Bouldering Near Salt Lake City: Little Cottonwood Canyon
Salt Lake City: US Climbing’s Early Hotbed
While today the bouldering near Salt Lake City is world renowned, the Wasatch Range first came into relevance in the US rock climbing scene 40 years ago. This boon began in the 80’s and 90’s with the sport climbing development at areas such as American Fork Canyon, Maple Canyon, and Logan Canyon. It was led by outdoor junkies with a counter-cultural streak such as Boone Speed and Jeff Pedersen, who flocked to the Wasatch Range to revel in the bounty of untapped rock.
A New Generation of Bouldering in Little Cottonwood Canyon
Later, at the turn of the 21st Century, a new generation of local men and women including Steven Jeffrey, Mike Beck, and Justin Wood, turned their attention to the ample abundance of boulders the nearby canyons had to offer. Thanks to their countless hours of hiking hillsides, scrubbing lichen, and building landings, several thousand new boulder problems were established.
Little Cottonwood Canyon: Local Bouldering Mecca
The vast majority of this bouldering development happened among the roadside boulders of Little Cottonwood Canyon, a mere 20 minutes southeast of downtown Salt Lake City. Today, with its short approaches and ease of access, LCC’s collection of bullet-hard quartz monzonite boulders have become one of the most popular bouldering areas in the United States.
Something For Everyone
Whether you’re a fledgling pebble-wrestler who caught the bug at the local climbing gym, or a seasoned hard-man willing to shiver for hours under your project in the dead of winter, little cottonwood canyon boldering has something for everyone. Among the popular sectors within the canyon, the Secret Garden (0.2 miles up canyon), the 5 Mile Boulders (1.0 miles up canyon), and the White Pine Boulders (4.9 miles up canyon) stand out as having a great variety of high-quality classics.
Bouldering Season
The best months to boulder in Little Cottonwood Canyon are September – December and March – June.
Must-Do Boulder Problems
The following is a list of must-do boulder problems in Little Cottonwood Canyon:
- Fudge Ripple V1
- Double Dyno V2
- The Big Guy V3
- Tequila Sunset V4
- Ring Toss V5
- Prowler V6
- Shivers V7
- Blue Steel V8
- Wrist Rocket V9
- Red Letter Day V10
- Bully V11
- Eclipse V12
- Hour of Power V13
- The Grand Illusion V16
More Resources For LCC Bouldering:
If bouldering seems a little adventurous for you, Utah has something to offer everyone that feels the call of the wild, from gentle hikes to getting out on mountain bikes to scaling our most popular peaks.
https://www.sevenslopes.com/easy-hike-to-utah-waterfall/
https://www.sevenslopes.com/5-best-bike-trails-in-salt-lake-city/
https://www.sevenslopes.com/mount-timpanogos/
For more information on bouldering in Little Cottonwood Canyon, check out Mountain Project or download the LCC Bouldering app on your mobile device!
