Just a few miles past the mining city of Superior, is one of the largest concentrations of climbable rock in the entire United States. A raging conservatory battle, the Queen Creek area was once the famed site of the largest bouldering competition in the US – the Phoenix Bouldering Competition. A vast riparian zone, the Queen Creek area is beneficial to hikers, ATV riders, campers, hunters and climbers alike and should be cherished for the generations to come.
The area is actually a number of separated areas, all with their own different symmetry. They all surround the Oak Flat Campground, a great base camp for exploring the area.
For bouldering enthusiasts, the Euro Dog & Davey Jones Locker areas are packed full of routes ranging from 10 ft to over 30. Nearby Pancake House is a great sport climbing area in pristine location on the side of Devil’s Canyon. Further East, the Upper Looner Land and The Mine hosts a number of single pitch routes from 5.6 on up in a more exposed terrain. Sitting high on the hill as you approach these areas, The Pond overlooks Atlantis and Little England Wall. All of these areas will be directly affected by the mine’s plans of immediate expansion of their copper mine, dropping the climbing surface some 2 miles down into a gaping maw – unusable for anyone in the future.
Areas Within Queen Creek:
- Atlantis
- Little England Wall
- The Pond
- Pancake House / The Throne
- The Mine / Upper Looner Land
- Euro Dog / Davey Jones Bouldering
To Access: From Phoenix, take Hwy 60 east past the town of Queen Creek to the town or Superior. Continue through the town for about 3 miles and you will pass through a tunnel. The obvious first turn out begins the Queen Creek area and extends through the right hand turn off for Oak Flat and the various climbing areas within.
Climbers from all over the nation have been fighting to keep the climbing in Superior free of the negative effects of the Resolution Copper Mine. Please take some time to educate yourself on this valuable piece of climbing history so that it is not lost forever. Visit the CONCERNED CLIMBERS or the QUEEN CREEK COALITION for more information on this endangered area.
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE:
McCain, John – (R – AZ)
241 Russel Senate Office Bldg,
WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2235
Senator Harry Reid, (Nevada)
P:202 224 3542, F: 202 224 7327,
Hart Senate Office Bldg,
WASHINGTON DCD 20510
Senator Tom Udall, (New Mexico)
P 202 224 6621 F 202 224 2852
Hart Senate Office Bldg,
Wash. D.C. 20510
Keep the ownership of the area in Arizona’s Hands! Oak Flat and the surrounding area including Gaan Canyon, Apache Leap and Queen Creek canyon are FAR TOO important for religious, ecological, and recreation values to be given to foreign mining companies that have made more than $6 Billion in profits last year.