Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is where my latest adventure took me, and it was an adventure, indeed. With floods, skunks, teepees, and of course, climbing, it was one for the record books.
Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, located in Jasper, Ark., is worth every bit of the 5-hour pilgrimage to get there. The drive through the winding back country takes you to the hidden treasure that is Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. Family owned by the Johnsons, Horseshoe Canyon Ranch has been up and operating as a guest ranch for the past ten years, with climbing introduced just 7 years ago by a then-passing-through Jason Roy. Roy came to the ranch to put up a few routes with friends, but just never left. At the time there were only 60 set routes, and it was unknown to the Johnsons that they were sitting on the newest hot spot of climbing.
With over 300 sport routes and a couple of hundred bouldering problems, this is has become the mecca to midwestern climbing. The ranch also offers accommodations ranging from log cabin stays with full service meals, to teepee living and, of course, primitive campsites. If you’re not savvy to climbing and looking to get started, hired guided services are available. Horseshoe notes that this is an ideal place to start leading climbing. There has been a boom at the ranch since entering the limelight in Dosage 3 and various magazines. With the constant stream of pros like Chris Sharma, Jason Kahl, Fred Nicole, Dave Graham and Katie Brown hitting Horseshoe, climbing has blown up and guests are coming from far and wide seeking the chance to climb the coveted sandstone that stretches as far as the eye can see.
Jason Roy, Adventure Activities Director and Head Climbing Guide, says, “the draw to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is the close proximity to camping and safely bolted moderates. It’s like luxury climbing, this rock is the best seen. Some of the best friction and the climbs are so diverse from slab, to cracks, steep overhangs, and massive erretts.” Lastly, my climbing friends and I climbed, saw, and at least tried to conquer what we coined the southern comfort to climbing, Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. Jason Roy put it best: “the cat’s definitely out of the bag to climbing in Arkansas”.
For more on Horseshoe Canyon Ranch visit www.gohcr.com.
Girl vs. Wild,
Jacquelyn Farris
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April 1st, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Sounds awesome. Good climbing, and good stories to boot.
Some recommended reading which is sort of on the subject. If you have any illusions about the glamor of Himalayan mountaineering, environmental/charity climbs, etc., they’ll be shattered when you read Michael Kodas’ “High Crimes.” It’s amazing, the crazy — and sometimes criminal — things that are going on there. Makes me want to stick to my 14ers.