kevinhansen's Logbook (45 ascents)

Other websites have better beta. Read the TR.

I wish I would have taken a liter of water per pitch. Temps were in the 90s and I was the only one on any walls. I set up the ledge at the hanging belay on P4. I didn't like how close the crack resembled Touchstone. Instead of thinking "What piece of gear would work best..?" I found myself saying "Wow, that scar was made by a #1 cam, and above it is a scar made by a brown camp tricam, and then a #5 nut above it,.. and...." Not too much creativity. It became more of a guessing match to see what the previous 500 climbers used at that spot. That said, many placements weren't good any more. Too eroded.
Take a lot of nuts the more off sets the better.

Want Advice?
1) I STRONGLY ADVISE SCOUTING OUT THE FIRST 30 MINUTES ABOVE CMC CAMP.
2) Leave camp no earlier than 4am.
3) As always watch out for thundershowers around noon.
4) Pack yer gear after you check in at Jenney Lake and get your required bear can and permits.
5) Early in the season means melt water near camp.
6) Sticky rubber trail shoes are perfect. Sport shoes are good for beginners. Take comfy shoes for the walk off and rapp's.

We spent 11 hours car to car, and only 6 hours climbing.
I remember saying, I'll never go back. But I'm already thinking about doing another route. mountain project dot com has real good info too.
4 liters of water should do it. Leave 1 in the car, 1 at the base of the fixed line, and 2 while on the tower.

The best thing that could happen to this tower is for someone to rap bolt a set of rap anchors every 30 meters down the North face. That way tourists could photo your decent from Point Imperial, you'd be rapping in the shade, and you'd only need one 60 meter rope to do the tower. I noticed a growing number of new rap anchors in bushes on the South face. This is not good and can just clog the southern face with climbers and rappellers.
The approach is the crux fo show.. Leather gloves, carrharts, and old gore-tex coat make it nicer.
Good Luck!! And watch out for afternoon thunderstorms.

When I was there, the stream was flowing behind a shell of ice inches to a foot thick. Temps were perfect to make plastic ice... The first pitch is very short (30 feet) but steep. You may want one screw before you pull the lip, but I didn't bother.
Pitches 2 and 3 are hardly worth roping up for. They are short and very low angle. Think WI 1-2. Pitch 4 is what totaly redeamed this route. Steep ramp for the first 30 feet, then 85 degree ice up to a slot canyon finish. I placed 2 screws, but should have protected the top more. I'd think 4 screws would be more than enough to lead. What a great climb!

I'm always looking for a climbing partener. I live in Kanab 1 hour south of Zion.
kevin_likes_to_climb_much@hotmail.com

Park at the little pullout for Ashtar Command tower west of the guard shack just west of the big tunnel. Hike back to the tunnel then take the trail up climbers left. Follow it for a few 100 feet till you see it. You'll know it when you do for sure.
Yea after the first pitch I was gassed. The crack is solid hand jams the whole way. The first belay isn't comfy but solid. Second belay nice stance. Third belay is good too.

Yea its easier that it looks. Don't forget some wide stuff for the last 10 feet. If you can lead the Cave Route, you can do this one.

kevin_likes_to_climb_much@hotmail.com
I live 1 hour from the park and I'm looking for a partner.

This is the obvious left faceing dihedral with the flake in the back two cracks to the right (South) of the chimney. It looked harder than it was. The bottom spit me out before I could get any gear in. If you look closely this route has been climbed so much that folks shoes have eroded the opening foot holds into large dishes instead of clean edges. Every 3 moves will give you a solid stance to place gear. Don't let it get to you, just lead it!

I'm always looking for a partner and I live 1 hour from Zion. Shoot me an email and we can climb.
kevin_likes_to_climb_much@hotmail.com

Last weekend I Soloed Touchstone Wall again and I employed the continuous loop self belay method. I LOVED IT! I only had to haul 3 times while on the wall. (Hauling takes the most time so the less I do it the better). Someone put bolt #6 back on P1 and this time added epoxey to the D.A. too! Sure was nice. They also added a pin to the traverse to get to the roof! Its so welcome to see the poxy on it too. However the broken pin above the lip of the roof is still there. Guess it adds flavor. I had enough gear to run Pitches 2,3,4 all together then haul at the top. It took soo long to rap and clean I lost feeling in my legs.
My Silent Partner turned into its own Cluster F and kept short roping me. I rapped the route because the slot canyon decent to the east can be its own epic with a haul bag.
If you want to fire it in a day, get a white pass at the BC desk. This will ensure others stay away from the route. That or buy a bivi permit.
I live an hour away and I'm always looking for a partner.
kevin_likes_to_climb_much@hotmail.com
www.mountainproject.com has way better beta on this route.

The chimney starts out big enough to climb in and chimney like Dad showed you when you were a kid. Then a short roof brings it down to 18 inches wide. From there arm bar, foot stack, and wrestle your way to the anchor. Don't forget the stuff out side the chimney works well too. And the description is right.. They don't make gear big enough to lead it. If you want to protect it, take a shower Curtain Rod :-}

I'm always looking for a partner and live 1 hour from Zion. Be it ICE, BIG WALL, TRAD or SPORT. I'm up for anything.
kevin_likes_to_climb_much@hotmail.com