Justin starting a difficult sandstone problem in Capitol Reef N.P. B2?

This was a beautiful aspen grove with a storm rolling in. I shot this on my way to Capitol Reef.

jvb on the steep and unrelenting center route on the brain, big rocks, utah.

jvb on the impeccable rock of "the shield" at big rocks, near capitol reef national park.

bvb on the steep, positive cutter edges of "radio free loa", big rocks, utah. photo by john wason

bvb on an unnamed 5-star highball at big rocks. photo by jocelyn van belle.

this is a great place to hang out all day and climb, no crowds!!

this is a shot bouldering near Teasdale, sweet, sweet sandstone!

Climbing at Big Rocks is all about big roofs on highly colorful bullet stone. This classic V5 roof charges 7' of full horizontal on letterbox pockets and sloping huecos, and is only one of the four problems that tackle this five star formation.

kvb, still just barely three, discovers his ever-growing love of highballs. it's only gotten worse since then. this boy just LOVES to air it out...bvb and i spend most of our sessions stacking metolius xxl's three thick or more under the budding young yabo! Big Rocks, Loa, Utah, Spring, 1996

Just-turned-three Kyle gets a lesson in footwork from dad (bvb). Big Rocks, Spring of '96.

Jocelyn starts to air it out on the Whiffle Ball, one of many superb highball boulder problems at Big Rocks, an area loaded with off-the-deck moderates. The problem Jocelyn's on in this photo is a 30' V2 heavily pocketed jug haul with the crux down low, and a must-do for those visiting the area. Look for full beta on Big Rocks in the soon-to-be-released Russo/Baldwin/Beck Utah Bouldering Guide.

Joceyln Van Belle enjoys the spectacular setting at Big Rocks, near Capitol Reef National Park and located on the northern edge of the 9,000 foot Awapa Plateau. The lush Rabbit Valley lies in the background, with 11,600 foot Thousand Lake Mountain looming behind.

Typical of Big Rocks bouldering is this long, powerful sit down roof. After travelling miles of horizontal, relief is granted when you finally hit the big huecos at the lip. But it ain't over till it's over -- a burly topout now awaits the fully pumped pebble wrestler!

Here's my buddy nate on a route put up by Jimi Hendricks. He aided the whole thing at about a1+. In order to top rope it, I had to aid up his pins and cams for the bottom 25% then go free. The main splitter is probably 5.11+ to start and gets easier as y

Here's the view from this killer area just outside Capitol Reef--find it on the map, you'll be glad you did. The slabby wall at the top of the talus has 4 or 5 nice moderate crack climbs with anchors on top. My friends and I put up these routes in 1996.