- Edit (TBD)
Description
First inside an enclosed space, then outside on the crest of an arete. Variety of different climbing moves and rock situations.
Easiest bottom-to-top climb on the Tower Wall. Variation has more sustained difficulty.
Start straight up the dihedral / open book / gully (freely use holds on both sides). Below the dead tree stump, make a balancy traverse across right wall and diagonal up onto a grassy ledge. Walk right horizontally about twenty feet or so to rock with a short vertical crack and set up belay.
. . (Variation: Instead of traversing on the grassy ledge, diagonal up right on right-facing flakes and across right to reach the arete at a two-block platform 15-20 feet above the grassy ledge. Optional hanging belay on left side of arete, or continue to the top in a single pitch).
Climb up the arete at the right edge of the Tower Wall. Soon diagonal right off the crest of the arete a few feet to avoid a section with smaller slopier holds. Up a little, then back Left across the crest to an interesting crack by means of a tricky step on sloping rock. Up that crack, then slab footwork to a tree anchor (nice for top-roping other routes), or finish to the top of the cliff.
. Variation: Staying directly on the crest the whole way includes a sequence around 5.6+
warning: The rock on and around this route has not been climbed much yet, and much of the rock is still breakable and loose -- so the belayer and other people should stand far away from underneath the climber.
. . . (Lots of vegetation on this rock as of 2015. Be prepared when climbing to navigate around protruding trees and branches, and dealing with holds slippery with grass, lichen, moss, dirt).
Location
Start at the obvious open book or dihedral about 22 feet right from Rachel's Crack, just Right behind the arete of the Ogre. About 25 feet up in the open book is a nine-inch-wide tree stump sticking out three feet.
Protection
Leading: Standard Trad rack. In the initial dihedral, look for small placements in the right wall. Double-rope technique might be useful - (or perhaps break into two pitches).
Top-Roping: Could perhaps try this with a top anchor at or near the Manticore Face tree (about twenty-five feet below top of cliff, a few feet west in from the east edge of the upper Tower Wall -- need static line to rappel or down-climb in to tree anchor).
The rock is high-friction, so think about how to minimize rope drag for Top-Roping. If belaying from the bottom, standing anywhere near Dead Tree Dihedral might produce lots of friction. Instead having the belayer stand below right from the Manticore Dihedral helps reduce rope friction.
Routes in 6. The Tower Wall
- 16In & Out5.4Tr · Trad