Happy Hunting Grounds

This route goes free at 5.12a after a 1996 FFA by Steph Davis.

Pitch 1 is a hand crack corner that pinches down to fingers and leads to a mantle. This is followed by a short off-width and a chimney before traversing right to the belay.

The second pitch is one of the best I have ever climbed on a tower. The rock is quite sound and the crack is splitter. This is the crux pitch at 5.12a. It is exciting to leave the crack on face holds at the top of the pitch, but soon you find two solid bolts to clip before you reach the belay.

Pitch 3 Traverses the belay ledge to the right where you climb up onto a slab. Pass a protection bolt on the way to the summit. 5.8

The first pitch and the last pitch have their own unique climbing and should not be discounted even though they are not the same quality as pitch 2.

The position of this tower also makes it special with views of the Potash Plant and Long canyon. We encounter a desert bighorn sheep sunning itself on the rock when we reached the saddle below the tower. Nothing like being able to combine seeing wild animals and climbing.

Once you locate the saddle and hike to the base of the tower the route will be to your left. The first pitch starts out hands and pinches down to nothing where you must then mantle a ledge. There is a ten foot high pedestal/block that you must surmount to gain the corner proper.

Descent is via rappel from the summit. With two sixty meter rope you can reach the ground from the summit anchors.

Bring a double set of camalots to a number two and a double set of smaller units like aliens or TCUs including the smallest available and one #3 and #4 camalot. Depending on your comfort level on this style of climbing you will need 2 more each of .5 and .75 camalots. Also bring 3 or 4 additional #1 camalots. Bring 4-6 quickdraws and 6 or so long runners to reduce rope drag. Stoppers.

The anchor at the top of pitch one is bolted. The anchor at the top of pitch 2 is a gear anchor of red camalots. This is why you are bringing so many. There is a bolted anchor on the summit.

Pitch two has two nice bolts for the traverse at the end.