Seasonal raptor closure at Monument Area MORE INFO >>>
Rock climbing is not allowed 1/4 mile either side of the Monument due to a nesting pair of Golden Eagles. The birds are using Staender Ridge as a perch therefore it is also within the closure area. The trail which is on the backside of the Monument is open to through traffic, but hiking is not allowed around the cliff faces.
This historic route was the first line up Monkey Face. It begins on the southeast side of the tower.
Pitch 1: 5.6 Scramble up a series of ledges to a ramp up and right to a vertical crack that takes you to the notch formed between the main buttress and Monkey face. Once at the notch turn the corner and climb up the face using traditional pro, bolts, and fixed pins. Belay at the left of two anchors on a long ledge.
Pitch 2: C0 Move up an overhanging red face on a bolt ladder into the "monkey's mouth." Belay from the unique angle-iron anchors.
Pitch 3: 5.7 Move the belay to the east edge of the cave (mouth). Reach out of the cave and move straight up the face for 25ft on bolts to a ledge with chains. This classic pitch is short but airy. The opening moves have been called "panic point" due to the noticeable exposure.
Pitch 4: 5.5 Ascend the boulder at the belay and move norward. Step across a small trough and head for the a bolted anchor on the east side of the summit at a ledge.
From here is a 4th class jaunt to the true summit. Be sure to take in the scenery and take pics for your REI catalog cover shot.
Descent: -Single 60m rope: rap the route
-Double 60m rope: This more spectacular 2 rope rap is a highlight for many. Use a single rope to rap from 4th pitch anchors to 3rd pitch anchor. Finally thread the large rap ring and take the almost entirely free hanging rappel to the ground.
Protection
All anchors are fat bolts or chains. -Single set of cams #.75-#3 camalot -nuts optional - Long slings and 4-5 quickdraws
-Fix rope at anchors on main buttress and do a single rope rappel into the notch.
-Continue up first pitch as Pioneer route on separate rope. When at the Monkey's mouth pull fixed rope tight and fix it also to the anchors in the mouth.
-First traverser can then use ascenders to jug back across gap on fixed line while being belayed from mouth. Be sure to put the loose end of the fixed line through the anchor in the mouth and tag it across.
-Once the first traverser has made the gap he/she pulls the tagged line taunt so that both its ends are fixed. This rope will now be only running through the anchor in the mouth but not fixed to it.
-Now the 2nd climber can do the traverse. Once they are to the main buttress the rope may be untied and pulled through the monkey mouth anchor cleanly.
By Peter Franzen Administrator From: Portland, OR May 7, 2007 rating: 5.7 C0
Pitches 3 and 4 can easily be combined.
We ran into a spot of trouble on the rap off of this today. The wind blew one of our ropes over to the other side of the notch, where it became caught. I won't go into the details of our near-epic getting it out, but the end result was that I had to rap down the West side of the Monkey.
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