North Face 

This is such a spectacular route! It is complete with excellent exposure, very sustained and varied from fingers to off-width.

The first pitch is definitely the hardest because it is so sustained and long. I brought three #3 Camalots, but most people want more for the first pitch. I would have liked to have a 4.5 or 5 Camalot for the last pitch, but most of the hard sections are secure.

It is very shady all day long, which makes this a good route to do in late spring of maybe even summer when it is too hot for other routes. If you do this climb in the fall or early spring, be prepared to dress very warm.

The last (3rd) pitch is a little runout, but particularly near the top, you can get stoppers in a crack withing the OW. Thus, it is best to take a set of nuts and a good number of 2' runners on this route.

If you're taking wide gear specifically for the 3rd pitch, take a #5 Camalot or equivalent. A #4.5 is maddeningly just too small.-David Goldstein

An optional first pitch, or rather the original first pitch starts 30' to the right in another right facing dihedral. This goes at 11b, and is more difficult than the hand crack. Liebacking thin fingers, ends at the same belay. Both have excellent climbing.

If you have a 70m rope, you can do the rap off the north face in four single-rope rappels. The first pitch of "North Face" is probably around 120-130 feet, and a 70m just BARELY puts you on the ground.
-Paul Nelson

This is a great route up an awesome tower. Definitely a classic. I couldn't quite get myself to trust smearing on the calcite layer. Maybe next time.

When I climbed this route a few years ago, I had doubles up to #3 camalot and then one #3.5, and #4. If/when I climb this route again, I will bring more #3's for pitch one but the rest of my rack seemed sufficient. This route is one of the best i have done.

Awesome route on the most famous tower in Utah. I disagree with the grade creep going on here. This route is stiff, for sure, but 11c? Not a chance. When I think 11c I think Crack of Doom at City of Rocks, or Atlantis in the Needles. Both of which are miles harder than this route. Do not be intimidated by this route, get on it! Good gear and awesome exposure. 11a (maybe)

Climbed this gorgeous route on October 8th, 2007. It was splitter!

On the first pitch, we chose to go right and climb the undercling/lie back instead of the finger crack on the left. I would call it .11a and super, super good. A little thoughtful and very airy.

I would have liked 5 #3 camalots for the first pitch. We only had 3 and ended up shuffling them a bunch, which worked fine but was kind of a pain in the butt. Probably added to the pump factor a bit.

The second pitch was surprisingly hard for .10a.

The third pitch was marvelous. It looks super gnarley, but rarely did I have to do much OW technique. It was all there and climbed beautifully. Awesome route! We had a couple 4.5 camalots and placed them both.

I climbed straight up the finger crack on the first pitch and felt it was about 11a. The hand crack on the second pitch felt much harder than 10a, maybe closer to 10b/c.

Amazing line. I was suspicious about my friend's heed to bring four #3s for the first pitch but was very glad that I did. Think Indian Creek splitter. Even with this gear there were times when I pushed pieces up 20 ft. If you were trying to sew it up I'd bring 5-6 BD #3s as well as a #4 for this long and spectacular pitch.

I rapped the north face with one 70m. The first rap brought us to a ledge about 15-20' above the anchors, and an exposed downclimbed ensued...we also left half the rack on top and were forced to simul Kor-Ingalls to get it. Kor-Ingalls is way easy to rap with one 70m.

Hey Hayduke that's funny you should say that. I found this route to be overall harder than Atlantis. That's how it goes with climbing ratings I guess.

FWIW, the Supertopo guide rates it 5.11c.

Wow- What a route. This may be my favorite desert route. I'd give it an 11b, but I have big hands. I would have placed 10 #3's if I had them. We did two 60m raps from the summit. I think this route is much better (and easier) than Fine Jade. Anyone else worried about falling on cams on that final flake?

Make sure to bring some runners for the 3rd pitch, otherwise the rope drag will make the final .7 chimney quite frustrating. You really don't want the first words you utter as you pull on to the summit to be "Come f**king on Rope!" You might scare the other climbers on the summit :) (Thanks guys for the water)

Easy to rap the route with a single 70 but beware because the first rappel is a super rope-stretcher. At the VERY end of the rope we had to reach down and clip the anchor and basically rap off the end of the rope back onto that ledge. The rest of the raps are casual and easy.

Absolutely fantastic route. We did the right start. Got to get on the #3 start next time!

Huh. I thought this route was significantly easier than fine jade. Definitely no stopper cruxes like the finger crack bulge on fine jade.
Overall, an awesome route. Pitch one was definitely the money pitch. The last pitch was also great. Careful cam placements, and occational leapfrogging make the last pitch less scary.