Fast Food Joint
Overall:
Fast Food Joint is located right next to the road with a small creek between the crag and the road. Its not well known so there is almost never anyone there. Its a great place to take beginners or kids if you don’t want to fight for a spot at the School Room. There aren’t any hard routes, the most difficult being a 5.10b.
This area is after Box Canyon but before the Frontera and is NOT in the guidebook. It is on private property, like Box Canyon, so please be courteous in keeping the area clean for the owners.
Routes:
There are 16 Sport routes in this area. However, all are pretty easy so this is a great place to take kids of all ages and beginners.
The routes ranges from 5.5 in difficulty to 5.10b with four 5.6’s. Once the 5.6 known as ‘Roadside Coulior’ is top-ropped, going up the middle of the coulior is a great easy 5.4 or 5.3 for really little kids to give a try. That route uses Glue-in bolts because it may have seasonal water. We were just there (May 2018) and it was completely dry. For the younger kids or first time kid climbers, we suggest using a piece of webbing or rope attached to the back of the harness , see Tips for Ages Under 4.
These routes can be found at…
Approach:
Zero approach since its right off the road. You will have to pass a small creek which you can just step over (very small) but may need to hold your toddlers hand to help them cross.
Landing:
The landing here is flat but it is not large and open. Its a small area located between the creek and the crag so you will not want to fit a lot of people in the area and a baby just learning to walk could have issues. A play pen or something similar is likely to fit.
Traffic:
It is not well known and not in the guidebook so there are good chances its open!
Extra Kid Fun:
In the heat of the summer, the shade and the creek are tons of fun for kids. Make sure you keep an eye on your kiddos and are ok with them getting wet.
Potential Dangers:
The creek, the road, and rock fall are the potential dangers in that area. The creek basically mitigates the road risk but can be a risk itself depending on the age of your kiddos. A child can drown in almost no water.
If you set boundaries and have un-roped attentive adult, it should be a fun safe area.
Remember Maple Canyon is conglomerate rock so take the necessary precautions to prevent loose rock fall.