Type: Aid, 650 ft (197 m), 6 pitches, Grade VI
FA: Brad Jarrett, Brian Warshaw, John Slezak, 1995
Page Views: 5,314 total · 29/month
Shared By: Joe Forrester on Apr 4, 2009
Admins: slim, Andrew Gram, Nathan Fisher, Perin Blanchard, GRK, D C

You & This Route


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Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Warning Access Issue: RAIN, WET ROCK and RAPTOR CLOSURES: The sandstone around Moab is fragile and is very easily damaged when it is wet. Also please ask and be aware of Raptor Closures in areas such as CAT WALL and RESERVOIR WALL in Indian Creek DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

"Something Wicked This Way Comes" is a phenomenal climb up a sweet tower. That being said, it is a bit sandbagged and you will want some Fisher's experience unless you have cajones or ovaries of steel/brass. Here is the breakdown on the pitches. I will refer to the pitches listed in the Desert Rock III book although on our ascent we deviated a bit.
P1- Broke this honker of a pitch down into two pitches. P1a- Start in a right facing crack/roof system off the ground. Make sure to go through the roof and NOT around right. Follow rivets and beaks up. We changed leads and back-cleaned about mid-way through the rivet ladder in order to have enough rope to make it to the anchors. P1b- Use some ju-ju to bypass missing section of rivet ladder and then follow mostly clean aid up to a sloping belay ledge with 3 bolts.(210' total)
P2-"Free Gothic" pitch. This pitch will go free with some more cleaning. Otherwise, big gear "2" and up" takes you up to the next belay ledge(150')
P3-"A1 pitch" A bunch of the rivets have ripped on this pitch I believe. Regardless, bring some small beaks, a bunch of rivet hangers and a good eye for rivets and mantles.(140')
P4-"Money" Sweet bolt/rivet clip up wild climbing to the summit ridge(70').
P5- "The summit walk" Smear around the loosley attached alien head, aid up two bolts, and perform the doom mantle. This old 1/4"er could probably be replaced at some point.(fun time')

RAPS: Do a single rap down from the summit, reclimb past the alien head and then bomb down the route.

Location Suggest change

The route is pretty obvious from the ground on the SW side of the tower, there is a little bit of fixed gear in the starting crack too.

Protection Suggest change

Standard Mud Rack( 1 #5 usefull and small beaks also helpful)

Photos

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