As part of our Thanksgiving climbing trip to the Moab area, Jamie and I finished it off with a bang by climbing Castleton Tower via the North Chimney Route. After a nice pizza dinner at the bar in Moab, where I watched the Seahawks trounce the 49ers on Thanksgiving night, we camped out at the Castleton Trailhead. Early the next morning we woke to bluebird skies and started up the trail. It begins up a small drainage with some fun up climbs and emerged on an old road that descended maybe 50 feet. From there the trail switchbacks up the large talus cone leading over 1000 feet up to the saddle between Castleton and The Rectory.
When we reached the saddle, we racked up and climbed the short moves to the base of the first pitch, which was in the shade but with the sun out the air temperature wasn't too bad. Another couple got to the saddle just as we were getting ready to climb and I offered for them to go ahead of us but they mistakenly declined. So I started leading up the first pitch and since I hadn't done too much climbing in awhile, I was taking my time and thinking every move through and taking a few times on one of the many bomber pieces the double cracks allowed. I was happy to have 4 number three cams as the pitch was long and sustained 5.8 grade.
I reached the bolted anchor and quickly set up the belay. Jamie began jugging up the rope (his foot was slightly injured so he opted to just belay me up) and upon arriving I began preparing for the off-width second pitch. Only a few feet above the belay I placed the number 5 we had lugged up and shortly after I placed the number 4. Some walking of the cams ensued and I wouldn't deny the possibility of some grabbing of the cams lol. I do not like off-widths but once about 20 feet up I was well inside the chimney and I continued up to a small vertical bulge where the crack was larger than my fist and I was forced to chimney up instead (which I fell and had to thrash up more than once) but above that it was easy climbing to the next belay anchor which was simply a few large pitons.
Jamie followed and at this point the chimney was very deep and it was cool and somewhat dark. Above us was a gigantic chockstone and when I started up the third pitch I reached the top of the chimney and for a few minutes was confused as to which way to traverse. After yelling through the huge pile of rocks I finally found the correct way and traversed right, stepping over the huge chimney below me and into a smaller chimney. Maybe 30 more feet of climbing brought me to the notch where the North Chimney and Kor Ingalls routes meet.
Rope drag issues slowed Jamie down but we both made it to the notch and took a drink break. We could hear a handful of parties on the Kor Ingalls below us. I made the leftward traversing final pitch which consisted of various small ledges and reached the final set of bolts on the rock a few feet below the summit. Jamie elected to climb this pitch since it moved so far leftward and we both topped out on the summit about an hour before sunset. Watching the sun go down from the summit was spectacular! The Rectory was glowing bright red in the moments shortly before we started to rappel down. The party behind us didn't hesitate to show their disgust for us going so slow but unfortunately many climbers are like that...simply put they are d-bags. I ignored them and politely allowed them to rappel first down the north face.
As twilight began fading away, we made the three double rope rappels down the very steep north face and got to the base just as it got dark. Amazingly enough we were not the last ones down though so we waited for the final pair to rappel down in case they needed help rappelling in the dark. I distinctly remember the second anchors being well off to the right when going down and I almost missed them. Once they made it down we talked for a few minutes and hiked down where we proceeded to go right to sleep in the cars.
When we reached the saddle, we racked up and climbed the short moves to the base of the first pitch, which was in the shade but with the sun out the air temperature wasn't too bad. Another couple got to the saddle just as we were getting ready to climb and I offered for them to go ahead of us but they mistakenly declined. So I started leading up the first pitch and since I hadn't done too much climbing in awhile, I was taking my time and thinking every move through and taking a few times on one of the many bomber pieces the double cracks allowed. I was happy to have 4 number three cams as the pitch was long and sustained 5.8 grade.
I reached the bolted anchor and quickly set up the belay. Jamie began jugging up the rope (his foot was slightly injured so he opted to just belay me up) and upon arriving I began preparing for the off-width second pitch. Only a few feet above the belay I placed the number 5 we had lugged up and shortly after I placed the number 4. Some walking of the cams ensued and I wouldn't deny the possibility of some grabbing of the cams lol. I do not like off-widths but once about 20 feet up I was well inside the chimney and I continued up to a small vertical bulge where the crack was larger than my fist and I was forced to chimney up instead (which I fell and had to thrash up more than once) but above that it was easy climbing to the next belay anchor which was simply a few large pitons.
Jamie followed and at this point the chimney was very deep and it was cool and somewhat dark. Above us was a gigantic chockstone and when I started up the third pitch I reached the top of the chimney and for a few minutes was confused as to which way to traverse. After yelling through the huge pile of rocks I finally found the correct way and traversed right, stepping over the huge chimney below me and into a smaller chimney. Maybe 30 more feet of climbing brought me to the notch where the North Chimney and Kor Ingalls routes meet.
Rope drag issues slowed Jamie down but we both made it to the notch and took a drink break. We could hear a handful of parties on the Kor Ingalls below us. I made the leftward traversing final pitch which consisted of various small ledges and reached the final set of bolts on the rock a few feet below the summit. Jamie elected to climb this pitch since it moved so far leftward and we both topped out on the summit about an hour before sunset. Watching the sun go down from the summit was spectacular! The Rectory was glowing bright red in the moments shortly before we started to rappel down. The party behind us didn't hesitate to show their disgust for us going so slow but unfortunately many climbers are like that...simply put they are d-bags. I ignored them and politely allowed them to rappel first down the north face.
As twilight began fading away, we made the three double rope rappels down the very steep north face and got to the base just as it got dark. Amazingly enough we were not the last ones down though so we waited for the final pair to rappel down in case they needed help rappelling in the dark. I distinctly remember the second anchors being well off to the right when going down and I almost missed them. Once they made it down we talked for a few minutes and hiked down where we proceeded to go right to sleep in the cars.
Climbers on Fine Jade
Jamie on the summit of Castleton
|
Myself leading the first pitch
Sunset from Castleton Tower
|
Nearing the saddle between Castleton and the Rectory
Castleton Tower from the trailhead
Sunset from Castleton
|
Sunset on the La Sal mountains from Castleton Tower
Powered by
