Backcountry.com Ruth Lake Adopt-A-Crag Event

You had how many people show up?

As an event organizer you always wonder if people will show and like my previous post indicated, we had over 60 people show up from all parts of Utah to participate in the crag event.  The Forest Service was blown away and after the first hour of trail work realized that we hadn't planned out enough work.  The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance said they'd never seen such a large turnout for an Adopt-a-Crag event in all of Utah, even the ones held just 10 minutes from Salt Lake City. 

I was so stoked to see so many people show up and the variety of people was tremendous.  The willingness and eagerness of the volunteers was outstanding.  I suppose an 90 minute drive from Salt Lake City, Utah can be a filter of sorts. 

After working on the approach trail with carins, a crew of people spent a couple of hours on the talus next to the Good Medicine Wall, building terraces and belay stations.  They moved some very large boulders and made a bit of a trail leading through the maze of rocks and ledges. What a difference this will make from the safety of others to the comfort of belayers.  I'm already interested to see how they hold up through the rest of the climbing season and through the winter.

Another group of people helped to mitigate water drainage and erosion on two sections of the trail leading to the crag.  I spent the first hour of the event checking in some of the late arrivals and getting them Clif bars, Pro Bars, Nalgene Bottles and discount codes for Backcountry.com.  As I finally hiked up to the crag I couldn't believe all the work that had been completed. The Forest Service employees where directing some of the work while climbers were taking initiative and getting the job done.

There were some people roaming around, doing a bit of work here and a bit of work there.  The adjacent walls were treated to a bit of work with an access trail leading from the Good Medicine Wall.  This was something that we (the Forest Service and myself) talked about doing but figured it would be part of "next year's project". 

After the work was called off a huge gear raffle ensued and just about everyone went home with something.  A few people stuck around to climb, others headed down to the group site at Washington Lake in anticipation of the BBQ and camping.  It was quite a party and one I'm sure that many will look forward to next year. (yep, I said next year)

A huge thanks to all those that showed up, to the sponsors, the Forest Service (Kamas and Evanston districts) and particularly to Backcountry.com for supporting this event from the idea phase through the execution of the event.  We've committed to putting it on again next year.

Check out the photo album for images from the event.

Ruth Lake Crag Day a Success!

At 9:30 am I sat there at the Ruth Lake trailhead with a dozen people thinking to myself, "Could this be it? I thought that there would be more people."

Slowly over the next 45 minutes another 50 people would show up and make the Ruth Lake Crag Day the most well attended Access Fund Adopt-a-Crag event that locals have seen in Utah.  The diversity of the group was fantastic.  Backcountry.com had eight employees, the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance had three of its board members, there was a family of four, a father and his four year old son, two different school groups (one of which was passing by and switched from thier hike destination to a trail work day), a group of Astrology post grad students from the University of Utah and a good mix of your run of the mill dedicated climbers to round out the 68 who registered for the event.

After a brief introduction at the trailhead by myself and the Forest Service the group set off to build cairns on the section of trail that traverses the exposed bedrock.  One volunteer described this effort the following way;  "Ted from the Forest Service would say 'Build a cairn here' and vooomff, it was done.

Needless to say the event was a tremendous success. I'll post more details and photos later. Must sleep now....

Salt Lake area climbers - Ruth Lake Crag Day

-- Last edited 7/18/06 -- 

Join Backcountry.com, the US Forest Service, Salt Lake Climbers Alliance and the Access Fund for a day of trail building and crag terracing at Ruth Lake in the Uintas.  The event is on July 22, 2006 at 9:30am and will run to 3:30. If you cannot make it for all of the day, any time you can donate is fantastic.

If we get a great turn out of volunteers and are able to get the work done before 3:30 you're welcome to climb after the gear raffle. (yea, you should bring some gear)  The gear raffle will take place after the work is done which is anticipated to be 3:30pm. 

The day will include:

• Bagels provided for breakfast
• Trail building and designation from the Ruth Lake Trail to the base of the first crag
• Terracing the base of the crag and the west talus
• Beverages and crag clean up power fuel supplied (Gatorade, CarbBoom Gels and ProBars)
• BBQ - join us for a BBQ starting at 5pm (you don't have to show up at 5 sharp - this is not work and we're not your boss.  The BBQ will be going for a couple of hours) at group campground LINCOLN at Washington Lake provided by Backcountry.com.  FREE
• Camping - Camping the night of July 22 at the group campground site is FREE for anyone who attends
• Gear Give-Away - each attendee will recieve gear swag and a raffle ticket for the raffle which will take place at the end of the event.
• Access Fund Membership Drive

We'll keep updating this site with information about the event, details of the work invovled, prizes to be raffled away and the various companies who will be supporting this event.  This event and the trail work will undoubtably make a long term difference for the climbing area as well as a positive impact for the relationship between the climbing community and the US Forest Service.

Directions to Ruth Lake

Coming from Salt Lake -  Take I-80 eastbound.  Exit Highway 40 (the exit just past Kimball Junction/Park City).  Follow Highway 40 to the Kamas/Park City exit (2nd exit from I-80) and turn east to Kamas. When you arrive in Kamas take a left at the stop-light.  At the next stop-light turn right and follow this, Highway 150, to mile post 35.  Please park at the Highline Trail parking lot which is about 1/4 mile before the Ruth Lake parking.

Coming from Provo - Take Highway 189 through Provo Canyon to Heber.  When you arrive in Heber turn left onto Highway 40 which goes through town.  After exiting town you'll arrive at a stop light just before Highway 40 starts to climb the hill to Park City (adjacent to the Jordanelle Resevior).  Turn right at this light and you'll be on Highway 25 headed for Francis.  Upon arriving in Francis turn left at the flashing red light.  You're just 2 miles from Kamas.  Proceed through the first traffic light in Kamas and turn right at the second light. Follow this, Highway 150, to mile post 35.  Please park at the Highline Trail parking lot which is about 1/4 mile before the Ruth Lake parking.

About Ruth Lake

Ruth Lake is one of two very popular rock climbing crags in the Uintas that have seen an increase in traffic over the past few years.  I remember when in the summer of 2001 the only beta for the area was a couple of scribbled drawings that I photo copied at White Pine Touring.  At that time Ruth Lake had a few bolted routes and there really wasn't a trail from the main hiking trail to bring climbers to the crag. 

Over the years a few meandering trails have been created with no commonly accepted route. Additionally the two "warm up climbs" are located at the top of a talus that wraps around to the west of the crag.  This talus is a mess to negotiate and has seen a fair amount of erosion.

Now, with the publishing of a full fledged guide book in 2005 the area has seen the number of climbers and dogs increase dramatically as many are fleeing the 100+ temps of the cottonwood canyons to find solid rock and sweatshirt weather in July and August.

Interested in helping out?

If you are interested in helping in any capacity with this event please contact Kendall Card at Backcountry.com by clicking the "Email Me" link to the left.