Ice Cream Parlor, 5.8-5.11

Overview/Route(s)

Ice Cream Parlor is a fantastic crag for sport/trad climbing in the quiet confines of the Kane Valley versus climbing on Wallstreet across the Colorado River. It is part of the Colorado Riverway Recreation Area managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Moab field office (which oversees almost six million acres) . At first the dirt road through the Kane Valley parallels the Wallstreet climbing area on the east side of the Colorado. But eventually the narrow dirt extension of Kane Creek Blvd meanders west away from the river to the quite mesa beyond Hunter Canyon. A left bend in the road directly across from the Echo Camp Site is where you will find the quiet climbing section known as Ice Cream Parlor. (8 miles from Hwy 191) 

The routes are varied, offering typical Moab solid crack climbing on Wingate sandstone. Its cracks are much more dependable than most of the rock I have climbed on in Utah National Parks. They are coated with the “desert varnish” (thick coating of iron and manganese) I have mentioned with Island in the Sky in Snow Canyon State Park north of St. George, UT. There are more routes than are listed in Stewart Green’s first edition of “Rock Climbing in Utah”. The Ice Cream Parlor walls break down into two sections, a right and left.

Right Section, Right to Left

T-Rex- 5.12/

Death Trap- 5.8/

Knee Grinder- 100’-5.9+/ Not a good route and it is not 5.9+.  Climb the right side of the pillar that Coffin is on.  Moderate climbing gets you to the first of two wide sections.  This first one is reasonable at the grade.  The 2^nd higher one that leads to the shared fixed rap with Coffin, is slightly overhanging layback with no gear.  Very difficult to climb this slot inside as OW and the picture from the FA shows them lay backing.  The local guide calls for big bros, but I have never seen a climber strong enough to set one lay backing overhanging ground.  If you took a #7 or #8 with you, a solid trad climber can punch one of those up and leave before they tip out to protect a fall.  Otherwise, there is a lone bolt down near a ledge at the beginning of this section which would not stop you from decking on this final portion.  I am confused why it is even there.  60m rope.  Single #1 to #8. Shoulder length slings.  Route receives sun by 1pm in September.  Dow

The Possessed- 5.11+/

Coffin- 100’-5.9***/ Aptly named for its squeeze chimney as well as the appropriate name to follow A Good Day to Die.  Climb through the chossy roof crack to the right of Ice Cream Parlor Crack, on the left side of a detached pillar.  It is awkward off the deck and the crux is pulling over the roof.  Follow the nice right facing dihedral up as it widens.  Might as well use the #5 and #6 here because they won’t help you in the “coffin”.  Then start the squeeze chimney above.  Typical knees forward, feet back and hands pointed down on opposite wall.  Slow going, but there are features here and there that speed it up quite a bit.  I placed three small off set cams in the intermittent corner in the corner of the squeeze, but it is still a bit runout.  Should be comfortable with squeezes to lead it.  Top out on top of the pillar at a shared rap.  60m rope.  Single from micro to #6.  Shoulder length slings.  Route receives sun by 1pm in September.  Dow

Pulp Fiction- 5.11/

Ice Cream Parlor Crack- 5.11/

A Good Day to Die- 100’-5.9+****/ Outstanding route at the grade and one of the best at Ice Cream Parlor.  Start just to the right of the right facing corner at the left end of the ledge that contains the uber classic 5.11, Ice Cream Parlor Crack.  Ice Cream Parlor Crack has a two-bolt belay station you pass right to left on the ledge below this group of routes on varnished rock at the south end of Ice Cream Parlor.  Then there is a single bolt belay station (2023) just in front of the right facing corner that is the start of Good Day to Die.  Start up some face climbing to place a bomber #0 cam or wire.  Then continue up the crack as it widens beyond #4.  Start traversing (crux) up and right through two spacious bolts on slab and edges to a fixed rap (2023).  Single from micro to #4.  Shoulder length slings.  60m rope.  Route receives sun by 1pm in September.  Dow

