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kolby
Oct 23, 2002, 5:21 PM
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I was wondering if climbers could give me some beta on Castleton Tower. My partner and I decided to climb it last weekend but turned back when we realized we wern't on the right approach (We also felt intimidated by it's size and all the loose rock everywhere). How are the belay stations? I heard that the rapell stations are difficult to find. Anyone interested in climbing it this weekend?
-Kolby Jardine
[ This Message was edited by: polarwid on 2002-10-23 12:25 ]
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crackwhore
Oct 23, 2002, 5:39 PM
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if you are at the climbers campsites, the approach trail is well defined and marked with cairns the whole way. the AAC helped build the trail many years ago.
and yes, a brain bucket is a good idea.
the North Chimney and the original Kor Ingalls route are the easiest and most well defined routes on the tower.
the easiest and best rappel route is the N. face and is very easy to find (very exposed) and reaches the base w/2 60m. rappels.
need more info?
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phlyfisher
Oct 23, 2002, 5:43 PM
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Like crackwhore said, park at the campground ~4.6 miles up the La Sal loop road and hoof it up the skree. The trail is really well traveled. 1200 ft of skree. Tons of fun!? I just did it two weeks ago. Incredible. We did the Kor-Ingalls and rapped off the same way we came up. All the anchors are pretty easy to find regardless of which route you rap. The belay stations on the Kor-Ingalls are all good ledges. We fit three and sometimes four people at all the stations.
Have fun!
[ This Message was edited by: phlyfisher on 2002-10-23 10:44 ]
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kolby
Oct 23, 2002, 6:06 PM
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So crackwhore,
I use the double rope technique with 2 9mm ropes and so are you saying that I can rap all the way to the ground with a double rope rap? Thanks for the beta!
-Kolby Jardine
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dsafanda
Oct 23, 2002, 6:06 PM
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Get the Supertopo...
http://www.supertopo.com/packs/desert_towers.html
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crackwhore
Oct 24, 2002, 9:29 PM
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2 rappels w/2-60m. ropes
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burz
Oct 24, 2002, 9:48 PM
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You can find some trip reports on the North American 50 classic climbs website: http://naclassics/index.htm
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kolby
Oct 30, 2002, 5:38 PM
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Bought the supertopo for desert towers and am glad I did. Lots of advice, decent topos (allthough I've seen better), and interesting info on first accents and stratagies for the routes. Thanks!
-Kolby Jardine
Also checked out the trip reports and I'm sure they'll be helpful this weekend. Anyone ever climbed South Six Shooter?
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rck_climber
Oct 30, 2002, 5:44 PM
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I know Andrew has, might want to PM him on it.
Hope this helps.
Mick
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atg200
Oct 30, 2002, 6:34 PM
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What do you want to know about South Sixshooter? If you can handle Castleton, S Sixshooter is a piece of cake. Make sure you don't try to start the approach to S Sixshooter too early - leave the road at the point where you begin getting further from the tower rather than closer. There is a cairned trail once you get up over the first cliff band, and it will make your life easier to find.
Another good place for any Moab related beta is my website: http://www.climbingmoab.com
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rocknpowda
Oct 30, 2002, 7:25 PM
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Bro-
Maybe you should hold off or hire a guide.
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rck_climber
Oct 30, 2002, 7:59 PM
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Jabo,
Perhaps you know exactly where each climb is located on every tower, but not all of us do.
I don't know about this guy, but that's what I primarily use the guide/supertopo info for ~ to at least ensure I'm on the route I want to do. The pitch-by-pitch beta is nice, although not completely necessary; being on the right route, however, is. Everything else is just nice info to have, whether you choose to read it or not.
Mick
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tim
Oct 30, 2002, 8:13 PM
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hey dude,
I didn't post that crap, ''gawd'' did. I find the supertopos useful for climbs where I am unfamiliar with the area. And sometimes even when I am familiar with an area -- I would have been delighted to have one for the S. Face of the Warlock (at the Needles) this past weekend. I challenge anyone on this site to find the 'correct' start to that route on the first try...
[ This Message was edited by: jabbeaux on 2002-10-30 12:14 ]
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atg200
Oct 30, 2002, 8:43 PM
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that is fairly stupid gawd. people don't climb castleton tower looking for adventure - they do it as a starting point to learn what desert towers are all about. plenty of opportunity for adventure when you start getting on things like monster tower, islet in the sky, argon tower, etc.
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tim
Oct 30, 2002, 8:54 PM
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Gawd,
Nobody in their right mind climbs old Beckey routes for the numbers listed. They're usually completely devoid of any relation to reality -- similar to '5.9 A2' routes in the Canadian Rockies.
I chose the line becuase it's big, beautiful, in full sun, and no one ever does it. If you want to find out what the number attached to it is, feel free to consult old AAJ issues; the guidebook is out of print and I don't feel like telling you.
Anyways, sometimes topos are useful, although there normally aren't any for the climbs I like to do. Your emphasis on 'adventure' seems to be more of a defense mechanism than anything else.
As an addendum, of course I got the start done, though I probably ran it out 75' by getting into a separate crack system from Beckey. The point is that I rather prefer to enjoy myself when I go climbing, and I don't begrudge other people their Supertopos and whatnot if that's what it takes for them to enjoy a trip.
[ This Message was edited by: jabbeaux on 2002-10-30 12:56 ]
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poindexter
Oct 30, 2002, 9:41 PM
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speaking of south sixshooter, does anybody know anything on those two native american looking things at the very very base. when you park in the riverbed and hike in on the north side of the buttress anout a half mile in. its at the base of where you start hiking up the hill. i came acrost those when i was there and even found a log big enough to get up there where the rocks are stacked like walls, but was wondering what they were? looks like they are going to fall any day now.
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mike
Oct 30, 2002, 10:28 PM
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Registered: Aug 20, 2002
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Quote:Maybe you should hold off or hire a guide
That's what I did (hire a guide) and glad I did too.
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