The final pitch. The 5.8+ offwidth of the South Face route is on the left. The climber is leading the 5.8+ thin crack option.

All Locations > Colorado > Alpine Rock > RMNP - Rock > Otis Peak > Zowie > S Face (5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c)

The final pitch. The 5.8+ offwidth of the South Face route is on the left. The climber is leading the 5.8+ thin crack option.

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MacDonald-Bartlett variation possibility. This dotted line goes ~5.8+ PG 13/R (note, going right at the tiny roof is the crux) 190' to a good ledge. P2 has ~100' of 5.4 climbing to the base of the LFD of the South Face route.

The 5.8+ thin crack variation for the final pitch. Be careful about the block in the photo - it vibrates.

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4.0 from 2 votes

Steph Abegg

Jul 16, 2018

“The final pitch. The 5.8+ offwidth of the South Face route is on the left. The climber is leading the 5.8+ thin crack option.”

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Nearby Photos

A route overlay of Zowie.

The last rap anchors after the downclimb through the gully. They blend in really well with the rock color....

Tracy at the summit rappel station on the North side.

The classic last pitch on Zowie...

Tracy gearing up to lead P2 up a chimney.

From the top of the chimney pitch (2 or 3) I take the leftmost corner and keep going up and left, on the south face. You'll get some fun 7/8 open books and this hero 7 corner that ends right at the belay for the finger crack s. face finish. Serendipitous.

MacDonald-Bartlett variation possibility. This dotted line goes ~5.8+ PG 13/R (note, going right at the tiny roof is the crux) 190' to a good ledge. P2 has ~100' of 5.4 climbing to the base of the LFD of the South Face route.

The final pitch. The 5.8+ offwidth of the South Face route is on the left. The climber is leading the 5.8+ thin crack option.

The 5.8+ thin crack variation for the final pitch. Be careful about the block in the photo - it vibrates.

The final pitch from the belay.

South Face.

Squeezing through between the South Face and a monolith.

The climber is on the classic face finish. To the right, a rope is set up for the rappel.

At the summit. Getting ready to descend.

The 2nd rappel station in the bottom right of the photo. The photo points SE(ish).

The 2nd rappel station in the bottom right of the photo. The photo points SW(ish).

The 2nd rappel station in the bottom right of the photo. The photo points SE(ish).

Looking up MacDonald-Bartlett start from below. Well protected with micro-cams at the small roof (crux).

First light at Mt. Otis.

The summit of Zowie.

Mike climbing the last moves up to the summit....

Jason at crux of the direct start [[[One for the Red Team]]105756715] (5.8,s). The arching crack looks intimidating, but there are face holds in all the right places. Didn't really encounter the "severe" aspect behind the rating.

The dreaded combination of stuck rappel ropes and thunderstorms. Had to fix one rope and ascend the other. Pull down your knot below the lip of your rappel to prevent this problem.

The start of the P3 and the long dihedral. We broke this into two pitches.

Second rap. To find this after the first rap (north option) walk northeast along a grassy ledge and look left for the hangers.

Awesome couch belay option for south face finishes.

The upper half of the finger crack finish on the South Face.

Final rappel on the Zowie descent...finally.

The second pitch.

Derek Chiccito finishing the final rappel off the Zowie descent.

Pitch 6. A unique pitch to the top.

Mike Zadd near the end of the 2nd pitch, exiting the chimney.

Tracy leading P1.

Your two options once below the summit spire, green = standard "classic" finish pitons and all, or just as good IMO red = OW crack finish, bring your #4, no pitons....

Also Appears In

Magic in the Middle (5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a)

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