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Best first wall in Zion - late October/early November

Original Post
Andy Laakmann · · Bend, OR · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,990

So my wife and I dabbled in aid climbing last Spring in Moab. Some of you might remember the thread. We ended up aiding seven "easy" towers in Moab, with the highlights being the Kingfisher and Phantom Sprint (physical!!) in the Fishers.

We have a week at the end of October/early November and are interested in climbing a wall in Zion.

I've certainly heard of all the usual "easy" walls in Zion, but I'd love to hear people's recommendations and opinions for something to try then.

Also - how are crowds then? We have a week, so we aren't against loitering at the base to cherry pick a good time.

Cheers
Andy

bsmoot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 3,183

Monkey Finger Wall & Sheer Lunacy are not as crowded as the big 4 trade routes. They both have some good ledges so that you can stay organized.

John McNamee · · Littleton, CO · Joined Jul 2002 · Points: 1,690

Andy,

I'd recommend Touchstone, it's a classic wall with about 50 percent aid and free. It's also in the sun so will be nice and warm. It starts to get chilly by November.

The new guidebook has a great topo of both the climb and descent.

John

Caleb Padgett · · Rockville, utah · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 85

I would second the suggestion of Sheer Lunacy... It has a good mix of aid and free climbing and crowds will not be an issue.... even though there is rarely too much of a que on the other trade walls. If you are solid on 5.10 touchstone will seem more like a free climb than a wall climb, and the free climbing is wonderful. You would end up aiding the first two pitches, free/easy french free the next two, and then cruiser to the top. Touchstone is a must do- ultra classic but may not give you what you are looking for...

Tico · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0

C'mon, just go for Moonlight. It's got a lot more of the "wall" feel than any other recommendation, gets some sun, and if you're game you can have the second free the pitches.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
Andy Laakmann wrote:We have a week at the end of October/early November and are interested in climbing a wall in Zion. I've certainly heard of all the usual "easy" walls in Zion, but I'd love to hear people's recommendations and opinions for something to try then.
Any of the "big four" (Prodigal, Moonlight, Spaceshot, Touchstone) would be great, and, you can pick and choose when you get there based on the crowds. If you can start during the standard work week, then, chances are you'll find something uncrowded.

You'll be there at kind of prime time for the season. But, its fairly easy to scope them and, you could fix a few pitches on any of them on the same day as scoping. Then fire the following day.

Also would recommend Sheer Lunacy as an option. Can be a bit of a cluster at the bottom as it shares the initial pitches with Lunar X and Moonlight. Once past that, pretty smooth sailing.

There's also some shorter stuff to warm up on too. Organasm, the Pulpet, craggin' at the base of Cerebus, etc.

Cheers!
Mike Anderson · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Nov 2004 · Points: 3,265

Some others to consider that are slightly less travelled are Desert Shield and the North Face (Lowe route) of Angel's Landing.

The N Face of AL is a fantastic route that gets no love. It's a steep, commanding plumb line on the canyon's most prominent feature. That in itself should be enough to warrant traffic, but (snide comment about Prodigal removed so as not to look like an asshole). Besides that, it has a bunch of 5.9 free climbing, and tons of clean aid in nice dihedrals.

Touchstone and Spaceshot are fantastic routes, but you should be able to do those easily in a day. T-stone is basically one to two pitches of bolt ladder (depending on if you do Olevsky pitches or real pitches), then it's 5.9 and under free climbing with a couple spots of 5.11-. Spaceshot is a little harder because there is more aid and you actually have to place gear, but you still get 5 or so pitches of free climbing at 5.10 or under (mostly under), and a couple bolt ladders.

Fat Dad · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60

I'd say Spaceshot is your best bet. I've done it, MB and had to back off the 5th pitch of the Lowe routes after dropping all our wires, and I think it's the best intro of those three at least. Easy approach, kind of instant wall feel once you get past the early free pitches and the upper wall is easy but airy aiding. Get an early start and you can probably do it in a day if your system is worked out. The descent is pretty cake too.

MB is probably your next choice if you want to bivy. While the Lowe Route is good (what I've done), it's a big notch up in terms of weirdness and awkwardness.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
Mike Anderson wrote:Some others to consider that are slightly less travelled are Desert Shield and the North Face (Lowe route) of Angel's Landing.
Both routes are C3 in difficulty, and, not something I'd recommend to someone just getting into aid climbing.

There's much easier (and less "R" rated) low traffic routes to cut one's teeth on in Zion.

