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Pitchfork Tower - From the Depths of Hell
5.8 YDS 5b French 16 Ewbanks VI- UIAA 15 ZA HVS 4c British
Avg: 3.3 from 16
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Routes in D3 West Side Trail
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Ale House TR 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a R |
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Cowboy Hat, The A1 |
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Failed Exorcism Arch - The Power of Christ Compels You T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a C1 |
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Pitchfork Tower - From the Depths of Hell T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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| Type: | Trad, 150 ft (45 m), 2 pitches |
| FA: | Paul Stoner and Lucas Clarke |
| Page Views: | 5,545 total · 35/month |
| Shared By: | Paul S on Mar 6, 2011 |
| Admins: | Jesse Zacher, Bradley Mark Edwards, Nick Reecy, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Description
According to some people's taste, this might not be a classic. The route is essentially all wide, but it's on mostly good rock, unique setting, and just fun, easy climbing.
The climb starts in a hallway between the tower and the buttress at a fist crack.
P1: Climb up the perfect fist crack. The wall behind you helps make this easy and secure. Once you climb out of the hallway, climb up the obvious OW for about 30' and set an anchor using big cams (old #4.5 and #5 Camalots work well). If you've gone through a window of sorts and see another wide crack system, go down a few feet and set a belay, you've gone too far. 5.8, 70'.
P2: Climb up through the "window" and wiggle/chimney up into the wide crack that splits the tower. I love this pitch, it's almost like spelunking in a way. For most of this pitch, the only protection you'll get are with Bigbros. It's fairly secure once you are fully in the crack, but a #4 Bigbro is essential if you want to protect the crux of the route (getting fully into the chimney). Wiggle your way to the top and if you chose tag the right summit via some face climbing on rotten rock and down climb back down and traverse your way to the left tower. Set a belay just below the actual summit using big cams again. 5.8, 80'.
To get down, climb to the high point, and walk across the summit to the other side of the tower, scramble about 15' down a wide crack to a small ledge with a bolted anchor. 1 rap on a single 60 m rope will get you back down to the ledge...and just scramble back down the hallway to the base of the tower.
The climb starts in a hallway between the tower and the buttress at a fist crack.
P1: Climb up the perfect fist crack. The wall behind you helps make this easy and secure. Once you climb out of the hallway, climb up the obvious OW for about 30' and set an anchor using big cams (old #4.5 and #5 Camalots work well). If you've gone through a window of sorts and see another wide crack system, go down a few feet and set a belay, you've gone too far. 5.8, 70'.
P2: Climb up through the "window" and wiggle/chimney up into the wide crack that splits the tower. I love this pitch, it's almost like spelunking in a way. For most of this pitch, the only protection you'll get are with Bigbros. It's fairly secure once you are fully in the crack, but a #4 Bigbro is essential if you want to protect the crux of the route (getting fully into the chimney). Wiggle your way to the top and if you chose tag the right summit via some face climbing on rotten rock and down climb back down and traverse your way to the left tower. Set a belay just below the actual summit using big cams again. 5.8, 80'.
To get down, climb to the high point, and walk across the summit to the other side of the tower, scramble about 15' down a wide crack to a small ledge with a bolted anchor. 1 rap on a single 60 m rope will get you back down to the ledge...and just scramble back down the hallway to the base of the tower.
Location
Pitchfork Tower is an obvious tower on the west side of Devil's Canyon. When hiking into the canyon take the right branch on the trail. Pitchfork Tower will be the first main tower that you will come across. It has a dual summit and is split by a massive crack. At the top of the crack, you'll see a giant chockstone. Hike up to the south side of the tower. To access the hallway, you'll need to do some easy 5th class moves, best to gear up before entering this.
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