Diamond Fork

Maple Canyon in Winter

Near the small town of Fountain Green, Utah (home of Lamb Day) exists an amazing area called Maple Canyon. The canyon entrance lies just beyond the reaches of local turkey farms, and is fairly inobvious from the outlying valley.

I first caught wind of Maple Canyon as a climbing destination. The rock is a unique conglomeration of polished cobblestones bound together by a surprisingly-solid natural mortar. Over the past two decades, many great routes have been developed and the area has gained international exposure and acclaim within the climbing community. I've met travelers visiting from Germany, France, and Canada, yet many Utah residents are unfamiliar with it's existence.

Historically, all of my visits have been in the summer or fall; however, I've long heard mention of great ice features and waterfalls that form in the winter months. With some time freed-up this past Saturday, I decided to make a visit.

It was a little foggy as I first rolled in; however, the clouds soon broke- allowing me to view the area from a new angle in what turned out to be a beautiful, solitary day.