to feel and climb much harder than they would let on. We climbed at two of the five major walls in the canyon – the Interiors Wall & the Cabin Wall. We climbed a few more routes we don’t have pictures of including the route called Key Hole on the Interiors Wall and an unknown 5.8ish climb next to the unknown offwidth we have pics of below. Pics sorted by the routes at each wall we climbed are as follows:
Interiors Wall
Mike leading the offwidth called Lieback (5.9) on the left while Jesse leads Right of Lieback (5.10a) on the right. Photo by Dillon
Dillon climbing the awesome cave route called Interiors (5.9-)
Me beginning the fun lead of The Shaft (5.10a) in the cave
J climbing The Shaft, which was fingers/thin hands to perfect hands up higher
Looking up at J in the cave at the top of The Shaft
Me leading this pretty tough route involving a little bit of everything – fingers, thin hands, hands, a fist or two, and offwidths. This one tore up my arms. I just saw that it had anchors 100′ up and went for it. No idea what it is called or rated
Me trying to find the gear on this same unknown offwidth
Tamra had a good time watching me, Jesse, Mikey, & Gracson on this unknown offwidth crack climb
Mikey getting an “assisted” belay by Shawn in attempt to inch Jesse up the crack
Gracson on the unknown offwidth. He did great on this route
Cabin Wall
Racking up at the Cabin Wall on Saturday. Photo by Dillon
Me giving Jesse a spot while beginning his lead of the route dubbed Unknown Flake (5.9). Photo by Dillon
Dillon on Unknown Flake
Joel sending Unknown Flake. Photo by Dillon
Me pulling the bouldery crux on the route called Unknown Awkward. This route is designated a 5.9+ online, but I would have to tend to disagree on this rating as would everyone in our crew. Feels much more like a 5.10+/5.11a. I don’t know what 5.9+ has a bouldery start and a finger crack 🙂 Photo by Shawn
Me getting through the bouldery crux on Unknown Awkward. Photo by Shawn
Joel climbing TH Crack (5.8). Photo by Dillon
Rock star Shawn Wright leading Rednekk Justus. This route is published as a 5.10+/5.11, but I think most of us would agree is more like 5.12-. Photo by Dillon
Shawn higher on Rednekk Justus. Photo by Dillon
Mikey cranking hard on Rednekk Justus. Photo by Shawn
Me leading the intimidating S-Crack (5.10c). However, I would tend to go with a 5.11 rating due to the lower bouldery finger section and 30′ of offwidth at the top. All I could think about while leading this was how Alex Honnold free soloed up and down this. I felt pretty inadequate, but then again it is Alex Honnold 🙂 Photo by Dillon
Me leading S-Crack. Photo by Dillon
J on S-Crack. Photo by Dillon
Mikey giving Willy’s Hand Jive (5.10) a solid lead attempt on Friday evening after a day of climbing
Shawn leading Willy’s Hand Jive on Sunday morning
Shawn pulling the awkward off-width pod crux on Willy’s Hand Jive
Mikey on Willy’s. Photo by Shawn
Mikey hand jiving
Me leading Willy’s Hand Jive. This was probably my favorite route we did all weekend. 100′ of hand jamming and a tough crux 90′ off the deck – wow. Photo by Shawn
I love these pics Shawn took of me on Willy’s 🙂
Hand jammin’! Photo by Shawn
In the #3 cam section. Photo by Shawn
Me at the offwidth pod crux on Willy’s. Photo by Shawn
Jesse cranking Willy’s. Photo by Shawn
Gracson in good form on Willy’s Hand Jive. Photo by Shawn
While I didn’t want to leave on Sunday, I was exhausted. Doing these kind of weekends wears me out much more than climbing peaks all weekend. The dogs were all tuckered out as well. Trevor’s birthday was Sunday, May 3, and we stayed up well past midnight on Saturday night to ring in his 27th birthday. Ah, to be 27. Though, he didn’t come into work until noon on Monday. But that could have been the 27 beers he drank for his birthday. All in all, a phenomenal weekend.
Saturday night group shot with a nice moonrise
I still feel today like Rainie did on Saturday. Photo by Dillon
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Brando,
It’s all there! haha. Thanks for showing this noob how the big boys do it and for the excellent hospitality man. My arms and legs still look like I got attacked by a cat 4 days later. What a gem you found in Escalante! I’m going to really put an effort into getting better at climbing and surprise you next time. You are 100% beast. Let me know when you Kristine and Sawyer want to spend a weekend off the grid in the hopefully soon to be Pagosa shack. Sawyer needs to expand and step up her game in the Wemi. Talk to you soon my friend.