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Little Cottonwood Canyon: Lisa Falls

Little Cottonwood Canyon: Lisa Falls

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Overall:five-cheerios

This area is absolutely perfect for kids. They will LOVE it, whether or not they actually climb. I promise. The routes here are next to a year long waterfall, if that wasn’t obvious from the name.

Routes:four-cheerios

Its VERY slabby climbing here so if you aren’t use to that, it will be good practice for sure. That can make it deceiving though. Believe me, the routes are not as easy as they look.

Lisa Falls Left (5.8R) can be top roped from the steep trails that goes up just to the left. My 4 year old said this was a great ‘kid climb’.

We also set up on Fleeting Glimpse (5.9) and had our kids climb Lisa Falls Right (5.5) off those anchors.

These routes can be found at…

The Mountain Project

Rockclimbing.com

Rock 51kd2ulzrll-_sx328_bo1204203200_Climbing the Wasatch Range, A Falcon Guide, pg. 338.

There is a newer book that just came out, like two months after I bought this book… my luck of course. We don’t have it yet so I don’t have page numbers for you.

Also, a climber that was next to us at a crag in Little Cottonwood didn’t seem to pleased about the newer version which has pictures that were apparently not so helpful. The older version as detailed sketches and not pictures.

Approach:four-cheerios

Its a short hike to the falls which my two year old can do on her own. It seems less than a quarter mile, Mountain Project says 200 yards. Its very easy going Our friend with a broken foot made it up.

Landing:three-and-a-half-cheerios

Its rock so the ground isn’t perfectly level. Also, depending on the water level you’ll have to pay attention while belaying to not get your rope wet which can be kind of in the way of where you want to stand.

Traffic:three-and-a-half-cheerios

We’ve been here twice. Both times there were a lot of people, but one of those times there were no climbers and the other a climber on almost every route. We were still able to get the climbs we wanted but its something to be aware of to make sure your considerate of the other climbers.

Extra Kid Fun:five-cheerios

So much fun! All the kids absolutely loved it.

Playing in the water: They played in pools of water getting soaked – bring extra clothes if you can. It would be specially perfect for a hot sunny day.

Drinking the water: We brought our water pump filter which some kids enjoyed testing out and drinking the water and learning how the filter worked.

 

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Catching caterpillars:  When we went in September there were caterpillars everywhere. Everywhere. The kids loved it. Well except for my two year old who for some reason found them very frightening which was hilarious…You may even consider bringing something to carry a few back home with you and building a home for them where you can watch them cacoon and transform and then let them go. My kids love that.

Potential Dangers:four-cheerios

Well it is at a waterfall. The water was low when we were there and not problematic but as always watch your kids.

Big Cottonwood Canyon: Storm Mountain Picnic Area

Big Cottonwood Canyon: Storm Mountain Picnic Area

Overall: four-and-a-half-cheerios

There is some great climbing here as well as a picnic area, a playground for kids, and flushing toilets which is definitely a plus.

While the overall area has a lot of grade variety, a lot of the routes are trad which is great if you have the gear but incredibly limiting if you don’t.

We haven’t been to this area (yet) so we don’t have more information than what I’ve placed here but I hope its helpful. We will update as we find out more.

Routes: four-cheerios

For kids you will want to check out the Reservoir Ridge Area, Storm Mountain Island East Face, Storm Mountain Island – North Face, Psychobabble Wall , Bumble Bee Wall, and Static Wall.

Information about these areas can be found at:

Mountain Project

Rockclimbing.com

Rock 51kd2ulzrll-_sx328_bo1204203200_Climbing the Wasatch Range, A Falcon Guide, pg. 118-139.

There is a newer book that just came out, like two months after I bought this book… my luck of course. We don’t have it yet so I don’t have page numbers for you.

 

 

The Storm Mountain Island East Face is almost all Trad but it has a bolted 5.4, Bolt Route, which would be great for a kiddo.

The Reservoir Ridge Area has a variety of easy climbs for beginners and kids, sport and trad mixed.

War Clamor (5.5) the first of a multi-pitch. There are chains 15 feet off the ground which apparently are a teaching tool used by the U of U. While some consider them an eyesore,  they can be great if you have very little kids. Also, you can use it to teach some of your older kids how to clean a route and rap where you can watch what they are doing.

Reservoir Ridge (5.5) is another great climb but its Trad. At some point it had some bolts and pitons but they may have been chopped recently. Still, it may be top-roped from the War Clamor chains. However you may have quite a bit of rope drag if you do.

Also there is another 5.5, Unknown Tradline. Apparently, it can be hard to place some gear which makes it more sketchy. However, its between two sport 5.6s so it may be possible to top-rope. Apparently you can clip some nearby bolts of one of the 5.6s while on that route.

