Horns Of Satan 5.10+
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| Type: | Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, 750 feet, Grade III |
| Consensus: | 5.10b/c [details] |
| FA: | James Garrett (Lower Wall) and Brian Smoot (Upper Wall), July 2004 |
| Submitted By: | James Garrett on Jun 18, 2006 |
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Devil's Castle, Horns Of Satan, Franziska leading ...
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Please respect this beautiful area. Stay on established trails and do not trample any vegetation
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Description Young (and old!) rockers often times flash the "horns of satan" hand sign with the index and baby fingers extended. Can't miss it at rock concerts! A similar shaped feature clearly demarcates the crux lower pitches of Horns Of Satan. Look for a roof that caps a U shaped face with an arete above it. Pitch #1: Climb past some low level looseness and 3 bolts to a two bolt belay. 5.6. Pitch #2: Follow bolts to a great ledge under a wild looking roof. Better Rock! 5.8. Pitch #3: Climb the arete out of the U shaped bowl and belay at a bomber belay just under the main mid-way wall ledge. Great Pitch and good rock with excellent protection. 5.10b. Pitch #4: Gingerly step out onto the main ledge and scramble out left of a tree and large boulder. You may find the one bolt on this pitch! 5.4. Pitch #5: Pass two small roofs to a two bolt belay. 5.7. Pitch #6: Climb left of a left facing dihedral to the "Great Ledge". 5.9. Pitch #7: Starts out with a handcrack through strenuous roofs to wildly exposed, but well protected face climbing. This is a classic Smoot pitch...bolts are found where it won't otherwise protect with a continuously "out there" feeling. 5.10c. Pitch #8: Surmount a roof and follow the alpine summit ridge to the top! 5.5, 200 feet. Pitches #1 and #2 link together Pitches #4 and #5 may be linked together Rappel Black Streak or walk off the West Ridge
Location Located in the little apron about 100 feet to the left of Black Streak. Early season, most of the first pitch may be under snow. This is a steeper and more complicated approach than for Black Streak in early season so an ice axe may minimize the exposure. Spontaneous rockfall from melting snow and mountain goats poses a threat to the base of the route and the approach. Once on the route, this hazard decreases. Although equipped for descent, recommended to Rappel Black Streak or walk off.
Protection One set micro camalots to #.75 One set of Camalots #1-3 QDs and many runners
Standing below the start of Horns Of Satan and neg...
| Horns of Satan topo. The ratings and gear reflect ...
| Christian Burrell on pitch 1.
| p.3. Christian Burrell following. Amazing pitch!
| Pitch 4. Christian Burrell leading.
| Looking down pitch 6.
| The ridge on pitch 8.
| The true summit of Devil's Castle. Photo taken fro...
| BETA PHOTO: Topo
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| Comments on Horns Of Satan |
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By john bald Jul 5, 2007
| Wonderful climb! Some notes to help those heading up there. Can combine P1 & P2 w/ long rope. Pitch 3 is crux @ 10b w/many bolts. Can combine P4 & P5 w/ long rope. Pitch 7 protects w/ 4 or 5 cams 3/4" thru 3". Recommended rack of 12 draws and 5 cams. Enjoy the great moves! |
By James Garrett Jul 16, 2007
| I just did this route again today. I agree with Smoot as I think he once said this was his favorite up there at DC. It DOES still have some looseness as it probably always will. Part of the territory, I guess. The big block that TP mentioned...well, that whole belay looks alot more solid and clean then I ever recall. I am glad the junk is cleaning up with the increased traffic. The scariest pitches for me (the easiest, too!) are the 4th and 5th as I just don't seem to trust gear on limestone that much. Anyway, we were up there wearing jackets for part of the time. It sure is a welcome relief from almost every other climbing area in the Wasatch. The flowers were in full bloom and all the senses were maxing. We were all alone on the whole face. It sure beats the approach to our other alpine areas here near SLC! We rapped Black Streak with a 70m. A 60m is OK, too, but you will come up a tad short at the bottom and need to make a short 10m rap off 1 single, but bomber, glue in bolt. Enjoy! Thanks for the other comments. |
By tenesmus Aug 18, 2007
