Mountain Project: Climbing Castle Valley

Hard sport climbing up a dead vertical face using pinches, underclings, and pulls on delicate stalactites and knobs... exactly what you'd expect from a Castle Valley tower route, right? Holier than Thou climbs the beautiful, calcite-covered east face of the Nuns and is perhaps a welcome departure from the grunt fest of the nearby Honeymoon Chimney.

P1: 11 bolts to a two bolt belay. Jay Smith did a fantastic job bolting this line. The climbing is hard and in-your-face and the placements are spaced such that you are forced to do hard moves with bolts below you (you have to climb the route - you can't yard through it). As you stretch and stretch for holds and clips, marvel at how Smith, at 5'6", did it. Around the third bolt the cruxes start coming - a hard mantle, a long reach to a tiny edge, another long reach to an undercling with terrible feet. Higher up you step left onto a ramping feature and there's one more cruxy move here. The pitch is 120' long and I felt that there was a lot of 5.11 climbing on it - fortunately there are one or two rests as well. Also, be careful clipping the second bolt - definate groundfall potential here.

P2: Identify two lines: The original line goes up and left on black hangers at 5.10-, while a variation called "The Unforgiven" heads up and slightly right on silver hangers at 5.11c. We took the former. Clip four bolts (slightly runout but not as hard as the first pitch), then trend left around the corner, clipping an intermediate belay. Belay here or use a long runner and climb up past a second intermediate belay (again with the option of belaying or continuing up), eventually stepping left into a crack system. Climb up the short, excellent, left-curving crack at 5.10 (several hand-size pieces) to a final anchor on the summit.

Descent: Two or three raps will get you down (a 70m rope or two ropes required). I recommend leaving your second rope clipped to the anchor at the top of the first pitch and then doing a single rope rap from the summit to one of the intermediate anchors, then another single rope rap to the top of the first pitch, and finally a double rope rap to the ground.

A sensible way to climb the Nuns at a more moderate grade would be to link up The Flying Nun (10a) with P2 & 3 of Holier Than Thou (9+ & 10- respectively). At a higher standard, P1 of Holier Than Thou (11c) to The Unforgiven (11c) is the way to go.

Comments on Holier Than Thou

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By david goldstein
Jun 11, 2003

Has some excellent climbing, but also has some blemishes.Pros: 1st half of 1st pitch is excellent, 2nd pitch is stellar, sport climbers can escape at whatever point their comfort level has been exceeded. Cons: ledge fall potential from corner on 1st pitch, upper part of 1st pitch is contrived (4th class climbing available just around arete), last pitch is awkward and not fun.

By Lon Black
Oct 4, 2004

I only climbed the first pitch since we didn't have much sunlight left after Fine Jade. The route was cool. As the description states, some of the clips require you to do some tough moves above pro. Don't forget to bring your cajones.

By d-know
From: electric lady land
Jan 28, 2006
rating: 5.11c

Oh man! This route is super cool. The features are unreal the moves are aesthetically ticklish and the setting ... oh the setting. Gets shady real early.
One of my favorites!!!!!!!!

By Ken Duncan
Apr 8, 2007

Great route climbing what appears to be a candle wax covered wall. First pitch keeps your attention. Second pitch is somewhat contrived but still excellent climbing. Third pitch OK. Highly recommended.

By Ryan Williams
Administrator
From: London (sort of)
Sep 13, 2011
rating: 5.11-

Really fun route with great movement and very interesting and unique features. The first pitch is long but not sustained, and I felt that it was much easier than 11c. It would certainly be 11a or even 10d in NC or WV but I am 6 feet tall and apparently the FA was done buy a shorter guy. The Unforgiven looks like it could be 11c, but I didn't do it.

Second pitch is fun and easy. Bring a few Aliens and some hand size pieces (mostly red C4) for the short third pitch. The crack has an awkward arch but is very fun, and the last move will get your attention, bomber gear at your knees.

Holier Than Thou

5.11c

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