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
Access Issue: Closed.
Details
It is presently illegal to climb on the Navajo Indian Reservation. These climbs are listed here for historical purposes only.
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.
[Hide Photo] Dave Evans in action, on the Pole. Photo by Todd Gordon.
[Hide Photo] Dave Evans on the Pole. Photo by Todd Gordon.
[Hide Photo] Todd Gordon on the first pitch of the Totem Pole. Photo: Todd Gordon collection.
Joshua Tree, CA
Joshua Tree, CA
joshuatreeclimb.net/Stories… Oct 27, 2017