Maverick Buttress, 5.10-5.12

Overview/Approach

Maverick Buttress is by far the more popular climbing destination in this relatively (vs the hoard at Indian Creek) overlooked canyon north of Moab.  While climbing tourists seek the social activities of Indian Creek, if you are a truly focused trad climber, prefering the quiet and wilderness aspect of climbing, Long Canyon will provide as many 5.10-5.12 stellar crack climbs as you could possibly digest in any given trip.  It is actually an ideal winter destination in general due to so many south facing walls, however the Triple Buttress area and Maverick Buttress offer shaded routes that are perfect for the shoulder seasons. 

Hot Toddy, 5.10, and Tequila Sunrise, 5.10+, are by far the most popular moderates on Maverick and as such are much cleaner cracks compared to neighboring moderates.  They share the same finish and fixed rap at 80’.  Tequila is rated higher in the local guide and on MP.com, but is considerably easier and less sustained than Hot Toddy.  Both offer excellent moderate climbing and get morning sun and afternoon shade in October.  A rope length west, into an alcove, you will find two more excellent moderate climbs, Texas Two Step, 5.10, and Round Up, 5.10+.  In the same shady alcove, across from these two routes is a wider moderate named Saddle Sores, 5.10, which is much softer and chossier than the previous four mentioned. 

The Triple Buttress area is best accessed from the south entry to Long Canyon Road (dirt road in sometimes rough conditions), but Maverick Buttress is best accessed from the north off of Utah road 313.  My favorite camping, as Moab in general has become inundated these past several decades, is in Canyonlands north.  Therefore, the drive to Long Canyon from my campsite is relatively short compared to many of Moab's climbing destinations.  In October, days before they ran a grader up Long Canyon Road, an average clearance vehicle was bottomed out and had to be towed out.  I drive a 4x4 truck but if you are driving a regular car, whether the road has been recently graded or not would probably be important knowledge, particularly if coming from the north.  If coming from the south off of Potash Road, west of Wall Street, the road up to Maverick Buttress is much tamer than the road from Maverick Buttress further north to 313.   Whilst driving from Potash Road, Maverick Buttress is at 3.3 miles up Long Canyon Road.  As of 2022, there is a signed trail on the west side of the road leading up to the base of the buttress, maybe a 5-minute hike, by far the easist approach of any crag along Long Canyon Road.  If coming from the north off of 313, you turn left as though heading for Dead Horse Point State Park.  In a mile or two, You leave the pavement on the left at a large dirt parking area and unmarked dirt road.  This is Long Canyon Road.  It eventually makes a big steep switchback and as of 2022, continues underneath a fallen tower draped over the road.  Shortly after this fun section of driving, you arrive at the signed Maverick Buttress trailhead.  Maverick Buttress is the only climbing destination in Long Canyon (2022) with a signed trail.  It is an obvious buttress than contains sunny and shaded routes.

Route Descriptions, Listed South to North

Mav 1- 5.10/

2012- 5.11/

Mustang Man- 5.11+/

Saddle Sores- 50’-5.10/ Deep in the alcove on the north facing wall is a back corner, short and dirty hands to off-width.  The sandstone is soft as expected.  The crux is the finish through a short off-width, facing right and then facing left.  The rap anchor is two pins with webbing (2022).  I pushed my #5 a time or two.  Some would be more comfortable adding a #6. Single from #2 through #5, optional #6 sews up the crux.  Dow

Round Up- 5.10+/

Texas Two Step- 70’-5.10/ Interesting cool route.  Located on the same wall west of Hot Toddy at the entrance to an alcove.  Climb a finger to hands right facing corner and turn the arete as it switches to a left facing corner.  Climb some cool steps on the arete through the transition.  The crux is the #4 finish to fixed chains.  Single from #.75 - #4.  Double #2-#4.  Well shaded most of the day past early am.  Dow

Festus- 5.12/

Hoe Down- 5.12/

Hot Toddy- 80’-5.10/ The most popular moderate on Maverick as well as in Long Canyon no doubt.  A right facing corner on a SE facing wall.  Shades itself before noon in October.  Mostly a #3 corner crack.  Fists or large hand jams.  Feet in crack get a lot of constrictions to work with.  The wide final several meters are the crux via awkward climbing through gear to fixed chains. MP.com chatter references as many as eight #3’s.  But four are plenty for the competent leader if supplemented with a single from #2-#5.  Dow

Tequila Sunrise- 80’-5.10+/ Located just to the right of Hot Toddy and shares the same finish and rap anchor.  Climb the off-set finger and ring lock splitter to tight hands to hands to the wide finish on Hot Toddy.  The local guide and MP.com have this route at 5.10+ but I thought it was no more difficult, if not easier, than Hot Toddy.  The finger section has decent feet options to assist.  It is a good straight in crack to practice ring locks, no need to layback as referenced on MP.com. Single from #.4 to #5.  Doubles #2 to #3.  Dow

High Noon- 5.11/

Clantons in the Dust- 5.10+/

Boot Hill- 5.12/

Gunsmoke- 5.11/

Miss Kitty Likes it Raw- 5.11+/

Miss Kitty Likes it that Way- 5.11+/

Rawhide- 5.11+/

Shoot Out- 5.11b/

Showdown- 5.11/

Short Crack- 5.11+/