| Devil's Castle |
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| | Please respect this beautiful area. Stay on established trails and do not trample any vegetation
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Devil's Castle from the trail.
Description The North Face of Devil's Castle is within the Alta Ski Area boundary and within a 20-30 minute approach hike from the Albion Basin Campground. Spring to late summer snow forms a bergschrund type barrier to the beginning of the routes which adds to the alpine flavor. Take more clothes and weather protection than you think....even if valley temperatures are really hot! Prone to late afternoon thundershowers. Wear a helmet for all climbing here. The rock is limestone and considered chossy by some people, so if you are a sport climber never accustomed to touching possible loose rock...go elsewhere. This is great climbing in a beautiful setting and rarely crowded. If other parties are on the wall, walk off instead of doing the rappels of BLACK STREAK, which can be rappelled with one 70m rope.
Getting There Drive as far up Little Cottonwood Canyon as possible. Continue on the dirt road (when open) up to the Albion Basin Campground. Ice axes and big boots may be helpful for early season approaches that should not require more than 30 minutes. A fine trail leads out of campsite #13 which passes some private homes. If making reservations for camping, this campsite gives you awesome views and the closest approach to the Castle. Respect these properties and stay on the trail and avoid passing through too close to the homes. Above trail and tree line, the approach is obvious.
The ClassicsMountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Devil's Castle:
Black Streak 5.10a/b PG13 Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, 800 feet, Grade III
Evil Eye 5.11a PG13 Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, 700 feet, Grade III
Gothic Pillar 5.11a/b PG13 Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, 750 feet, Grade III
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Featured Route For Devil's Castle
Black Streak 5.10a/b PG13 UT : Wasatch Range : ... : Devil's Castle
Fun, 6-7 pitch alpine "sport" route. The first bolted route on the North Face of Devil's Castle and due to its inclusion in the Ruckman Guide, the most popular. Subsequently, it is also the cleanest and currently the one most free of loose rock. Pitch #1: Face (~9 bolts) climb up the black water streak to a ledge and three bolt anchor. This was earlier protected by the gear friendly horizontals. 5.10a, 130'.Pitch #2: Crux pitch goes through a roof and to the right to another ledge (w... [more] Browse More Classics in UT
View of Devils Castle from the road going up
| Alta heli woking away before winter.
| BETA PHOTO: Devil's Castle North Face Routes
| me and my bro Nico on the summit
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| Comments on Devil's Castle |
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By Tristan Higbee From: Mexico Aug 3, 2010
| Here's a bit more approach beta: From the parking lot, walk through the campground on the main road. You'll pass a small gate on your right and a minute later you'll see a larger gate on the right. The main road goes left here over a bridge thing, but you want to go right through the gate on that road. This will take you through some houses. After the houses, the road will veer left and you'll see a great singletrack trail going straight. Go straight on this trail. After 15 minutes or so you'll pass by a cool looking cliff on your left and you'll be directly under the face. A broad, shallow, rocky, talus-filled gully leads to the base of the face from here. Follow the gully to the base of the routes. It takes me 45 minutes at a not-in-a-hurry pace. |
By Christian "crisco" Burrell From: PG, Utah Aug 4, 2010
| Spoke with some guys who had just finished the raps off Black Streak. They reported that it was easy and not a problem. Problem is, you are rapping down the most popular route on the wall. A good idea would be for more of the routes to get equipped with chains for raps so as to avoid traffic jams and lose rocks falling on those below. Maybe think next time about bringing up one set of chains to donate to a belay for the benefit of everyone else. |
By Ben Folsom Aug 4, 2010
| Or consider walking off which is quick and easy. Rappelling and pulling the rope = increased chance of knocking loose rocks down on yourself or people below. |
By Boissal From: Small Lake, UT Aug 4, 2010
| Agreed. This ain't the Thumb, the 'convenience first' attitude will kill someone on the Castle. When I did Horns a few years ago I was belaying tucked in the mini alcove on top of P3 when I heard a loud thud and was showered with dirt. When I followed the next pitch I found a head-sized block embedded in the dirt 10' directly above the belay. Failed to mention to my partner that one of us came within feet of the Pearly Gates. Spontaneous choss fall happens all the time on the castle. Pulling a rope through the death ledge will result in someone dying. The walk off sucks. A broken ankle sucks more. Brain splatter sucks most. Consider donating chain to restrain ravenous bolters instead... |
By bsmoot Aug 5, 2010
| I don't think the walk off sucks. You have a good trail down to Cecret lake, It goes fast and it's quite scenic too. |
By Boissal From: Small Lake, UT Aug 5, 2010
| Brian, do you rack up at the car? I've always dragged a pack up there and had to walk back down to the base of the lines. That walk-off sucks big times unless you're with Shaft and he's throwing a fit and threatening to call Ono every time he finds the remains of a bamboo stick... |
By Shaft From: Salt Lake City Aug 5, 2010
| I have kinda come to terms with the prevalence of the invasive species of alpine bamboo. Need an impromptu axe to negotiate the slippery snowfield? Look for a sturdy specimen. Need walking sticks to recon the next killer line? Locate the longest mysteriously splintered 'boo sticks and stability reigns. Plus chicks dig dudes that have rockfall scars AND haul out trash. |
By Brian in SLC From: Salt Lake City, UT Aug 5, 2010
| Reasonable to get back to the pack if you take the trail down before you get to the hike up to Pinchaloaf, uhh, Sugarloaf. Cut down the gully and then head to to the base. Keep the radar on, as, any wind and/or goats could nail you with a loose rock. Not that bad. |
By bsmoot Aug 6, 2010
| When I'm up there, the climber going second carries a small pack. This is one of those times when it's better to be on the sharp end! |
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