Graveside Matter

Lat/Lon: 37.67028°N / 113.01333°W; Click for Google Map
Graveside Matter is the first crag area you come to in Cedar Canyon east of Cedar
City (9 miles) and is on one of two access roads (High 14) used for the extensive
Brian Head climbing/ski area. There are eight published routes at Graveside Matter
and an additional six routes I counted in 2007 for a total of at least 14, the most
unique of which is the arête (The Adventure Climb, 5.10-photo) towering over the
left side pullout on Highway 14. The majority of these routes are slab routes on
compressed, but soft, (won’t find many trad features) limestone which forms many of
the vertical surfaces of Cedar Canyon Crags. The whole area has an alpine flare,
with large conifers, running water and lush forest growth. Graveside Matter itself was
actually named after a rappelling death in 1996 during the time this climbing area
was developed. Quite a few routes were added since Todd Goss published his
most recent guide book in 2006, thus this area is still being developed. There is
one aid route believe it or not, that turns into a decent trad crack, so bring your
gear.

Cedar Canyon Crags offer the same respite that West Cedar Crags offers, cooler
temperatures at 6200’ versus the searing heat that can exist in Saint George an hour
to the south. The rock however, ten miles east of Cedar City (fresh water
limestone) versus 10 miles west of Cedar City (rapidly cooled volcanic ash), is
completely different. However, both are somewhat soft in texture.

Cedar Canyon is located on the “Hurricane Fault” line. The Hurricane fault extends
from Cedar City, Utah, to south of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, and is the longest
and most active of several large earthquake faults along the boundary between the
Colorado Plateau and Great Basin Desert. The Utah Geological Survey considers
the Hurricane fault active and capable of generating earthquakes in excess of
magnitude seven. The history of the Cedar Breaks area is quite immense, it is said
that you can drive through a hundred million years of rock history during the course of
five miles.

Route Description(s)
The Routes are Listed as you approach them on a well Defined Trail

Not Free Yet - 65’- 5.10, A0/ Aid through two bolts, but bottom bolt is missing
hanger (2007), and then good limestone crack to tree anchor below The
Adventure Climb arete. (photo)
The Adventure Climb - 70’- 5.10a/ A fun and very aesthetic line. Take a right
turn off the trail onto a short switchback trail that takes you up to the left end of
the arête. Start here and take 8 bolts to anchor. The 5.10 move comes about
2/3rd of the way up where it gets blank for your hands and you have to do an
exposed move with your right foot out onto the face and then raise your left
foot up to waist to catch a sloping stance. Hands will only be good for balance
as you stand to clip the next bolt. One more 5.10 move should get you past
the next bolt and onto easier ground. Chains are at the top, but if you are
going to top rope, leave your gear in and clip through on rappel for directional.
They have bolted another section of the arête further along, but this is not a
published route as of 2007. It looks to be on suspect overhanging clayish
rock. Go for it if you wish but it did not look appetizing to me. There are also
several unpublished routes up the south face of the arête. These do look like
well placed routes with unique features.
Gotta Have Nuts - 5.10c/ Separate Feature.
Fallout - 50’- 5.11c/ Separate Feature (photo)

Graveside Matter Wall
The Routes are Left to Right, South to North
Continue along the trail from the Adventure Climb, cross the creek to the left, back to
the right and then back left again and you will be facing the Graveside slab. Follow
this side trail as it meanders its way to the base of the routes.

Too Much Chalk, Not Enough Lycra – 65’- 5.12a/ Way off to the left of the slab.
Ghost Rider – 50’- 5.6/ Real good trainer lead. There is at least one more
unpublished line to the left. Look for my marked up route photo for
identification. Ghost rider starts to the left of a tree on the left side of the slab.
Four bolts arching right to a common anchor. A little flake action in the middle.
Fun beginner lead route.
Faceplant – 50’- 5.10a/ Five bolts to same anchor. I did two routes here,
Faceplant and one between Faceplant and Ghost Rider that is not published,
both are 5.10a types. Typical slab with some fun features to make use of,
uneventful and not overly challenging.
Widowmaker – 50’- 5.10d/ Todd has this as an “R” “X” route, but it is now
well bolted to anchor. The crux is early on. You have this fine little short crack
on the left you must parlay into quite a distance to the next feature. It was a
joy. Now next to it, on the right side of a large tree, is a bastard of a 5.11-12. A
new route, still quite mossy and loose in places, offers a really tough start
and then a fun small roof to pull on slabby conditions. Well bolted to its own
anchor on the overhang above. Worth doing, but you might want to top rope it
the first time, this limestone is quite slippery in nature to begin with compared
with most. Add moss to the equation and it can be a pain.

Essential Gear
You need a 60m rope if you want to do those unpublished face climbs on the arête.
Otherwise a 50m will do. You have one cool aid/trad climb right by the road, might be
worth bringing your gear, looks fun, but one hanger is missing, would be cool if you
had an extra on you. Probably do not need to pull on it though, might have been why
someone removed it. Looks like you can get to the 2nd bolt no worries. I obviously
did not climb it though. Draws are fine for all the slab routes, but bring a few runners
for the arête route. The anchors are all bomber (2007). Remember, you are over
3000’ higher than Saint George, so if you are visiting Cedar Canyon in the early
spring or late fall, bring a decent jacket. This is not a winter crag, there more than
likely will be snow in this area.

Getting There
Graveside Matter is located just beyond the 9 mile marker on the left side of Highway
14 east of downtown Cedar City on your way to Cedar Breaks National Monument
and/or Brian Head. There is a pull off on the left and “The Adventure Climb” is the
obvious arête (photo) looming over the highway on the left.

Red Tape
The BLM manages nearly 22.9 million acres of public lands in Utah, representing
about 42 percent of the state. The regulations regarding most BLM land are fairly
wide open compared to State and Federal parks. It appears you can camp and climb
in this area at will. Pit fires are highly discouraged if not illegal but you see one right
at the pullout.

When to Climb
At 6000’+, climbing in the winter can definitely be too cold in this region. But of course
that means that Cedar Canyon and even further up the road, Brian Head, serve as
great escapes from the searing heat in the spring and summer if you are camping
out in southwestern Utah.

Camping/Lodging
The National Forest Service maintains a campground 12 miles up Highway 14 from
Cedar City. Cedar City has several private campgrounds and quite a few newer
hotels. Country Aire RV Park Campground is located at 1700 North Main. They are
open all year and have 18 tent sites, a ton of trailer sites, flush toilets, showers, etc.
Cedar City KOA claims to be the #1 KOA rated campground in Utah and is located at
1121 North Main. The National Forest Service operates several campgrounds in the
Markagunt Plateau area, but they are only open during the summer.

Notes: If you don't like the rock, drive 20 miles....as we explored the Cedar City
cragging area, we switched from "welded tuff" west of town to "fresh water limestone"
east of town, both quite different than the sandstone and lava rock further south. Very
cool alpine environs, nice break from the heat. This part of Utah is extremely diverse.
I like Graveside Matter, good for a day trip, but it does not rate as high as most
competing crags.