Moab area - Intro aid routes?

A broken foot has thwarted my plans to go to JTree for two weeks in April. So I'm hunting for an alternative.

I'm fairly certain I'd be able to aid climb provided I have stiff boots. Problem is.... I've never aid climbed before.(OK, I've jugged a few pitches).

What's the "intro to aid" situation like in Moab? Yes, I know I could practice aid all day on Potash, and I just might do that. Any easy towers for a couple of novice aid climbers (but experienced free climbers) to cut our teeth on? Fairly certain I'll need to be in at least one mountaineering boot (or similarly stiff style boots), so any free climbing will be a dodgy one good shoe affair. Wife could free climb, but she'll be following.

Any chance in hell that with two weeks to "progress"... a couple of aid noobs could survive Zenyatta Entrada?

The Tombstone would be a good idea if it is not to hot (easy approach and mostly c1)...Potash will be crawling with people by that time...Sheep rock in arches is fun (virgin wool)...ZE is not to bad if you have a lot of offsets...That thing get blasted with sun..Phantom Sprint is in the shade if it is too hot and is excellent.

I think the Hindu in Onion Creek would be a good one. The Kingfisher in the Fisher Towers is straight forward. The problem with Kingfisher is it has some chimney climbing that might not be too good for your foot?

Maverick on the Hindu looks like a good one! Thanks. Only question would how those 5.9 free bits would go with a mountaineering boot :) Any chance those sections could be easily aided/french-freed without too much excessive gear if I had to?

I'd go for Pale Fire before Zenyatta Entrada (C3 as your first aid route, yipes!). See the comments under the N Face of Moses (aid route name). I would think you'd need to bring tons of cams.

George Bell wrote:I'd go for Pale Fire before Zenyatta Entrada (C3 as your first aid route, yipes!). See the comments under the N Face of Moses (aid route name). I would think you'd need to bring tons of cams.

I didn't say I'd do it first :) After a few weeks.... but good ideas as well, thanks!

I climbed Maverick last year as one of my first aid climbs, as far as the aid goes it's pretty easy. The 5.9 pitch shouldn't be a problem in a boot, the start and the top out while rated much easier I thought were harder. The pedulum pitch was the hardest part with your foot issues you may want to second that pitch.

I wouldn't recommend Zenyatta Entrada as an early aid line - its not easy, and the soft rock doesn't take abuse well. I'd save it for when you are dialed in. Do the Kingfisher and Phantom Sprint on Echo Tower in the Fishers for big routes with little mandatory free. Mountaineering boots probably wouldn't make much of a difference in the mandatory free on those since it is all offwidth and squeeze chimney. Phantom Sprint is cold at this time of year so bring a belay parka.

The Hindu is a good one. The 5.9 move can definitely be french freed with a beached whale mantle move - no mandatory free harder than 5.7 or so. Disappearing Angel in Moab is a good easy one. The Devils Golfball in Kane Creek is a bolt ladder, but a cool one on a neat feature. If you are in to driving or coming from the south Mexican Hat is a short bolt ladder party trick, but is probably the most classic C0 climb on the planet.

Don't practice aid on Potash - better to get on a tower route that doesn't go free. The rock is just too soft to be dinking around with bounce testing on free climbs.

By the way, its funny the site owner posted in the wrong forum for this! Try the Utah deserts forum.

Andrew Gram wrote:By the way, its funny the site owner posted in the wrong forum for this! Try the Utah deserts forum.

Damm Andrew, you're right! I need to RTFM.

Hindu and Kingfisher both look like good entry-level routes... thanks for all the info so far!

The Katchina Spires are really close to Moab, and are really easy to go and climb and bolt latter up the last few pitches of the two spires if you walk around from the top.

I would do The Pickle. Its a bolt ladder to a summit. It will get you going through your motions correctly. Then, anything C1 or C2 that isn't in Arches.

Pickle looks perfect Sam.. thanks!

C0, one footed, in the gym. Check. I'm on my way ;)

ps. Hooking in the gym, not recommended.
pps. I just bought the Clean Walls DVD, which came recommended in another thread.

We did The Pickle yesterday. It was really easy and lots of fun!

-Tristan

So far our tick list includes...

• The Pickle (C1)
• Gossips, West Face (C1 since I am unable to stick my foot in a crack)
• Maverick on the Hindu (C1/C2)
• Maybe the first two pitches of Zenyata Entrada (C1?)
• Kingfisher (C2)

What about the Tombstone off Kane Creek? I assume this is the same route that Potter climbed in one of the Mortimer films. Someone suggested that as a good C1/C2 aid route?

Andy

Playing Hooking as it was once called is a pretty good intro. Often soloed as an aid climb. Not much mandatory free climbing except on the first pitch which is easy enough. Goes in the sun about 11 am right now.

Andy Laakmann wrote: What about the Tombstone off Kane Creek? I assume this is the same route that Potter climbed in one of the Mortimer films. Andy

Andy, expect a BASE jumper thwacking open next your head the whole time your on the Tombstone. Probably the most jumped rock in the US.

The last pitch of the Gossips has some traversing free climbing that isn't hard, but would be tricky without sticky rubber and has funky gear. I doubt you'll have problems, but its something to keep in mind.

I wouldn't set out to just do a few pitches of an aid route in Arches. The rock is soft and doesn't take abuse well. I'd save ZE until you are ready to just fire the route. I'd recommend something like Disappearing Angel instead.

If you want to get away from the crowds a bit, you could also head to the San Rafael Swell. The lightbulb in Buckhorn Wash can be aided and is a cool tower. Worth the View spire isn't a great climb, but it is a neat experience and is in a beautiful remote area with lots of rock art.

Andy,

I would go straight for the Kingfisher. It's easy, proud, and sports one of the better summits to be had anywhere in the desert. It was my first aid climb and I climbed the whole thing in a pair of Karakorems.

After you top that out, you will have a lot better idea of what you want to try next.

Brad

Hank Caylor wrote: Andy, expect a BASE jumper thwacking open next your head the whole time your on the Tombstone. Probably the most jumped rock in the US.

Gets Jumped a lot for sure. And have even helped some of them find their way up the first time. But there are a lot of days that go by with no one either jumping or climbing. Also it is more dangerous for the jumper to be close to the wall than for you to be close to them, so they will at all cost be heading away. The take off is to the climbers right and not directly over you affording you a safety margin. Still there are lots of days you will be by your self.