Cheers.
Tico · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0
Fat Dad wrote:I'd say Spaceshot is your best bet. I've done it, MB and had to back off the 5th pitch of the Lowe routes after dropping all our wires, and I think it's the best intro of those three at least. Easy approach, kind of instant wall feel once you get past the early free pitches and the upper wall is easy but airy aiding. Get an early start and you can probably do it in a day if your system is worked out. The descent is pretty cake too. MB is probably your next choice if you want to bivy. While the Lowe Route is good (what I've done), it's a big notch up in terms of weirdness and awkwardness.
I'll note that the SS decent is marginally hairy and probably shouldn't be done for the first time in the dark (British guy died on it a few years back, although in a rappel accident). MB, PS, Lowe decents are mainly walking down a paved path after a little scrambling around.
Fat Dad · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60
Tico wrote: I'll note that the SS decent is marginally hairy and probably shouldn't be done for the first time in the dark (British guy died on it a few years back, although in a rappel accident). MB, PS, Lowe decents are mainly walking down a paved path after a little scrambling around.
Agreed. We ended up spending a cold night up top having heard back things about the descent. However, when we descended in the morning, we concluded that we would have probably been comfortable rapping in the dark. Not bad at all during the day, though there's certainly the potential to get hurt on the thing though if you're not careful since some of the stations are exposed.
Mike Anderson · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Nov 2004 · Points: 3,265
Brian in SLC wrote: Both routes are C3 in difficulty...
I'll admit I'm no expert in aid ratings, but i don't think the Lowe Route is C3. I don't think the rating has been updated in many years. In fact, I suspect the rating it has is derived from the rating Conrad gave it in the early 90s when he repeated it and drew a topo. Whether it's C3 or not, I don't really know, but I got up it, and I don't aid climb ever, so I'm sure anyone could get up it.

You'll never surprise yourself if you don't try surprising things.
Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
Mike Anderson wrote: I'll admit I'm no expert in aid ratings, but i don't think the Lowe Route is C3. I don't think the rating has been updated in many years. In fact, I suspect the rating it has is derived from the rating Conrad gave it in the early 90s when he repeated it and drew a topo. Whether it's C3 or not, I don't really know, but I got up it, and I don't aid climb ever, so I'm sure anyone could get up it. You'll never surprise yourself if you don't try surprising things.
Yeah, but...(!!). You'd done a few walls in Zion prior to the Lowe Route, eh? I seem to recall Springer takin' a massive whipper on Space Shot (he grabbed and briefly held on to a friend of mine's aider at a belay, runout, but couldn't hang on...crazy stuff!). So, not aid climbing "ever" is maybe a bit of a stretch.

I think the C3 rating on it is fairly recent. Folks drove iron in that roofy area off the 6th pitch belay, or some such (I have a friend's old topo from when he and Gary Olsen did it. Mighta been the 3rd ascent?). Maybe Gary will pipe in here.

Smoot should wade in. But, I seem to recall he didn't do it clean (long enough ago that it probably wasn't as viable an option maybe).

Heard some joker added a bunch of bolts to it, so, maybe folks just need a real long stick clip now (ha ha!).

Of course, being able to free climb 5.13a instead of aiding C-whatever is a nice option for some folks, I'd guess. Might give them a bit of a skewed perspective...

But, yeah, ya never know. Be nice to get up a few classics before makin' the rest of us look bad, though.

Cheers, Mike!
bsmoot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 3,183

We did it before it had been done clean. I placed a pin or two on the 6th pitch. Thought it was kinda tricky... I'd call it C3 to be safe. It is sandstone and if something pops, you may hit a sloping ramp. Amazing route though.

Bobby Hanson · · Spokane, WA · Joined Oct 2001 · Points: 1,230
Moonlight. Very straight-forward aid climbing. Awesome exposure. Easy descent.
Wally · · Denver · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 0

Andy - I agree with the big 4 recommendation - having done three of them. I like the fix 2 to 4 pitches strategy on day one - and then fire on day two. Veterans and wall rats might be able to easily fire these routes in a day - but if you are a wall newbie (such as yourself) or gumby (that would be me), the fix and fire appoach is probably best.

Climb Ohn.

Wallman

John McNamee · · Littleton, CO · Joined Jul 2002 · Points: 1,690

The latest topo I have of the lowe route rates it as 5.9 C3-.

Correction: 5.10 c3-

Caleb Padgett · · Rockville, utah · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 85

The Lowe route on Angels Landing is an amazing climb but a significant step up in difficulty from the other 4 or 5 routes mentioned. The free climbing is pretty stout for 5.9, the route finding at the top is quite challenging, and the rock in places is loose and sandy. The four trade routes mentioned are childs play compared to this one. This climb took us about 18 hours base to summit whereas touchstone,moonlight, spaceshot were more in the 7-10 hour range. Most parties will need to bivy on this one. The pin on the 6th pitch that Brian mentions is still there, just as things start to get real rowdy and scary you get to clip that bad boy. no need for a hammer or pins now

Monomaniac · · Morrison, CO · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 17,295

Am I the only one that thinks its kinda strange to aid Monkeyfinger? The thing goes free at 11c. I don't expect everyone to on-sight it, but I would think leaving the ground at least with the goal of french-freeing it would be a bit more sporting. Its way easier than Astroman, and I'm not aware of people aiding that these days. What's the difference?

John McNamee · · Littleton, CO · Joined Jul 2002 · Points: 1,690

Nope. It's a long clean free route, the Astroman of Zion. I would never consider aiding it and I don't think many people do.

Eventually, Moonlight will be the same.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
John McNamee wrote:Nope. It's a long clean free route, the Astroman of Zion. I would never consider aiding it and I don't think many people do. Eventually, Moonlight will be the same.
Dang it, I thought Shune's was the Astroman of Zion...geez, whadda I know...

Be interesting to see the breakdown of aid/free style. I think Moonlight has gotton way more popular as a free climb, but, I think a lot of folks spend significant time "working" it too, which, most aid climbers don't (although there's probably a number who bail and start again...).

Great climbs are great climbs, aid or free. Probably why guidebooks in some locations across the pond list a separate grade for mandatory free for classic routes.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Southern Utah Deserts
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