Not to mention both 5.6s would be easy excellent climbs for kids.

 Approach: four-and-a-half-cheerios

The great thing about this area are the short and easy approaches.

Traffic:three-and-a-half-cheerios

This is a super popular area for both climbers and picnickers so it may get crowded.

Big Cottonwood Canyon: Dogwood Crag

Big Cottonwood Canyon: Dogwood Crag

Overall: four-cheerios

The Dogwood Crag is a great place to take a family climbing. The routes are good for young kids and beginners, plus there are a few that will keep the experienced climber entertained. The approach and landing are good, plus the setting is gorgeous. The problem with the area is that it gets lots of traffic and the climb you are looking to get your littles on may already be taken by someone else. The location is great as it is at the very bottom of Big Cottonwood Canyon. Very easy to get to and to find.

Routes: four-cheerios

Dogwood crag has routes for kids, beginners, and intermediate climbers. The crag has a few anchors for top roping, so if you are sick of being a rope gun on easy climbs, this area is for you.  Here are the climbs as per Mountainproject.com…

dogwood-climbs

 

You can find information about this area at…

The Mountain Project

Rockclimbing.com

51kd2ulzrll-_sx328_bo1204203200_Guidebook – FalconGuides Rock Climbing the Wasatch Range Pgs. 62-64

All of the kids climbs are designed for top roping. This can be a good or a bad thing. I swear if I ever die because of rock climbing, it is going to be because I was trying to top rope something. Top roping here could be dangerous, so just be careful and anchor yourself before you do any rope work while leaning over the cliff.

Even though there are climbs here for little kids, the beginning of each route is pretty barren of handholds. For my youngest, I usually have to lift them up a few feet to where the climb gets easier. For those a little older, they can usually figure it out, but I’ve seen a few get discouraged and come down prematurely.

If you’re looking for somewhere to go quick without doing much research, this area would be good.  Without any knowledge of the climbs, you can come here and walk around and up the crag to the west and throw up some top ropes.  Your kids should be able to climb on anything you can top rope here and do fine.  While facing the crag, the farther right the easier climb it is for the kid.

Approach: four-cheerios

Time

For everyone without kids, the approach would be five cheerios, but the unique logistics of the area make this approach a little more complicated with kids. It costs money to park right next to the trail leading to the Dogwood crag. So usually people will park in a pull out slightly past the sign on the main road, outside of the parking lot. It is still a pretty short walk, but if you are going to set up your tent trailer and whatever other mountain of gear you brought, it becomes a bit of a walk with the littles. I have found it beneficial to drive up to the trailhead, dump everyone out of the car, help them walk to the climb, then come back and move the car. This makes the approach kind of a pain in the neck, but still short enough.  

But if you don’t care about paying then…   five-cheerios!

Difficulty

Easy. They can do it on their own practically.

Danger

There is a river to the left, but you’ll be next to it the entire time at the crag.

Landing: 

The landing here is amazing. Even though it is right next to a river, there is enough room to feel safe. The landing is also super flat, and has enough room for all of your stuff you have to bring to keep everyone happy.

Traffic: 

Traffic is definitely the buzz kill of this climbing area. There are only a few top rope anchors and they quickly get filled by beginners, scout groups, people on dates, etc. During the summer, some youth outdoor rehabilitation groups use this as their go to crag. If you live close, it might be a good idea to do a reconnaissance mission before bringing the entire team.

Extra Kid Fun: five-cheerios

The setting here is gorgeous and your kids will love it. The crag is set right next to a river that the kids can get down close to and play in the water. Last time I was there, my kids and their cousins were searching through the water for different river bugs and caught them all in a cup.

The area is also next to the campsite which has lots of trails around it for exploring. If your kids are old enough to go off on their own, they will enjoy walking through all the trails and the campsite, but it will just take them in a bunch of circles so they can’t get too far away.

Potential Dangers: three-cheerios

This area should be safe, but there are some very real potential dangers here. The river is right next to the crag and is not slow moving in the middle. If a ridiculous child tried to go swimming, there could definitely be a problem.

The other issue with the area is that even though the landing is flat, there is a trail very nearby that can lead to the top of the cliff. That trail is steep and a child could potentially fall and hurt themselves. But worse, if they got to the top of the cliff, who knows what could happen. I don’t trust my oblivious children in situations like that.

Maple Canyon: Road Kill Wall

Maple Canyon: Road Kill Wall

Overall: four-and-a-half-cheerios

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A short and easy approach with good routes makes this a must climb area for kids.  The area has, in my opinion, the best climb for little kids in the canyon.  The only drawbacks to this area are that it can get a lot of traffic, and the landing is only really good, not perfect.

