Bushwhack Crack

4/3/22

A couple of months after moving to Salt Lake, I still hadn’t found a regular climbing partner. Most of my sessions were at the climbing gym, which thankfully helped me meet some new people. Eventually, I met Axel and Emily who invited me to join them for a day of climbing on real rock — we’d be heading to the Schoolroom area in Little Cottonwood Canyon with one of their friends.

After a short hike from the Gate Buttress parking lot, we found ourselves at the base of Bushwhack Crack. I’d been itching to get on real rock, so I volunteered to lead it. This would be my very first outdoor climb in Utah, and I could barely contain my excitement.

The route was a beautiful granite crack that led up to a set of chains above a small roof. I stepped off a big starting block and slotted myself into the crack. Luckily, there was a perfect spot to place a .5 cam right off the deck — enough to make me feel solid as I worked my way up.

The hands were tight, but the pods in the crack were deep and reliable. It felt more slippery than the granite I had been on in Yosemite, but the rock still had that solid, textured feel that gives you confidence. As I passed a small bush growing out of the crack (true to the route’s name), I reached the roof.

Just below it, I placed a bomber nut — the kind that would only come out if the wall fell down. With that boost of confidence, I left the crack briefly to pull the small roof. Once I stood above it, all that was left was an easy low-angle crack to the chains. This section was a breeze and fun, it was just a hop skip and a jump before I was up at the anchors.

Lowering off, I knew I’d be back. There was still a second pitch to try — and I couldn’t stop smiling. We spent the rest of the day climbing more routes around Schoolroom and Green Adjective Gully, but Bushwhack was the clear highlight.

more assorted routes from that first day out in LCC

Since then, I’ve gone back to Bushwhack again and again — and finally climbed the second pitch. It’s an awesome change of pace: the hand crack narrows into finger jams, then arches out right onto slabby face climbing. The best part is right near the top, where the crack thins out to nothing and traverses right. You get one last horizontal .5 cam placement at your feet — and then it’s just you and the blank granite to the chains.

There’s just enough texture to make it go, but I still clench my teeth and commit every time. I love taking people out on this climb, seeing peoples reactions of slab climbing at the top is one of my favorite things. It has a good variety of climbing styles throughout, as well as just enough adventure to keep it exciting.

I’ve now climbed Bushwhack Crack dozens of times, with all kinds of partners, in every season. And honestly? It still feels just as good as the first day I tied in.

different times of year, different people, same bushwhack

---