Mountain Project: Climbing Castle Valley

Coyote Calling is a great, sustained route with lots of finger and thin hand cracks linked by thought provoking thin face sections. It's a bit harder than it's classic neighbor, Fine Jade, but in my opinion, it's just as good. It gets afternoon shade.

P1. Start in a finger crack in a shallow L facing corner, traverse left at a ledge with a bolt, and continue up a finger crack in a R facing corner that becomes a groove. Exit the groove via a tricky bulge (WAY harder than it looks from the ground, and the crux of the route - IMHO)and clip the anchor bolts. ~80', 5.11+

P2. Traverse L ~10' with cool face moves to gain a thin but gradually widening crack. Continue up the finger to hands crack to a ledge with anchors. The crux is pulling through a bulging groove with a hand crack in the back. ~100', 5.11.

P3. More fingers and thin hands with pumpy bulges but also so decent rests. The crux for me was a dastardly high step on sandy rock a mere foot or two below the anchors. This pitch ain't over 'til it's over. ~100', 5.11

P4. Traverse left 10-15' on thin but positive face holds to a seam that eventually turns into a finger crack. Indeed, the face climbing appears improbable at first, but all comes together to make for some thought-provoking climbing. Make sure to have a few small to medium stoppers and long runners to protect this section. The finger crack eventually widens to hands, and leads to a large ledge on Fine Jade that is about 25' below the summit of The Rectory. Climb the 3-bolt finish to Fine Jade to the summit. ~110', 5.11

Location

Protection

6 small to medium stoppers, 2X 0.33", 2-3X .5", 3X 0.75", 3-4X #0.5 camalots, 3X both #0.75 and #1 camalots, 2X both #2 and #3 camalots

Comments on Coyote Calling

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By Max
Mar 20, 2007

A superb route, as good as any in Castle Valley. The first pitch is a difficult onsight but well protected with a couple #0 TCUs. Every pitch is sustained, steep and engaging. Ari's route description is pretty spot on for gear and route beta.

By adampeters
From: Golden, Colorado
Jul 1, 2007

Only got up the first two pitches, but a great route. Thought it was HARD at 11+.

By David Trippett
From: Squamish, BC
Nov 16, 2007
rating: 5.11+

A fantastic route! Highly recommended.

We did the first two pitches after doing Fine Jade and the first pitch is pretty tough, the crux coming right at the end in a shallow flare with a thin crack in the back. My partner felt it was hard for 11+. We did clean off a very sharp brick sized block just before the traverse on the first pitch. There was also a few loose bits here and there on the second pitch, particularly near the start, but it's nothing a bit of traffic won't clean up. The hanging belay on the top of pitch one was pretty uncomfortable, maybe take a seat for that belay and then throw it down once you're out of there.

I found the second pitch to be stellar as well, and solid at the grade, but I was quite tired from leading the previous pitch. I will definately return to complete this route. From what we did and what we could see the quality was high and the climbing steep and engaging.

Ari's gear list is spot on.

By Brian Kimball
Feb 18, 2008

Has anyone climbed straight up past the hanging belay atop pitch one? This would be instead of traversing left for the 10' to gain the fingers crack, the straight up variation looks really good and definitely harder!

By Kent Wheeler
Nov 20, 2008

Brian,
On the first accent, we tried going straight up and got schooled. Also I know several strong climbers (much stronger than I was) who have tried going straight up, usually because they don't see the crack over on the left traverse. I don't think anyone has had much luck.

By Monty
From: Morrison, Co
Apr 22, 2013

One of the best routes in the Desert. DO IT!

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Coyote Calling

5.11+

Description

Location

Protection