KAYA Climber Stories
Joe’s Valley Heroes: Steven Jeffery
Joe’s Valley Bouldering Guidebook
In celebration of KAYA’s launch of Steven Jeffery’s Official Joe’s Valley Guidebook, we’re highlighting the legends that have contributed to the development of Joe’s Valley bouldering.
Steven Jeffery started climbing as an 11-year-old kid in Salt Lake City’s Little Cottonwood Canyon. In 1989, Steven tells us, “The feeling of being in a sport that was so new and fringe was exciting. Climbing seemed limitless as a sport.” Steven was first introduced to Joe’s Valley at the age of 14 by climbing and photography legend, Boone Speed. At that time, Steven told us it seemed like he’d never return, Joe’s Valley seemed like such a far-away land. Things changed, however, when Steven turned 16, “I overhauled my first ’79 Honda Civic with my dad and I pretty much ran away from home straight to Joe’s. I wanted the feeling of endless undone and unknown climbing to last forever.” The following year, Steven’s life was put on hold by a severe car accident. The resulting recovery made him a bit more risk-averse, but simultaneously inspired a new wave of Joe’s Valley development.
Steven assembled a crew to properly scour the sandy desert hillsides and meticulously establish every line in sight. Alongside a young Jared Roth and training partner, Jeff Baldwin, the trio began by tackling New Joe’s. Steven recounts, “The hillside felt huge and we left no stone unturned. I think we were more psyched about coming up with names for problems than anything else!” The problems were all named serendipitously and without excess consideration.
In the summers, days would be spent swimming, lounging, and climbing at the cooler times of day. In July of 1997, the FA of Freak (V10) was done following a hot morning spent at the lakeside. A very freshly sunburnt Steven Jeffery finally pulled through the punchy short roof in the heart of New Joe’s. “I was pulling so hard that I turned a nice shade of purple and looked like a bit of a ‘Freak,’” tells Steven. Following the FAs of classics, Chips (V6/7) and Dale (V7), Steven showed the problems to a friend, Arash. In an impressive display of strength, Arash flashed Dale, hugging up the parallel rails while making deep grunting noises like an ape. The crew unanimously agreed to rename the problem, Planet of the Apes (V7).
After many years wandering Joe’s Valley terrain and climbing hundreds of problems, Steven and his friends became a bit numb to the wonder and quality of the problems they were establishing. Steven admits that some classic problems which climbers now line up for in droves were, at the time, “just another problem.” Seeing this transition toward popularity in Joe’s Valley concerned Steven. At the time, he says, “Climbing was an activity a small group of people were into and the impact was so low we never bothered to think ahead. During my early teenage years coming to Joe’s, I would drive all three canyons just hoping I would find another car with a climber to climb with.” That’s certainly changed, and the general sentiment amongst Salt Lake City climbers is that they’d be ecstatic to drive the canyon and not find any other climbers at the crag. Despite this, Steven says, “It’s hard to be upset about all the climbers nowadays because they’re trying to have the same experience I was having with my friends. It’s rad. We just need to start looking further ahead with the understanding that climbers will only continue to have larger impacts.” That is exactly what he has done.
Having been a professional climber, routesetter, and climbing brand manager for many years, Steven learned that climbing is less about accolades and more about an individual’s character and composure. Steven told us that he might’ve easily done 40% of the First Ascents in Joe’s Valley, but he doesn’t consider it a proud achievement given that he was the only person out there developing for years. And, while he also claims his 1999 FA of No Additives (V13) could have been the hardest problem in the world at the time, his crowning achievement to date is the work he has done to protect Joe’s Valley. Steven tells us, “I’m proud to sit on the Emery County Trails committee and help firsthand with the land agencies that manage Joe’s. As a climber living in Orangeville, I’m helping and working with a group of people whose goal is to protect Joe’s Valley the best we can for climbers.” Having paved the way for an amicable and mutually beneficial relationship between locals and climbers, Steven has vastly altered the landscape of Emery County. If you haven’t seen Reel Rock 14: United State of Joe’s, check it out for the full story of how Steven and his pals connected with the local citizens and came together to form the Joe’s Valley Fest.
Now, Steven’s advocacy continues via the Joe’s Valley Bouldering Guidebook. He says, “The hope in writing this guidebook is to help us all out on the who, what, and where of Joe’s Valley bouldering. The KAYA app is a helpful tool for instant area updates, info on all the problems and how to treat the area, and updates regarding any incidents or changes to access.” Steven mentions that protecting climbing access is the priority, and actions that may seem innocent or nonchalant to some, might be a big deal to a local cattle farmer and could in turn jeopardize access for all. “It feels like a sleepy town, but locals are used to a way of life here and we have to be aware of that. They control Joe’s Valley’s land and the more we can do to help them with that the better,” says Steven. To this effect, a portion of the proceeds from the guidebook will go toward the Joe’s Valley Coalition. “That’s another great thing about the KAYA app. The guidebook helps fund trail maintenance for you, the climber. It will help us secure more grant money to put in a bathroom at Dairy Canyon. And, maybe even one day, get us a bridge across that river in Left Fork to the holy land of boulders.”
Seeing climbers having the same experiences and reactions that Steven and his friends had after sending something new is what makes this work so rewarding for him. “It’s the same feelings I had 25 years before on the same problems. It never mattered if it was V13 or V2, we just wanted to climb and interact with the boulders and push our own limits, whatever they were at that moment,” tells Steven. Now, Steven Jeffery has brought his in-depth knowledge of Joe’s Valley to the public, and he plans to continue bringing new climbs, stories, and information to KAYA. Lastly, Steven mentions, “If you want to hear more in-depth stories about Joe’s Valley and see the newest lines to climb on, stay tuned into the KAYA app. I will always be adding info and videos to answer your questions about Joe’s. So, get in there and be a part of the community and share the experience.”
