Iron Maiden  5.12- PG13

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Type:  Trad, 3 pitches, 300 feet, Grade III Consensus:  5.12- [details] FA:  Ed Webster Jeff Achey Submitted By:  Evan Stevens on Sep 10, 2007 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (8) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Looking up at Iron Maiden.

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Description 

Long considered one of the true desert tower testpieces. A little bit spicy, but well protected for the cruxes.

p1 12-. Do a long pitch that runs the whole gamut. This is a cruxy pitch. Climb a chimney and easy corner until it slams shut, requiring some hard (10+/11-) stemming and face climbing with pro at and below your feet. Get to a stance, pass a possible belay on your left and launch into the 12- business by a new bolt. Pass the bolt and then hand traverse right around the arete to a belay in the corner. Save some .75" to 1.5" pieces for the belay.

p2 11-. Do a hard, leftward hand traverse off the belay to some easier climbing up and left into a big right facing corner. Climb the steep hand and fist crack to a ledge. Save some 3 camalot size pieces for the belay.

p3 12-. Originally was protected by 3 pitons, they have since fallen out and the pitch is now protected by 2 bolts (retro bolted with First Ascensionists permission!). Short but hard, go straight up, then around the summit block to the right and finish via Lonely Vigil.

Remember you have to downclimb the summit! No rap anchors on top! Rap down the backside and then rap the notch towards the road and your packs.

Location 

On the road side of Lighthouse Tower, right of Posiedon Adventure.

Protection 

A big desert tower rack. About 2 to 3 sets of cams from micro to fist sizes. Bring at least 3 #3, and 2 #4(new) camalot pieces if you don't like big hand and fist cracks. You need at least one for the belay atop pitch 2.

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Wyatt Payne taken by Aaron Williamson.	BETA PHOTO: Don't let the shadow fool you this traverse is not...	BETA PHOTO: If you are interested in knowing exactly what you ...