Indian Creek Road and Beef Basin Road
Indian Creek is one of my favorite places to climb in the unabridged state. Its incredible crevice routes, camping, and culture, brand it the ultimate climbing destination.
Few climbing areas take hold of my imagination like Indian Creek. Its mention invokes the odour of sagebrush, images of ruddy mud-caked cars, and feelings of sore pollex muscles from jam after relentless jam in perfectly parallel oriented cracks that soar into the sky. Indian Creek also conjures upward memories of waking in a creekside military camp filled with cottonwood trees and breakfast cooked on the Coleman two-burner. Climbing in Indian Creek is most spending days at cliffs yous've never been to and trying out a new crack size that you lot haven't climbed — and so waking up the next day to do it all once again.
In a state known for climbing, Indian Creek is one of the best climbing destinations in Utah . "The Creek," equally it'southward known to most climbers, is the perfect place to get away and truly immerse yourself in its landscape. Out in the Southern Canyonlands of Utah, you won't notice whatsoever cell coverage, and you won't meet the orange glow of the city lights on the horizon or smell the exhaust of passing cars. At the Creek, in that location isn't any electricity or readily available water at the campsites — the kind of backcountry where your automobile is your haversack. I made my start visit in the fall of 2013, and I've been making my pilgrimage always since.
Pros and Cons of Climbing in Indian Creek
The culture of setting upward ropes and sharing the climbing with everyone is potent
Tons of rest day activities within the Bears Ears and Canyonlands
There's great shots and views at all times of day
The camping is spectacular
There is steep a learning curve for pure cleft technique
There's no cell coverage or services of any kind
A 70m rope is preferred due to the lengthy nature of many Creek classics
Getting to "the Creek"
Indian Creek is situated 55 minutes s of Moab, Utah, and about thirty minutes northwest of Monticello. You'll hear more than about these two later!
From either town, take US HWY 191 to UT 211, the latter of which winds through ranchlands until it descends into the Bears Ears National Monument and the southern headwaters of Indian Creek . (Hither'due south a cracking map of Indian Creek and the surrounding Utah surface area from the Bureau of Land Management.) Later dropping into the upper canyon, y'all'll laissez passer Paper Rock, one of the largest collections of petroglyphs in the country. I always stop to gaze at Anasazi, Ute and Fremont people'southward mark on the landscape — it only heightens my appreciation of the surface area. And then, when y'all look around, you'll see ever-increasing cliffs on either side and the widening of the valley beyond. I ever take hold of my line of sight drifting to the perfectly vertical splitter cracks where the sandstone begins to darken and the lines start to steepen.
Where to meetup for climbing in the Creek
The Creek has several pop meeting spots for climbers about to brainstorm their day. At these locations, you'll detect a pit toilet, a message board (since in that location is no prison cell coverage), and parking spaces for adventure vehicles of all stripes.
The get-go surface area of interest when driving south into Indian Creek is the Supercrack Buttress parking lot. It's paved and has a modernistic pit toilet thanks to a partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Friends of Indian Creek . The namesake crag parking lot is one of the nearly popular places for climbing and meeting. My friends and I unremarkably meet hither for an afternoon of warming up because it's the first stop when we enter the Creek. It's as well home to some of the area'due south most classic routes! More on that in a bit…
Next up is the Beefiness Bowl Road junction. This stopping point is unpaved, just there's enough parking to accommodate plenty of vehicles. There's besides a pit toilet, a map of the area and another message board. This is a great cardinal location in the Creek.
The concluding pop meeting location is the Superbowl Campground . This is 1 of the more popular, well-maintained campgrounds, and a great spot to brand your basecamp.
The Best Climbing Spots in Indian Creek
I beginning most days with a meet-upwardly at the Beefiness Bowl intersection. I commonly set the meeting time the previous evening… remember, in that location is no cell service in the Creek! Information technology's hither that climbers run across and finalize their planned objectives for the day. Usually, some friends go far, too, fresh from Moab, and our program is always to pile into a single car (highly recommended and encouraged) and make our way to an area called Supercrack Buttress!
