Tom Stubbs Memorial Route - Terra Tower

Sometime in the '80s, Tom Stubbs and Joe Calin attempted a wicked looking line on the front side of Terra Tower. Three pitches up they were shut down by the need for thin, direct aid to bypass a section of rock that lead into a humongous wide roof. The route faded into obscurity, only getting a small mention about the need for large-sized units & offwidths and overhangs in

Desert Rock III

.

Fast forward to 2008.  Having Eyeballed it for years, we started cleaning up this modern day classic.  The webbing at the P2 anchors was so old it simply tore away from its knife blade home with a gentle tug. We added a bolt to the thin section on pitch four making it a sane lead. We brought the P2 & P3 anchors up to safe standards and in the process rediscovered one of the best climbs in The Monument. In the Fall of 2012, we added the final piece to this gem, finishing a free line all the way to the top. Pitches 1, 2, & 3 involve all types and variations of fantastic hand jamming, & pitch 4 is just plain wild!

P1: Climb thin hands and rattly fingers to a pod, go out a roof and hand jam to the top, 100' +/-, 5.10.

• these two drilled angles (one's eye is cracked through) can be backed up but someone should plan on beefing this anchor up in the near future.

P2: Fight up the wide slot for 8' till you can start karate chopping up the desert varnish above to a decent stance at two Metolius rap hangers, 50' +/-, 5.10+.

P3: Climb good jams and stems up the stepped roofs above before pulling a hard sequence to get to the ramp (this crack loves to eat your rope so plan ahead). Climb up the ramp till it steepens again, and bust a few sketchy moves (5.10) above your thin gear before entering the large chimney and the top of the pillar at two more Metolius rap hangers, 150' +/-, 5.10+.

P4: Face climb a few hard moves (5.11) to easier but chossy climbing up and to the base of the Maw. Climb out the huge roof on improbable and excellent Windgate. If you're fat like me, you're not going to be able to get inside it, this roof is easier than it looks from the ground, but still solid 5.10 OW. Natural anchors on this side of tower summit.  50' +/-, 5.11.

This climb is definitely in the top five of The Monument tower climbs, but make no mistake, it is still a rarely traveled, full on desert adventure a stones throw from town! If you make it to the top, you can get away with one rope and descend the

Bazaar Route Variation

. If you have to bail past the 2nd pitch, you're gonna need two.

This is on the North-Northeast face of Terra Tower, the side that directly faces town. Climb the left of the two main weaknesses headed up below the huge roof.

2 ropes, nuts, singles from a BD #00-#5, quadruples from #0.75-#3, doubles #4-#5, 2 #4 Big Bros, 1 #3 Big Bro, long runners. We had a Valley Giant #9, but you could easily get away without it.