Since I had just finished a long batch of work near Roosevelt, I met up with Paul in Grand Junction and we drove up to the trailhead. Right as twilight began, we started hiking up the Monument Trail and in about an hour, we reached the northern prow on the monument just as the sun was rising. We took a few minutes to photograph the sunrise and proceeded to hike about 100 feet up to the base of the northwest side of the tower up a nice boot path. We racked up and decided who would lead each pitch. We ended up deciding for me to lead pitches 2 and 3 while Paul would lead the first and forth one. We followed this route description below.
Pitch 1: 5.5, 140 feet. Move up the low angle chimney/ramp following low-5th class terrain. Some call this terrain class 4 but I thought that it was a bit harder than that (it's probably due to the relatively sandy/slippery nature of rock here). Move through a squeeze chimney about 60 feet above ground (~5.5). Continue up via slabby "steps" (some of the terrain felt a bit sandbagged at 5.5). You'll first encounter remnants of Otto's ladders on the upper portions of this pitch: 2-3 inch diameter drilled holes. One fixed piton somewhere here. Pitch ends at a triply bolted anchor at a not-so-comfortable stance.
Pitch 2: 5.8, 80 feet. From the stance, walk right and move up low angle slabs (unexposed) to the base of an obvious, flaring low-angle chimney. Getting into the chimney is the crux. Otto's holes make this doable at about 5.8. This is the place to use that large cam you've lugged all the way up here - a number 4 or 4.5 Camalot protects the crux moves. Going is much easier above and ends at the mouth of a low-angle gully at another bolted anchor (note the rope grooves carved in the soft sandstone by climbers' ropes).
Move the belay by hiking/scrambling (class 2-3) up the unexposed gully for about 60 feet. You'll pass through a narrow slot and exit onto a wide, open ledge. Look for fixed pitons on the wall to your left. Set up for next pitch here.
Pitch 3: 5.7, 70 feet. Move up the face (about 5.5 to 5.6 initially) and clip a good, fixed piton about 25 feet above the ledge (no pro before then). Follow the steep face (again thank Otto for the nice holds in form of holes) past two more good-looking pitons. Top out just above on the crest of the formation just south and below the summit. Belay from the bolted anchor atop another large ledge.
Pitch 4: 5.9, 80 feet. Pull onto the low angle slab and head toward the summit "cap" formation. Going is low-5th class here (thanks to Otto's chopped steps) but there is no protection. As you hit the headwall, you can clip the first of 3 nice pitons that protect the crux moves. Few feet of cranking through overhung terrain (good positive holds for hands but slippery feet and slightly overhung) puts you on a comfortable but small ledge 8 feet below the summit. Bolted anchor.
Pitch 5: 8 feet, mid-5th class. Mantle onto the summit plateau and take in the views. You'll need to downclimb this section as there is no fixed rap set up on the summit plateau.
We made the summit in about an hour and a half and the views were astounding. We were easily able to mantle up onto the summit. The top was surprisingly large being about 100 feet long, complete with a pothole filled with water. After 30 minutes on top, we hip belayed one another off the summit onto the final ledge. We then did 3 double rope rappels with 60 meter ropes to descend the route. One from the top of the 4th pitch to the top of the 2nd pitch. Then one short one to the top of the first pitch and finally, a long one directly down the west face from the anchors atop the first pitch.
Pitch 1: 5.5, 140 feet. Move up the low angle chimney/ramp following low-5th class terrain. Some call this terrain class 4 but I thought that it was a bit harder than that (it's probably due to the relatively sandy/slippery nature of rock here). Move through a squeeze chimney about 60 feet above ground (~5.5). Continue up via slabby "steps" (some of the terrain felt a bit sandbagged at 5.5). You'll first encounter remnants of Otto's ladders on the upper portions of this pitch: 2-3 inch diameter drilled holes. One fixed piton somewhere here. Pitch ends at a triply bolted anchor at a not-so-comfortable stance.
Pitch 2: 5.8, 80 feet. From the stance, walk right and move up low angle slabs (unexposed) to the base of an obvious, flaring low-angle chimney. Getting into the chimney is the crux. Otto's holes make this doable at about 5.8. This is the place to use that large cam you've lugged all the way up here - a number 4 or 4.5 Camalot protects the crux moves. Going is much easier above and ends at the mouth of a low-angle gully at another bolted anchor (note the rope grooves carved in the soft sandstone by climbers' ropes).
Move the belay by hiking/scrambling (class 2-3) up the unexposed gully for about 60 feet. You'll pass through a narrow slot and exit onto a wide, open ledge. Look for fixed pitons on the wall to your left. Set up for next pitch here.
Pitch 3: 5.7, 70 feet. Move up the face (about 5.5 to 5.6 initially) and clip a good, fixed piton about 25 feet above the ledge (no pro before then). Follow the steep face (again thank Otto for the nice holds in form of holes) past two more good-looking pitons. Top out just above on the crest of the formation just south and below the summit. Belay from the bolted anchor atop another large ledge.
Pitch 4: 5.9, 80 feet. Pull onto the low angle slab and head toward the summit "cap" formation. Going is low-5th class here (thanks to Otto's chopped steps) but there is no protection. As you hit the headwall, you can clip the first of 3 nice pitons that protect the crux moves. Few feet of cranking through overhung terrain (good positive holds for hands but slippery feet and slightly overhung) puts you on a comfortable but small ledge 8 feet below the summit. Bolted anchor.
Pitch 5: 8 feet, mid-5th class. Mantle onto the summit plateau and take in the views. You'll need to downclimb this section as there is no fixed rap set up on the summit plateau.
We made the summit in about an hour and a half and the views were astounding. We were easily able to mantle up onto the summit. The top was surprisingly large being about 100 feet long, complete with a pothole filled with water. After 30 minutes on top, we hip belayed one another off the summit onto the final ledge. We then did 3 double rope rappels with 60 meter ropes to descend the route. One from the top of the 4th pitch to the top of the 2nd pitch. Then one short one to the top of the first pitch and finally, a long one directly down the west face from the anchors atop the first pitch.
Sunrise over the monument
Sunrise in Colorado National Monument
A look at the second pitch with the lower crux
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Paul leading the first pitch
Paul climbing the 3rd pitch
View from the top
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The monument casts a shadow
Paul leading the crux 4th pitch
Paul on the summit
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