Adopt a Crag - Challenge Buttress, Big Cottonwood Canyon
Our friends at Cottonwood Canyons Foundation have been hard at work improving climbing access trails at Challenge Buttress in Big Cottonwood Canyon and now they need some help from the community.
Adopt a Crag - Volunteer Trail Work Day
Thursday, July 27th, 2023
8 AM - 3 PM
Meet at the Big Cottonwood Overflow Lot across from Alpha Coffee
3653 Fort Union Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121
From there, expect to carpool to the worksite as there is limited parking.
Volunteers can sign up by emailing tcromwell@cottonwoodcanyons.org
ABOUT the project
Over the past few weeks, the trail crew has built over two dozen rock steps on the approach to Challenge Buttress and have another two dozen planned to be completed by next week. Challenge Buttress is a crag that sees a high volume of climbers of all ranges of skill and age. For the volunteer day next week, they hope to use the extra hands to move rock down to the worksites on both the east and west sides of the crag. They will be using the native rock to construct belay pads at the staging areas.
For those interested in volunteering: Expect a handful of hours out on the site. They will take any time you have to give, but would love for volunteers to put in at least two hours. Please bring water and snacks; well-fitting work gloves (very important!); sturdy, closed-toed shoes; and some type of eyewear. The site can be pretty shady, so low-light glasses are best if you have them. Eyewear is important because they will be crushing rock and sending rock shards flying randomly through the air. Wear long pants, bug spray, sunscreen, and a hat or climbing helmet.
Can’t volunteer on July 27th? You’re in luck! Cottonwood Canyons Foundation graciously accepts walk up volunteers during the hours of 8 AM - 2 PM every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next two weeks at Challenge Buttress and then at other sites in the canyon. Simply walk up the approach to the crag, find the crew, and they can almost certainly put you to work.
A huge thanks to Cottonwood Canyons Foundation and the USFS Salt Lake Ranger District for their work to stabilize climbing access trails!