Indian Creek is known for its crack climbing
Indian Creek's legendary crack climbing is the best in the USA . Start timers to the expanse are going to desire to head to the archetype routes right away. Big mistake. I know, because I've made this error myself. On my first trip to the Creek, I went for Supercrack Buttress straightaway, and sought out Supercrack of the Desert. Well, I flailed my way up, hanging on every piece in fear. Now, when I bring people hither for the offset fourth dimension, particularly those new to crack climbing, I take them to less-trafficked beginner areas to become them comfortable with their techniques.
My favorite beginner-friendly climbs at Indian Creek
Brusk routes with a variety of sizes in the hand range are the all-time spots to learn cracks. In Indian Creek, at that place are peachy areas like Selfish Wall, which is forty-fourscore feet tall with many sizes of hand cracks. My favorite spot is Paw Solo, a 5.9 that includes modernistic hardware that volition be used ofttimes. Nuclear Wall, also known as Sinbad Wall, is often overlooked, but it's another great beginner surface area with plenty of challenging routes. It's simply on the other side of Battle of the Bulge, a crowded Creek favorite, and it has those short routes with a variety of manus sizes that make learning piece of cake and prepare y'all for the classics of the area, which is why you lot're really coming here, right? You lot'll also find top ropes on harder routes After ascending the easier terrain, you'll also discover top ropes on the harder routes for added fun.
The towers of Indian Creek
Indian Creek even has a few epic towers. When yous first make it in the area, the North and South Sixshooters take over the skyline as you pass Scarface. For great top routes, Lightning Bolt cracks on North Sixshooter and the South Face of Due south Sixshooter are where you're going to want to be. Forth its jagged skyline, the Bridger Jacks provides some incredible tower link-ups. Easter Island via the Thunderbolts routes is my absolute favorite belfry in Indian Creek.
Supercrack Buttress — the ultimate crack climbing destination
Few areas are too suited to crack climbing as Supercrack Buttress. Yep, information technology is popular and can be exceedingly crowded on weekends, only that'due south function of the climbing in the Creek. With cracks ranging from corners, to direct-in cracks in the faces (chosen a splitter), to depression angle to overhangs with sizes ranging from tips to off-width, this area has information technology all.
The climbing itself is on Wingate Sandstone, which fractures into long, vertical scissure systems. There is trivial to no "desert varnish" on the faces that can be used as holds, then most of the climbing requires pure crack techniques. For many, this is quite the task as it can be frustrating and painful when you starting time become started. I recommend finding a crack that fits your mitt actually well to allow for hand jamming, which, for almost people, is the simplest technique for getting used to cracks.
Learn to brand a tape glove prior to arrival, or amend yet, buy defended "crevice gloves" from a local gear shop! I prefer steep, paw-sized cracks from thin to cupped hands. I get to know a crack size prior to climbing it by learning what size gear it accepts. Gear of selection in the area are Jump Loaded Camming Devices (SLCD or Cam). The 2 virtually popular are Wild Country "Friends" and Black Diamond "Camalots." I detect Blackness Diamond sizes virtually relatable: a perfect number two Camalot is equal to a perfect manus jam. A tight 4 or loose 3 is a fist jam and then on both upward and down the range. Tape is as well a very important piece of the Creek climber's arsenal.
Everything You Need to Know to Program Your Indian Creek Trip
From the camping (which is incredible, by the mode), to when to go, where to get gear, and more, here's some communication for planning your Indian Creek climbing trip:
Indian Creek camping ground is incredible and inexpensive (or free!)
I of the coolest parts about Indian Creek is the camping. There are no shortage of options, as you tin can see from this Indian Creek camping map .You can pay $xv for campgrounds that have designated car/tent sites, a fire pit and a maintained pit toilet. The two nigh popular sites are Superbowl and Creek Pasture. You tin likewise stay for free on whatsoever BLM land that's behind a gate, just it'southward always best to check with folks start, as it's poor form to camp in the climbing specific parking areas. Also, notation in that location'south a xiv-mean solar day limit for camping on BLM land.
Near the Beef Basin Road, close to the Mode Rambo area, is another free expanse called the Cottonwood Campground — this one is definitely more out of the style. Cottonwood is primitive, but it has its own vibe and culture associated with it.
