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TYclimbOK
Jun 14, 2009, 12:32 PM
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It has been a few years since my last trip to the ranch, but I can't stop thinking about the the huge rock formation called the Tooth of Time. It looks like it could be an incredible wall to climb.
Does anyone know if there are any established routes on this wall or if it has ever seen an ascent?
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acorneau
Jun 14, 2009, 1:58 PM
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TYclimbOK wrote: It has been a few years since my last trip to the ranch, but I can't stop thinking about the the huge rock formation called the Tooth of Time. It looks like it could be an incredible wall to climb. Does anyone know if there are any established routes on this wall or if it has ever seen an ascent?
Private property (BSA) and very off-limits. I wouldn't be surprised if some staffers have done a off-season climb, but they'd be dumb to let it be known.
I'm up there every September teaching the C&R Director's course, and I look at it every time and sigh...
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fencipede
Aug 14, 2009, 1:02 AM
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When I was out there years ago as a kid I heard rumors of the staff climbing it.
The only info I know of is listed in Rock N Road, which says that routes have been done since as early as 1972 by early climbers Davis, Wright, and Barrett. It then lists some grades, but no hard info.
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jdgilberg
Aug 14, 2009, 8:15 AM
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I know of a few routes up it, and have even seen the topo for it. The last summer I worked there, 2006, there was a rumor that they were having the route chopped.
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cad11
Nov 30, 2009, 7:48 PM
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There are definitely some established routes on the 'Tooth. There are some old pins and button head hangers (very rusty) that I know of... Philmont should consider allowing permitted ascents, they do allow permitted hunting on the Ranch, how about some climbing?
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acorneau
Nov 30, 2009, 9:11 PM
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cad11 wrote: Philmont should consider allowing permitted ascents, they do allow permitted hunting on the Ranch, how about some climbing?
I pitched this very idea to Brian Gray and a few other national big-wigs last year. Let people pay to come climb the week before the September fall conference at PTC.
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Adk
Nov 30, 2009, 10:11 PM
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I'd love to get on the tooth! Last I saw it was back in 1986.
What an awesome place Philmont is.
(This post was edited by Adk on Nov 30, 2009, 10:16 PM)
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Adk
Dec 1, 2009, 11:53 PM
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Great shot of the Tooth!
made clicky clicky...l
(This post was edited by Adk on Dec 1, 2009, 11:56 PM)
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bongbong
Dec 11, 2009, 1:09 AM
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I'll risk the cross post here on a similar thread:
There's a 5.9 up there, but I've never done it. I couldn't find a topo, but had rough beta. There supposedly is a tricky belay at some point up there.
I was Philmont Staff in 1995 at Cito - I was 19, top of my climbing career. On a weekend off, I hiked to the bottom of the Tooth with gear. My plan was to rope solo (as nobody else was willing to partner and risk being fired). As I was setting a base anchor (rope solo rig), a thunderstorm explodes above me. It rained long enough that I had to bail. Maybe it was God's way of saying, the glory of the first solo of the tooth wasn't to be mine. I still think of that day roped up, ready to go, rain drops falling. It's a part of my youth that pains me, like the beautiful girl I never had the courage to ask out on a date. Maybe I could have waited for the rock to dry late in the day, ditched the roped rig, and just gunned the free solo (I'd solo'd up to 5.9 at Cito that summer)? Onsite free soloing the tooth was more than I was willing to try.
(I did bag a FA on the Grizzly Tooth that same weekend, and got the first onsight on a 12- at cito, so it wasn't exactly a bad summer.)
To do the tooth, you'd need to be Philmont Staff and expect to be fired if caught. That was our understanding - climb it and get fired. The rock didn't look that big from the base. It's not at all worth risking an arrest for trespassing if you are not Philmont Staff. Also, beware that kids go to the top to watch the sunrise - you can expect a hail of rocks coming down at any time.
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radarcarve
Sep 2, 2013, 4:06 PM
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I was wandering through forums and found my name (Lee Davis) mentioned! I did the first ascent of the face of the Tooth of Time in 1972 with Randy Wright, and Rick Barrett. The three of us were climbers at Cito and did the face in about 5 hours, as I remember, with me doing the leading. It was either 5.8 or 5.9 in spots, but mostly about 5.5, as I recall. One of the notable features of the route is a tunnel that you actually climb up through about halfway up the face. Back in those days there was no problem with staff doing a new route... Philmont had previously sent a photographer out when Brad Plumb and I rappelled down the face to scout it out (made the philmont newspaper). I think that if I wanted to do it nowadays I would just go do it... after all, the staff would not be waiting at the top for you. As for the "rocks coming down from above", we worried and sent a friend to the top to guard the summit from hurlers, but it was unnecessary, for noone came to do that.
Lee Davis, Belen, NM
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