Headlamp Studios documents Little Cottonwood Canyon climbing origin story

Headlamp Studios has released Alpenbock, a short documentary on the first climbers to scale Little Cottonwood Canyon’s granite walls, with local and climbing figures including Ted Wilson, Nathaniel Coleman and Yvon Chouinard involved. The film’s July 6 Salt Lake City premiere sold out, and a second public screening is set for Sept. 3 in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Why it matters: - Alpenbock preserves the origin story of Little Cottonwood Canyon climbing before more firsthand witnesses are lost. - The film connects Utah climbing history to today’s sport through voices from the first ascent era and a new generation of Wasatch climbers. - The project also highlights the sport’s local cultural impact, with Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson serving as executive producer.

What happened: - Headlamp Studios, based in Millcreek, Utah, released Alpenbock, a short documentary about the first climbers to ascend the granite walls of Little Cottonwood Canyon. - The film centers on University of Utah students who climbed with hemp rope and determination in the late 1950s and early 1960s. - Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson served as executive producer. - Wilson’s father, Ted Wilson, a three-time mayor of Salt Lake City, is one of the original climbers featured in the film. - The film premiered July 6, 2026 at Industry SLC in Salt Lake City, and both scheduled screenings sold out.

The details: - Director Simon Fraser said the documentary became possible after the team found preserved journals, photographs and climbing equipment saved by Alpenbock Club members over more than six decades. - Surviving Alpenbock members interviewed in the film include Ted Wilson, George Lowe and Milt Hokanson. - The cast also includes Salt Lake City Olympian Nathaniel Coleman, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard and climber Royal Robbins. - The production used period-authentic Super 8 film for reenactment sequences. - Fraser said the team used original climbing gear donated by Alpenbock members to recreate the first ascents. - Where no footage existed, the production created animation based on the textures of the original Alpenbock scrapbook, handwritten journal entries, trip reports and photographs. - The project took three years to complete. - Headlamp Studios produced the documentary with the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance. - Tickets for the Sept. 3, 2026 public event at Storm Mountain Amphitheater in Big Cottonwood Canyon are available at saltlakeclimbers.org. - Alpenbock will be submitted to film festivals in 2027.

Between the lines: - The film positions itself against AI-generated video by using analog film, original gear and archival textures to emphasize authenticity. - Fraser said the choice to shoot reenactments on Super 8 was deliberate to keep the film true to the story’s era. - Wilson said the film covers a broader era of climbing and its impact on the local area. - The project reflects a broader push to document local outdoor history while many of the original participants are still alive.

What's next: - Headlamp Studios will hold a second public screening on Sept. 3, 2026, followed by a Q&A with filmmakers, storytellers and members of the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance. - The documentary is headed to film festivals in 2027. - The team is likely to continue using the film to preserve and share the alpine climbing legacy tied to Little Cottonwood Canyon.