Routes:five-cheerios

Road Kill Wall has the best 3-5 year old climb in the canyon and other climbs for beginners, plus a two solid, but short, intermediate routes. The route breakdown:

road-kill-wall-climbs

You can find information about this area at…

MountainProject.com

Rockclimbing.com

Maple Canyon Guide Book pg. 138-142 (The link is to a site where you can purchase the book.  Really, if you are going to Maple, you should have it.)

Approach:four-cheerios

Time

The approach to The Road Kill wall is slightly past The Schoolroom which is right next to the main parking lot. The approach time is minimal. With the smallest of kids it should not take you more than a few minutes.

Difficulty

The approach is steepish so it will be slightly difficult. Though short, it is still uphill and slightly farther away than The Schoolroom.

Danger

Only danger on approach is a child falling on the trail and potentially slipping/rolling down the hill. Ok, so rolling probably isn’t possible but it is a funny image.

Landing: three-and-a-half-cheerios

Honestly, after being spoiled by other areas in Maple Canyon, I don’t love this landing. Really, it is workable. There is enough space that you can spread out and take care of everything you need. I have two problems with it. First it is not very flat. This makes me nervous for my littlest ones who I have to keep an extra eye on. Second, the routes are spread out up and down the hill, so if you are climbing one route, you may not be able to see everything that is going on in other places. Basically, it is easier for kids to get lost. I rated the landing 31/2 cheerios because it was workable, not dangerous, but slightly annoying. Here are some pictures to let you decide for yourself.

road-kill-wall-landing-one road-kill-wall-landing-two

 

 

 

 

Traffic:four-cheerios

Every time I have been to this area, there are other people on the climbs. However, I have always been able to work around them. The traffic has never been irritating, just well travelled. The route Tomato Man (The 5.3 I continue to flaunt) has never been taken when I came here.

Extra Fun: three-and-a-half-cheerios

Mostly this area is pretty similar to other places in Maple Canyon. The only additional fun I can think of would be for older kids. There is room to hike around at the top of the hill.  Most kids I have taken to this area have migrated towards these hikes.

Potential Dangers:four-cheerios

This area is mostly safe, but it is smart to keep an eye on your littlest children here. Any extra adventurous child could continue to hike up the canyon and get themselves to a unsavory cliff. The other issue is that the entire area is on a slight slope. So, those of your children that have terrible balance, i.e. all of them, will probably fall down at least once and scrape something.

 

Maple Canyon: Billy the Kid Wall

Maple Canyon: Billy the Kid Wall

33236787_10156929773723268_2226438083341975552_n  Overall: four-and-a-half-cheerios

Billy the Kid Wall is one of the best places in Utah, or probably anywhere, to take kids to rock climb.  The only reason I am not giving it 5 cheerios is because there are not any difficult climbs for adults.  The approach is short and the landing is great.  The area is fun, and the climbs are easy.  For the especially tiny, the first part of the climb is really mellow, more like class 4 scrambling, and they do great on this.

Routes: four-cheerios

Billy the Kid has three easy routes 5.6, 5.7, 5.8.  Here’s the graph I like to do, just to be consistent although it probably isn’t necessary in this area.

billy-the-kid-climbs

 

These routes can be found at…

The Mountain Project

Maple Canyon Guide Book pg. 172-173 (If you are planning on doing any substantial amount of climbing in Maple Canyon you really should buy this book.  The link is for a page where you can buy the book.)

These routes are easy for kids and can be a great opportunity for them to experience the height of rock climbing without difficult climbs. We have taken a four year old and she was able to get to the top of the 5.6. For those younger, the beginning of the climbs has a mellow grade that feels like climbing for the kids, but is easy enough to deal with any problems that could arise. We have taken our kids here as young as two and they were able to climb up the route until it becomes vertical. For the younger kids we suggest using a piece of webbing or rope attached to the back of the harness on the less steep terrain, see Tips for Ages Under 4.

 Approach: four-and-a-half-cheerios

Time

The approach is not right next to the road, but close. With kids as young as two years old it should not take you more than five to ten minutes, most likely less.

Difficulty

Strait path. Nothing to worry about.

Danger

Not really dangerous, but a few years back our then two year old did stumble at the beginning of the hike. She tumbled down a hill that could have potentially hurt her pretty bad. She was fine, but a little shaken up.  You see those videos of miraculous dad saves on YouTube.  That wasn’t me.  I would say, not dangerous, but hold the littles hands at the beginning.

