Sentinel Spire is the beautiful free standing spire immediately across the canyon from Independence Monument. Most people approach it by rappelling from a tree at the Visitor's Center on the main rim road...then down climb easy slabs for a few hundred feet to the base of Fast Draw on the north face...or they go around to the south face to do the classic hard then hand crack, Medicine Man, 5.12b, and 4 pitches. The rock is composed of Windgate sandstone, the same as Indian Creek, but it is sandier and more lichen abounds (maybe more weathered). No matter, it is high quality crack climbing in a beautiful and less crowded setting.
Awesome route. Exposed and steep! This has got to be one of the most classic splitters in the desert. If you don't climb 5.12 you can easily aid the crux pitch and toprope it. The rest of the pitches are very doable and offer some great desert crack climbing on a sweet tower. First free ascent by Alan Lester and Pete Takeda.Piz's comments were pretty much right on but thought I would try to add some more detail and add the route to the database._...[more]
Sentinel Spire
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