Big Cottonwood Canyon Climbing

This digital Big Cottonwood Canyon climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Big Cottonwood Canyon days smoother, safer, and more dialed.

While the bouldering in Big Cottonwood Canyon is largely overshadowed by the nearby Little Cottonwood, there is a huge variety in climbing here and a little something for everyone. Lower in the canyon, the rock is high quality quartzite and makes for lots of interesting features and good, steep climbing. Drive to the top of the canyon and you will be climbing on the lovely granite around Brighton, surrounded by aspen trees and alpine lakes. Keep driving up and over Guardsman Pass and make the hike to the Gman Boulders for a serene bouldering experience ... Show more

This digital Big Cottonwood Canyon climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Big Cottonwood Canyon days smoother, safer, and more dialed. While the bouldering in Big Cottonwood Canyon is largely overshadowed by the nearby Little Cottonwood, there is a huge variety in climbing here and a little something for everyone. Lower in the canyon, the rock is high quality quartzite and makes for lots of interesting features and good, steep climbing. Drive to the top of the canyon and you will be climbing on the lovely granite around Brighton, surrounded by aspen trees and alpine lakes. Keep driving up and over Guardsman Pass and make the hike to the Gman Boulders for a serene bouldering experience on highly unique rock. While LCC may have BCC beat for roadside classics, Big is perfect for those who love to explore and get away from the crowds. ETHICS No gluing, chipping, or manufacturing any holds. Generally just respect the places you get to climb at. Clean up after yourself, pick up any trash you find, brush your ticks and excess chalk off the holds, clean your climbing shoes before pulling on the wall. Stick to established trails the best you can. Respect the watershed protections, there is no swimming allowed in Lower Big Cottonwood and Brighton. HISTORY Big Cottonwood has a long history of sport/trad climbing, but the first recorded bouldering was likely done in the 80's and 90's. The canyon is covered in A Bouldering Guide to Utah by Baldwin, Beck, and Russo, and features many of the quartzite boulders lower in the canyon, as well as mention of the Milly Boulder in Brighton and a few surrounding lines. The rest of Brighton and Guardsman areas were a bit more recently explored, largely developed by Jay Keener, Victor Copeland, Tommy Rigby, Alec and Larson Quick, and others. The lower canyon has recently seen a surge of development, with boulders like Nightman, Forged in Fire, and the Ramp Wall being put up in the last few years. There is a lot of rock up here, and there is still plenty of development to be done, especially if you're willing to hike. From I-215, take the 6200 S exit and head east, following signs to Big Cottonwood/Brighton. Once in the canyon follow directions on KAYA for parking to different areas. Guardsman Pass is also easily accessed from Park City.