This tower requires a fairly short hike, and adventurous climber willing to make the "scary" yet easy moves referred to in the general description.
We didn't top out, yet I'm adding this beta for the sake of adding beta information. The reason we didn't top out is because the top was covered in snow and our judgement told us to back off. Don't try the climb during the winter unless you're confident there won't be snow.
The climbing is fairly easy and fairly well protected to a chimney. I shot through the chimney without pro and clipped some sort of extra large pin at the top of the chimney. After stepping out onto a sub-summit pillar to inspect the route, I immediately got nervous. Not wanting to make the runout snowy moves, I belayed my partner to the sub-pillar. He began his lead from there.
The second half of the route goes as follows: a mantle combined with an undercling on a loose block (go easy on it!) brings you to a ledge. This ledge had snow on it and therefore made what should be easy climbing a bit precarious. From this ledge you move around and over a very small ridge to anchors below the bolt ladder. This move is not protected and offers a scary swing as punishment for slipping or falling.
The bolt ladder continues to just below the top, where my partner stopped due to snow and judged to backoff.
Summary: go out and have some fun, easy climbing, easy summit, good view. We plan to go back and get revenge soon.
Protection
One set of friends and stoppers. Slings or aid gear for bolt ladder. I didn't use much gear on the first pitch and the second is the bolt ladder.
Didn't see any anchors below the bolt ladder so used the lowest bolt on the 2 bolt ladder for the 1st pitch belay. You could get some large cams in but I didn't have any. I almost pulled a loose hold onto my partner while trying to free some of the moves on the ladder so be careful if you try that.
The generally accepted first belay point is in fact the large eye-bolt on the top of the "sub-summit." The chimney before the s-s is very simple with some odd moves. The second pitch was very difficult, but a BLAST. If you're seconding, free it. After you gain the "middle block" after the s-s, the crux is getting onto the summit block. From there 5.10+ face moves will get you to the summit, a mere 15' away. Emphasis on Joel's remark about climbing above the last bolt... If you're leading this on aid, have fun. It's scary.
Concerning the rap: DO NOT rap off the south side (or the side you started from). The rope-grooves will kick your butt. Double 60's to the ground on the side of the summit where the rap-anchors actually ARE...Cheers!~Wm
Just climbed this a couple weeks ago and had fun. We climbed to the top in one pitch with just a little bit of rope drag. We had a 70M rope but a 60M would make it too. We only needed the 70M for the rap too. It's about 110 feet to the ground.
Finally got back to top out this route. Something that I missed before, or was added since: a drilled angle at the top of the pillar before the huge pin. I equalized a #1 camalot to this angle for the belay. Anyway, this tower was easier without snow! French free climbing the bolt ladder was fun and the mandatory free moves to the top after the second bolt are very fun! Free climbing the last two bolts on lead would be hard and scary for me, but I can see how on TR it might go at 10+.
By toddgordon From: Joshua Tree, California Apr 27, 2007
The free moves near the top caused me to "pause and hesitate; if only for a moment." Did this climb with Maryann Loehr in April, 1998; we had fun. An Earl Wiggins and Co. route; had the pleasure of visiting with Earl on a few occasions; another soul missed by the climbing community.
Tonka Tower
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