Left Section, Right to Left

Not Rip City- 5.9+/

Freezer Burn- 5.10a/

Night Light- 5.10-/

Vanilla Cream- 5.10+/

Rip City- 5.10+/

Hot Carl Sunday- 5.10b/

Crack #3- 5.8/

Crack #2- 5.8/

Crack #1- 5.8/

Black Slab- 5.6/

Brewed Awakenings- 5.5/

Parlor Game- 5.9/

Space Ghost- 5.10***/ For whatever reason, more likely that it is trad and wide in a sea of sport climbs, Space Ghost does not receive much love in the local guide. It gets a little more attention on  MP.com.  It is actually a decent trad multipitch route by Moab standards. The first pitch is best done by climbing a relatively new (2021) bolted route that is more consistent with the grade of the route (5.10) vs the 5.6 traditional start.  You start just north of the apex of dirt along the base of the wall.  Pictures of Parlor Game show it starting to the right of said apex.  The local guide lists a TR route between Parlor and the 5.6 corner listed at 5.10.  Not sure if this is the bolted route I am referencing as there are so many anchors in this section of the wall.  But bottom line, as of 2021, if you climb the first bolted route right of the corner, it makes for a good start to Space Ghost.  The second and third pitches offer outstanding crack climbing at the grade and they are best climbed separate to avoid rope drag.  The second pitch takes on a knee jamming flake with the crux being the mantle out of said flake.  The fixed anchor is out right on a sloping ledge below a blank wall.  The third pitch re-enters the corner system which becomes a flaring chimney with a fist to hand crack in back.  Climb this fun crack to a roof and make a cool exposed (but protected) chimney traverse out left and pull over to the top. Dow

Critical Mass- 5.8/

Rattler- 5.11/

Kura Buran- 5.12/

Pandemic- 5.10+/

I have done most of these routes prior to keeping notes including quite a few left of Crack 3 which were not published in the first edition guidebook I have. This area gets good afternoon sun, a compliment in winter and of course a detriment in summer. I first climbed the area in March and conditions were prime on this wall. The primitive campsites are quite nice and there are tons of them along the road. Kane Springs Canyon has many more objectives than Ice Cream Parlor.

Getting There

Ice Cream Parlor is 15 minutes west of Moab. Follow Kane Creek Blvd (by the brewery) west of town until it turns into a dirt road. From the cattle guard continue another 3.6 miles to Echo Camp Site, 8 miles from Hwy 191. There is an area where you can park here that does not interfere with the camping or you can turn around and pull off on the east side of the road right below Ice Cream Parlor. There are two climber paths that head up to the base of the climbs, one to the far left and one directly above the pullout.

Red Tape

There are no climbing restrictions or permit requirements for the Kane Spring Canyon area. Rappel versus lowering whenever you get a chance to avoid producing rope grooves in the delicate sandstone. Like all southern Utah climbing, sandstone colored chalk is preferred if not required. There is a tendency for poison ivy growth at the base of the walls.

The average high in July is 98F. The average high in January is 41F. Moab is at 4000’+/- therefore the winter rock climbing can be a touch on the cold side compared to southwestern Utah. Climbing in the middle of the day during the summer in southern Utah is not recommended. Carry plenty of water regardless. Afternoon thunderstorms are common from mid-July through mid-September. Storms may produce waterfalls as well as flash floods. Sandstone is weak when wet, so avoid climbing in damp areas or right after a rain.

Camping

Campgrounds are maintained by BLM’s Moab field office and cost $5 per vehicle. They have high end (by Canadian standards) pit toilets, are open all year and have fire rings. Individual Campsites are available on a first-come/first-served basis. No reservations are accepted.

Kings Bottom Camping Area= Kane Creek Rd, 2.8 miles from Hwy 191
Moonflower Camping Area=Kane Creek Rd, 3.0 miles from Hwy 191
Hunters Canyon Camping Area=Kane Creek Rd (dirt road access), 7.8 miles from Hwy 191
Echo Camping Area=Kane Creek Rd (dirt road access), 8.0 miles from Hwy 191

Primitive
Kane Creek Crossing - there are approximately 28 sites located along Kane Creek where the Kane Creek Road crosses the water. These sites are free, but campers are required to carry out all garbage, including solid human waste. No wood cutting is allowed.