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Goliath 

5.9+

   

FA: S. Baxter, G. Douglass 1970's
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.9+ [details]
Length: 4 pitches, 200 feet, Grade III
Views: 778 page views

Submitted By: Kole DeCou on Jan 10, 2007


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BETA PHOTO: Goliath.


Description 

This is the spire in front of the Mushroom that you see on the way to Earth Angel. It's a fun little adventure. Most of the climbing is 5.6 and under until the last move, which unless you hang out at Kelly Canyon a lot is a major sandbag at 5.9. Pitch 1 is shady, but the rest of the route is in the sun.

Pitch 1) 5.6 80' Start at the high point of the notch, and climb the easy chimney/flare into a spooky place. The crux is at a little rooflet. Either belay in the spooky place, or traverse left a bit and belay on a cool ledge.

Pitch 2) 5.6 100' Do not climb the choss above your head!! Traverse the limestone band left (south) half-way around the spire. Belay when you can no longer pull the rope. Most of the gear on the traverse is at your feet, in the limestone.

Pitch 3) 5.6 120' Find an easy chimney to go up on the right side of a pillar (left side also looks climbable). Go up to ledgy terrain and build a belay under the bolt on the summit block. Belay takes blue and black aliens (and you can use the bolt)

Pitch 4) 5.9+ 20' Clip the bolt and claw your way past a very strenuous mantle.

Descent: 3 raps to the notch.
Rap 1: 20' Rap off the summit block. The bolts were naked and un-rappable when we were there. After scratching our heads for a while we left webbing but no rap rings, so bring your own stuff. It now occurs to me that the party that placed the bolts must have simul-rapped the summit block.

Rap 2: 20' Rap off a slung block to a 2 bolt anchor at the top of a chimney.

Rap 3: 150' Back to your packs.


Location 

From the parking at the end of Jordon Road: drop into the wash and follow the wash north for 1.5 miles until you see the Mushroom and Goliath on your right. There is a very large and open wash inbetween the Mushroom and Goliath. Follow this for a little ways. When possable traverse left into a side-wash that goes up the left (north) side of Goliath. DO NOT go up the main wash on the right side of Goliath. I can tell you from experience this sucks. The route starts at the high point of the notch on the east side of the spire.


Protection 

Nuts, 2 each blue Alien to #3 Camalot. Much smaller than your typical Sedona rack.



Photos of Goliath Slideshow Add Photo
The approach goes up this drainage, then crosses left to the left side of Goliath.

BETA PHOTO: The approach goes up this drainage, then crosses l...

1st pitch of Goliath

1st pitch of Goliath


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By Kole DeCou
From: Flagstaff, AZ
Jan 12, 2007

Well the guidebook sais you can rap off before the summit and then it's 5.6. This is true but it's a spire climb, rapping off 20 ft. before the summit would be admiting defeat! The hard move might be aid-able by stepping on sling on the bolt, or by doing a good old-fashioned shoulder-stand. If this doesn't work maybe you can toss the rope over the top. I'm sure a persistant 5.6 climber can figure out a way to summit.

By juggy
From: Crested Butte/Gunnison
Nov 27, 2007

This isn't a bad climb, the first pitch provides a fairly runout traverse, so good. the second pitch is a cool exposed traverse

By roman d
Feb 24, 2009

From the summit, you can easily rap down (1 rope) to the chain anchors at the top of the big chimney, skipping the slung boulder.

By ZEric
From: Surprise, AZ
Jun 1, 2009

Fun climb and a bit exciting on the 2nd pitch. May need to break up pitch 3 due to rope drag. Pro opportunities are somewhat sparse (except on the 2nd pitch). We aided the difficult mantle move at the end with an impromptu made etrier of webbing to summit (good suggestion Kole). You can skip the 2nd rap (slung boulder) but the rope could get hung up when you pull it, fortunately that didn't happen to us. The climb starts at N34.9049 W111.768.