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Totem Pole

5.10 A2, Trad, Aid, 400 ft (121 m), 3 pitches, Grade III,  Avg: 1 from 4 votes
FA: Mark Powell, Jerry Gallwas, Don Wilson, Bill Feuerer, June 11-13, 1957
Arizona > Northern Arizona > Navajolands > Monument Valley
Warning Access Issue: Closed. DetailsDrop down

Description

The Totem Pole is the tallest , skinniest spire on the planet. Pitch one; goes up a left slanting aid crack. This is followed by the wide section. There was a fixed block of wood part way up, and then you need either VERY large cams or those super large big Bros....or I used large cams and small sections of 2" by 4" blocks of wood side by side to aid off of (2 in a row)....the first one was one cam and one block of wood..the 2nd being one cam and 2 blocks of wood....(It works;..it was dicey..)...
Pitch 2 is the cool 100' splitter....hand size...we aided it, but I bet it would go free at 5.11. ...it's awesome. The last pitch is a bit of aid , and then a long bolt ladder;....The bolt ladder has been dicked with...when we did it, it was missing the last 2 bolts, which we banged in pins, and made it to the top. At one time, most of the bolts were missing , and you had to hook in the holes;..very scary. The summit is the best on the planet. There are lots of bolts on top, from various commercial ventures.

Location

The Totem Pole is on the Tribal Loop, on the right, at the back of the loop.

Protection

Triple rack of cams. extra large cams..and something for that wide section. You can take extra hand size pieces, or just keep back-cleaning, which is what we did..... I'd take a few pins and a bolt kit, in case some of the bolts on the bolt ladder are missing or gone. FIX TOP PITCH so you can get back to the anchor;...it's overhanging and you would not make it back to the belay.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Totem Pole. Classic view.
[Hide Photo] Totem Pole. Classic view.
Todd Gordon on the summit.  Photo;  Todd Gordon Collection.
[Hide Photo] Todd Gordon on the summit. Photo; Todd Gordon Collection.
Proper preparation for the ascent.  Photo; Todd Gordon
[Hide Photo] Proper preparation for the ascent. Photo; Todd Gordon
The Pole.  Photo: Todd Gordon
[Hide Photo] The Pole. Photo: Todd Gordon
The Pole.  Photo: Todd Gordon
[Hide Photo] The Pole. Photo: Todd Gordon
The Pole.<br>
Photo by Todd Gordon.
[Hide Photo] The Pole. Photo by Todd Gordon.
Dave Evans in action, on the Pole.<br>
Photo by Todd Gordon.
[Hide Photo] Dave Evans in action, on the Pole. Photo by Todd Gordon.
Dave Evans on the Pole.<br>
Photo by Todd Gordon.
[Hide Photo] Dave Evans on the Pole. Photo by Todd Gordon.
The Pole.  Photo; Todd Gordon
[Hide Photo] The Pole. Photo; Todd Gordon
Dave Evans on the summit of The Pole.<br>
Photo by Todd Gordon.
[Hide Photo] Dave Evans on the summit of The Pole. Photo by Todd Gordon.
Todd Gordon on the first pitch of the Totem Pole.<br>
Photo: Todd Gordon collection.
[Hide Photo] Todd Gordon on the first pitch of the Totem Pole. Photo: Todd Gordon collection.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Todd Gordon
Joshua Tree, CA
  5.10 A2
[Hide Comment] We did about the 10th ascent. Our ascent was on a very windy day; on the summit rappel, Dave Evans blew about 40' away from the spire at one point. He looked like a kite on the end of a string. We fixed one pitch late in the day, slept at the base, got up early, finished and down by 11:00 on sort of a cold, windy day. The Original route goes up the front of the rock and was "erased" during the filming of Eiger Sanction. The Banditos put the backside route up (Never Never Land III 5.10, A2), which, I believe, is the only way up presently. Climbing The Pole was one of the highlights of my climbing career. May 21, 2007
Todd Gordon
Joshua Tree, CA
  5.10 A2
[Hide Comment] see here for story of totem pole ascent..

joshuatreeclimb.net/Stories… Oct 27, 2017