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Joe's Valley

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Summary

One of the last great bouldering areas in the USA without a strict regulation. The area has featured and pocketed grippy sandstone boulders that have gymnastic movement and challenging top outs.

Description

Located in the Manti-La Sal National Forest near the town of Orangeville, Utah, this area is the dirtbag boulderer's dream. This is, among other things, because it is possible to camp roadside at either the Left (average parking for the bouldering located at GPS coordinates 39.275179, -111.189135) or Right Forks (average parking for the bouldering located at GPS coordinates 39.285876, -111.178020), or New Joe's (parking for the bouldering located at GPS coordinates 39.308592, -111.119097). Use the pre-established campsites and avoid "creating" new ones. Don't camp in canyon washes/drainages (flash flooding is a possibility). Bathrooms have been installed near all camping areas. Approaches are generally short (less than 12 minutes). The Food Ranch (whose address is 315 UT-29, Orangeville, UT 84537, United States, GPS coordinates 39.230773, -111.046381) in nearby Orangeville is a good place to meet other climbers, charge your electronic equipment, get free wi-fi, and shop for food, donuts, water, and other supplies (including hand warmers and other camping equipment). R Pizza (whose address is 555 E Main St, Castle Dale, UT 84513, United States, GPS coordinates 39.212186, -111.007240) in nearby Castle Dale is known to have the best pizzas in town. Right across the road from R Pizza is Stewart's Market, which is often cheaper and better supplied than the Food Ranch. It is possible to take a shower in the Aquatic Center (whose address is 240 E 800 N, Castle Dale, UT 84513, United States, GPS coordinates 39.223867, -111.016143) in Castle Dale for $4 at the time of writing (April 2015) (which includes access to the fantastic Emery County swimming pool). A car is a must. Littering is a big no-no. So is starting a fire with wood collected from the wilderness (firewood is available at the Food Ranch). If you do start a fire, keep it small in size and make sure to wash out all embers, as this is a very dry environment that ignites easily. Try to go to the toilet in the bathrooms provided, but if you must go, carry it all out. Make sure you park in a place where you're not in the way. Always follow the beaten paths- do not "create" new paths- this destroys native vegetation. Keep dogs under control (no digging, etc). DO NOT CAMP OR START FIRES NEXT TO THE BOULDERS! Erase tick marks before you leave the boulders you climb.

Access issues

No access issues yet. This is a delicate status, though. So make sure you follow the advice given in the description section.

Approach

To get to the different parking areas in Joe's Valley, see GPS coordinates in Description section. Joe's Valley is just outside of the town of Orangeville, UT. Take Hwy. 29 west out of Orangeville. Shortly after leaving town you can either take a right onto Route 57 to go to New Joe's, or you can keep going straight until the road branches into the Left and Right forks.

Driving time is around 2 hours from SLC, 6-7 hours from the Front Range in Colorado, 14 from Portland, etc.

To get to the New Joe's parking, follow highway 57 until you hit mile marker 11 (next to a white sign that says End State Maintenance). Within the next 200 yards, look right for a beaten downhill path. Park next to it. The map to get to the different bouldering areas at New Joe's from the Parking lot is included as a Crag topo here.

To get to the different bouldering areas in the Left and Right Forks, follow highway 29 until you hit a fork in the road. Right leads to the Right Fork areas and left leads to the Left Fork areas. To get to each sub-area, follow the map given in a Crag topo.

Where to stay

To see where to camp, see the description section. There is, at the time of writing (April 2015), an airbnb option in Orangeville, as is a Motel near R Pizza in Castle Dale.

Ethic

See the description section for crag ethics.

History

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Tue 9 May
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