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Rainbow Tower 

5.9 C1+

   

FA: Jon Butler, Jesse Harvey, 27 August 1995.
Type: Trad, Aid
Consensus: 5.9 C1+ [details]
Length: 3 pitches, 220 feet, Grade III
Views: 216 page views

Submitted By: Ben Kiessel on Nov 9, 2007


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Rainbow Tower.

I'm at the top of the first pitch ...



Description 

Rainbow Tower climbs an obvious, giant, left-facing dihedral.

P1- Climb through 10' of mank to get into a thin, splitter crack. Climb this crack on small gear for a ways until it widens out and you see a pin out right that will take you to a 2 pin anchor in an alcove. (5.6, C1, 115').

P2- To continue form the alcove there are 3 crack options...you pick. They will all work. We climbed the center crack with very awkward 5.9 to get into a chimney. Climb the chimney to two aid bolts. Aid past the two bolts to the Torpedo Block and an anchor in a notch. (5.9, C1, 65') - If you climb the right crack, it will meet up with the center crack in the chimney. If you climb the left crack, it will meet up with the other two just before the torpedo block.

P3-Climb the short crack to pin holes. Hand place pins in the holes and aid up the face to a mantle onto the summit. (5.7, C1+, 40').

When we climbed this, we topped out on the summit to find no anchor. The rope that was slung around the summit by the last party to rappel must have blown away. We decided that two pins would be less of an eye sore than a rope around the summit, so I replaced the pins that we once there.

Descent - rappel from the summit to the notch on top of pitch 2. From here, do one double rope rappel to the ground.


Location 

Rainbow Tower is south east of Kissing Couple. When walking down from Upper Monument Canyon Trailhead, pass Clueless Tower and it is the next Tower on your left.


Protection 

Triples of black Alien to #2 Camalot, Single set from #3 to #4 Camalot, Stoppers, cord to replace the anchor. 4 baby angles for hand placing in the holes on the last pitch. 2 ropes to rappel. No hammer, the route goes clean.



Add Photo Photos of Rainbow Tower
Getting an early start on pitch one.

Getting an early start on pitch one.

Matt Pickren wrestling his way into the old school 5.9 slot near the start of pitch two.<br /><br />Note the light in the back of the chimney higher up. You can see out of the tower in three directions when you're in this chimney which gives it a unique feel.

Matt Pickren wrestling his way into the old school...

Ben Kiessel climbing the shallow holes on pitch three with hand placed pins.

Ben Kiessel climbing the shallow holes on pitch th...


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By Brad Brandewie
May 28, 2008

More photos and a TR at http://www.piquaclimber.com/past/rainbowdom/rainbowdirtyoldm>>>>>