The concluding, most popular surface area is for adventurous spirits with the correct vehicle (loftier clearance mandatory/4×iv preferred). The Bridger Jack Campground is located near the base of the Bridger Jack Mesa formation. Similar to Cottonwood, but with a rough vehicular arroyo, this campsite is "habitation" to the almost devoted of Indian Creek'south climbing community! I've stayed at all of the sites, just I always return to Bridger Jack, which, at the time of writing, is still complimentary of charge.
Pack it in, pack it out
Remember, follow Exit No Trace principles . In that location are no facilities other than pit toilets and parking/camping spots here. You must bring your own water and food and you must pack out EVERYTHING. There are zero trash receptacles. See some trash? Pack it out with y'all! Keeping the climbing and camping ground areas make clean goes a long way with the land managers and this way everyone benefits.
The nearby towns have all you need
The two towns closest to Indian Creek are Monticello (less touristy) and Moab (famous). Moab sits on the Colorado River in an incredibly colorful valley of blood-red sandstone. Moab is known for keen climbing , and it also boasts a ton of restaurants, hotels, take chances outfitters and bars.
Just south of Indian Creek is the minor town of Monticello – it'southward nonetheless up and coming and it'due south far quieter and relaxed than Moab. The main draw for climbers here is Roam Manufacture , a gear store that as well hosts a slew of tiny homes for rent in the Abajos, the mountain range above town. Roam also has a coffee store and they are building a host of showering opportunities and other creature comforts to concenter climbers heading to Indian Creek!
Where to get gear for climbing in Indian Creek
For the climber, the two gear stores that should have about of what you need are Pagan Mountaineering and Gearheads , the latter of which has a free water filling station. At these stores you can find all of the tape, actress cams, guidebooks, and information that you could ever want. In Moab, rest day activities include running, walking or mount biking on an immaculate network of paved greenways. If it's warm enough, you can float down the Colorado River, mount bike, and fifty-fifty skydive!
Who should visit Indian Creek?
If you consider yourself a climber of whatever stripe and you've climbed outside a couple of times, you can become to the Creek and have a slap-up fourth dimension! For newcomers, the climbing is engaging and thought provoking, and information technology's still this way for me. You lot'll likewise discover that with some patience, a bit of encouragement and qualified instruction, that you lot'll walk abroad feeling like a champ! Indian Creek is a must visit destination for climbers. It's a special spot that volition inspire many futurity generations of climbers, just as it has inspired the ones that came before!
When is the best time to climb at Indian Creek?
Yous tin climb in Indian Creek twelvemonth-circular, but it'due south all-time in leap, fall, and wintertime; summer can ofttimes be too hot and too crowded. I think information technology's best to visit from late September on, equally things brainstorm to cool off and and so climb into early on winter. My favorite fourth dimension is Oct because the changing of the flavor and the colors in this expanse are beautiful. This is ofttimes the wettest time of the twelvemonth though, so be prepared to non climb on the wet sandstone. In the leap, I find that March through May is a corking time to find a bit more solitude than the crowded autumn.
Rent a guide!
If you lot are looking to dig in, at that place'southward no better manner to get started than past hiring a guide in Indian Creek. There's two reputable and credentialed guiding services in the surface area: The Mount Guides Moab ( Jackson Hole Mountain Guides ), and Red River Adventures .
Because at that place's then many guides who live, play and work in the expanse, they tin show you lot the places where the crowds aren't going to exist, and climbing that's out of this earth! This manner, you'll maximize the pitches you choose and also gain valuable knowledge on the specific techniques required at the Creek – all in a brusk time frame! This is one climbing location where it really pays off to take a bit of guidance, no matter your skill level.
For a more social (and still educational) 24-hour interval out, consider one of the rock climbing camps offered here. This is a chance to practise your crevice climbing alongside certified guides plus a grouping of fellow learners encouraging you on.
Answer the siren call of Indian Creek'south perfect splitter cracks and venture on a guided day of stone climbing completely tailored to you lot!
Source: https://57hours.com/review/climbing-at-indian-creek/
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