Landing: five-cheerios

The landing here is great. It is flat and safe with room for kids to run around and be ridiculous. There are logs for parents to sit on and room enough to set down all climbing gear. It might feel a little tight if you have a big group, but that is a mild likely unsubstantiated complaint. Here are some pictures of the landing.

billy-the-kid-landing-one billy-the-kid-landing-two

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traffic: four-cheerios

I have never chosen to go to Billy the Kid wall and not have the climbs available. Maple Canyon can get busy, but Billy the Kid wall has more mellow climbs so it is not frequented by the more experienced climbers. That said, if there is a group there, it is unlikely you will be able to get on any climbs. The area is not big enough for more than one group.

Extra Kid Fun: five-cheerios

I think this area is a lot of fun. The approach is a hike past The Pipeline, which has some difficult climbs and usually people good enough to do them. It is pretty fun to watch. Slightly farther up the path is a log crossing a small ravine. It is not super dangerous so my kids and I always like to do it. My dog will even cross it.

Here is a picture of the log.

billy-the-kid-fun-log

Potential Dangers: four-cheerios

The hike is mellow, but has enough room for kids to run around and explore. Some boundaries for wandering should probably be set depending on how old your children are, but for the most part there is no where they can go to get themselves in too much trouble.  Don’t let them walk across the log on their own. The back has a steep hill.

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Maple Canyon: The Schoolroom

Maple Canyon: The Schoolroom

33063049_10156929681408268_2062284304439836672_nOverall:five-cheerios

The Schoolroom is a great destination for climbing with kids.  Honestly, one of the best.  There are climbs for kids, beginners and adults.  The landing is perfect, and it is easy to get to.  It can get busy here, but every time I have come to this area, there are always climbs available.  If you have kids and want to get them on a wall, this area should be at the top of your list.

Routes: five-cheerios

The Schoolroom has routes for kids, beginners, and intermediate climbers.  Here is a beautiful graph showing what climbs are available:

school-room-climbs

We aren’t interested in duplicating effort, so you can find information about this area at…

The Mountain Project

Rockclimbing.com

Maple Canyon Guide book Pg. 146-149 (The link is to a site where you can purchase the book.  Really, if you are going to Maple, you should have it.)

The Schoolroom has everything that you want for a good day of climbing with your kids. There are enough kid friendly routes to keep them entertained. If you are going to bring a few kids try to also bring an extra rope or two so you can quickly set up several ropes and let the kids go. My group and another large group that was there had basically a rope on every single route hanging fixed. We used the roots on the tree to anchor the belay devices and quickly hooked up kid after kid with an 8 knot on a biner. That way the switch between kids was faster and parents could switch belaying quickly as well. We were pumping the kids through climbs like a factory. The best one for them to start on is Bob’s Bolts (5.4) to get their confidence up and then let them hit all the others. Kids also don’t seem to mind doing the same route over and over again.  I don’t know how many times I belayed that day but it was a lot. The kids had non stop fun climbing that day.

Areas for kids also sometimes need climbs to keep the adults entertained, which we were.  The 5.10bs in this area are really fun. The Horny Thing (oh climbers and their weird route names…) 5.10b is long, sustained, and has a very tricky start. There is not anything harder than .10bs here, but for something to climb when your on an outing with your kids, it is well worth it.

Approach: 

Time

The time to get here is next to nothing. It is very close to the main parking lot for Maple Canyon.

Difficulty

There is some mild difficulty getting here. Nothing your kids can’t handle. The hike is short, but it is uphill.

Danger

Only slight danger if you count the possibility of falling on a hill. Other than that, there are not cliffs or other worries that children tend to gravitate towards.

Landing: five-cheerios

Honestly, you won’t find a better landing anywhere that you go climbing, ever. The landing is huge and flat. Everything you ever wanted.  Feel free to set up your house and everything else that you brought with you. Here’s a picture in case you don’t believe me.

Schoolroom Landing

Traffic: 

Because The Schoolroom is perfect for beginners, has a great landing, and is close to the main parking lot, it can get very busy. I’ve found it open whenever I have wanted to use it, but it has the potential of getting huge multiple family groups (like what you are probably bringing) and youth groups. However, because it has so many climbs and the landing is so big, everyone can usually find something to climb on, there will just likely be a crowd there.

Extra Kid Fun: four-cheerios

There is a small cave/hole in the wall here. You can see it in the picture above. I’ve seen kids hang out in there forever.

Potential Dangers: 

I should note that there is an easy to climb crevasse to the right among all the easy climbs. This could be good to climb for really little kids, but you would have to MacGyver a way to set up protection. If there is not protection set, it could potentially be enticing to the older kids to climb and get themselves into trouble. I haven’t seen them get into trouble but I have seen parents make it a rule that they couldn’t go up there once the kids started climbing.