| ditto on a fun route and ditto on being extremely careful if anyone else is around - even on the black streak. We had a threesome with the second and third climbing kinda beside each other to keep the rockfall potential down. Since no one else was around we tried to knock off everything we reasonably could. Fun watching a melon sized rock bounce around from up high on the route and rebound from the top of the third all the way over the pillar across the gully. |
By mike pond Sep 4, 2007
| great route, combine the first two pitches and a 70m is best, helmets ect, thanks to the FA's. |
By BMAP From: Salt Lake City, UT Aug 5, 2008
| Came up to DC to climb "Black Streak" with my wife last Saturday and after scattering from melon size rock fall several times while getting ready at the base (that left more of a brown streak) we decided to climb HOS. We followed the good advise provided in this comment section and had a fun alpine outing! We thought that pitches 4 through 6 were the business while the 5.10 pitches were highly enjoyable. Placed only yellow alien, 0.75, 1, and 2 camalots. Only thing that we noticed different from the description was the last 5.5 scramble was only about 100 Ft (not 200 Ft). It is hard not to have fun on this route, thanks to the FA's hard work! |
By Tristan Higbee From: Mexico Aug 3, 2010 rating: 5.10b/c
| Loved the route! I thought it was just as good as, and maybe even a little better than, Black Streak. The whole route is worth doing just for pitch 3 alone, but pitch 7 is sweet, too (as others have said). I personally thought that pitch 7 was the technical crux. The route was not quite as clean as Black Streak, but I never felt like I was in danger from rockfall, either as a belayer or leader. Sure, the rock could be better in places and the ledges could be cleaner. But it's still classic in my opinion. The whole route protects well. The only PG-13 part I encountered was the bit before the first bolt on pitch 6. There might be gear placements there somewhere, but I didn't see them. Gear I'd take next time: Tons of slings/quickdraws (at least 14, plus whatever slings for belays). One set of cams from .3 to 3 Camalot. No nuts. Oh, and there's a fantastic free topo from GearLoopTopo.com |
By Christian "crisco" Burrell From: PG, Utah Aug 4, 2010
| A few thoughts: 1) This route was as fun as I've done in a while! Pitch 3 (our #2) was classic! 2) Combine pitch 1-2 and then 4-5. There really is no reason not to. 3) The crux was on pitch 7 (our 5). The first roof is a little pumpy but there is a perfect hand jam rest right after the apex of the roof. 4) All cruxy parts have good holds. You just have to commit and all will be well. |
By bus driver Aug 30, 2011
| Fun climb. We did it in 5 pitches. Ironically, there were three parties on this and no parties on the Black Streak. The rock gets better as you get higher. One or two parties a year with a small wisk broom would do this thing wonders as the rock is solid but there is just lots of pebbles on and near the holds that no one wants to rain down so they stay. Props to the FAists. |
By Mattberr From: utah Aug 11, 2012
| just climbed this today. Loved the route! lots of loose rock but agree that it gets better as you climb higher. Did it in 5 pitches. Great way to spend a hot summer day. I was climbing with a jacket all day in the shade:) |
By john climaco From: Park City, Utah Sep 8, 2012
| Did this today after doing Portable Darkness last weekend. IMHO this climb is just OK compared to Portable Darkness. It is considerably looser and the bolts are generally much farther apart. After all the storms last month pitches 1&2 were filthy with dirt. Pitch 3 was cool with lots of fun moves - a #1 Camalot protects the very lip of the 2nd roof perfectly before you can clip the bolt over the top. 4&5 are covered in loose rock. On pitch 6 you can avoid all the stacked, scary looking flakes on the right by climbing the steep face to the left. It looks like it will be harder but it's not and it's solid. However, when you get about 15' below the belay ledge be extremely careful: I pulled off two toaster-oven sized blocks there that landed in my lap, and more are dangling. Also watch out pulling onto the ledge itself as it is covered with stuff waiting to go. Pitch 7 was very cool, probably the best on the line. Pitch 8 is really only 4th class and less that 100'. 12 draws, 5 slings and a single set of cams will get you through comfortably. |
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