Moe's Valley

I'll follow my lengthy Blakean post with a relatively short one. After 10 days in Joe's Valley and a short stop in Zion National Park, Cortney and I went to Moe's Valley near St. George, Utah for a few days. The climbing in Moe's Valley is really fun - it shares elements of Joe's, Hueco, and the Kraft Boulders, though it doesn't quite measure up to the first two areas. The climbing is on very compact sandstone that seems to have just the right amount of features, and the area is set in a pleasant, open valley just five or ten minutes from the car. Most of the landings are friendly, and there is a very high concentration of quality moderates. To complete the picture, there is free camping in the parking area. I would recommend stopping in Moe's to anyone who is traveling through southern Utah. There is a new guide to Moe's that is available from Markhor Climbing; the book definitely leaves something to be desired, but it will get you around. Here are some photos:

Moe's ValleyCortney on Device Ignitor RightShow of HandsSpectro

We both climbed lots of moderates, but for me the highlight of our visit to Moe's Valley was climbing Lindner Roof, a short, steep overhang with intricate, enjoyable movement. It was a fun climb. It was also nice to be inspired to try hard. Here are some photos and a hastily-edited video:

Lindner Roof

UnderboyOuchIsrailWarming Up