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Totem Pole, The 

The Totem Pole 

5.10c/d

   

FA: 
Type: Sport
Consensus: 5.10c/d [details]
Length: 2 pitches, 150 feet
Views: 1,433 page views

Submitted By: Mike on Sep 18, 2006


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BETA PHOTO: I could think of other names for this ~(:


Description 

A tall, slender tower in a scenic location with good climbing and a tiny summit make for a great route. Start low on the NE side and climb up and right, slowly circling around to the West side to a belay. Belay here to avoid rope drag or, with a long rope, continue up to the top.


Protection 

Mostly bolted, but up high (at the crux) it helps to place a nut or two to reduce the slight runout.


Location 

Walk down into the main canyon from the parking area. There will be 2 tall towers on the right. The upper one is Proto-pipe (it looks just like one) and the lower one is the Totem Pole.



Photos of The Totem Pole Slideshow Add Photo
Totem Pole

Totem Pole

Totem Pole

Totem Pole

2nd Pitch.

2nd Pitch.

Totem pole, shmotem pole

Totem pole, shmotem pole

East face of the Totem Pole

East face of the Totem Pole

TP from the top of Adios Larry

TP from the top of Adios Larry


Comments on The Totem Pole Add Comment
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By Braxton Norwood
From: Tucson
Oct 15, 2007
rating: 5.10+

You better like bushwhackin' to do the approach for this one. Bring small stoppers for the end of P2. I linked both pitches with no problems using 2' runners and a 60m rope.

As of Oct. 2007, both anchors need attention. One bolt at each belay is either spinning or flexing.

By Mike
From: Phoenix
Nov 15, 2007

The access road has been greatly improved and is now accessable with a high-clearance 2WD vehicle all the way to the Hackberry Creek turnout parking.

By JimmyK
From: Flagstaff, AZ
Jan 24, 2009
rating: 5.10c/d

Need a #4 nut to protect the top portion of the 2nd pitch. There was a little bushwackin' but the approach was only 15 minutes from vehicle.
Directions to Lower Devil Climbing area: From US 60, exit south on Oak Flat Road Campground road, travel 1.3 miles on paved road, take left on a gravel road. Drive about 2 miles on gravel road, at the bottom of the meadow, take a left at the old windmill (still there as of 01/17/09). Drive appx 1 mile to the road end. (Gravel road is rough, high clearence 4 wheel drive recommended!)

By arjunmh
From: Phoenix, AX
Jun 15, 2009
rating: 5.10+

Just one or two small nuts for the top! And, a 00 cam just doesn't work that well...A truly exceptional climb.

By Zeke
From: Phoenix
Nov 30, 2009
rating: 5.11a

I've only seen this rated in the foldout Karabin guide and rc.knob, but I'm wondering at the discrepancy between the 11- rating from those two sources and the the 10+ here. Is that another guidebook's rating or is the consensus I was just climbing the crux wrong? It seems a fair climb at 10D or 11- to me, 10C would be getting into the sandbagged range.

Regardless, I had a great time and managed this one clean. The way I pulled the route crux (on pitch one I believe) was an exciting lock off on two slopers to a left side pull. The exact supplementary rack to the bolts I used was a #3 camalot down low, a yellow alien up higher in a horizontal seam on the first pitch, and then a gold Dmm offset nut and the red c3 in the finishing crack.

Easily the best climb I've done at QC to date as it is actually interesting.