The tower does not look like much from afar, but this route is steep, veeery steep and excellent, mostly thin hands at the cruxes. The top is very skinny and exposed.
When you reach the base the route is obvious. Look for the squeeze chimney. Getting to it requires some difficult to protect 5.8-5.9 moves from the left. The hardest part is getting into the chimeny, the rest is quite secure. The anchor is fixed. The second pitch heads straight up on 5.10, traverse left, perhaps the crux, and then goes up an easy corner to a nice ledge. Pitch three follows the obvious 5.10 crack (wonderful thin hands). Pitch four steps around the corner and makes a short 9+/10 boulder problem to the summit.
Rappel the route (can be done with a single 60 meter rope). Use the newest sets of anchors.
This route can also be recommended as a good stepping stone to the North Face and Fine Jade. While not as hard or sustained, it is comparable in exposure, quality crack climbing, and in being a striking, elegant crack line.
I'd call the step left crux solid 10+. It's also scrunchy and probably a little harder if you're tall. The thin hands pitch is considerably easier. The boulder problem at the top is sorta funky and probably easier if you're tall.
For the rack, I placed a couple nuts - maybe bring every other one. In addition, 1 set of cams blue TCU to #3 Camalot. Double up on #0.5 Camalot, 6x #0.75 Camalot, and 3x #1 camalots.
The first pitch as described can be broken into 2 shorter pitches. If you take two ropes to rappel, you can rap from the summit to the top of the squeeze. Then, one more rap to the ground. Rapping from the anchor below the summit is a little sketch since you are pulling out pretty hard on the anchor (drilled angles). The top of the squeeze has two sets of anchors - use the new ones to rap.
Fantastic route - one of the best. Possibly very crowded, though.
Well, Anonymous Coward, pro suggestions are relative and subjective by nature (but you knew that). This route has been free soloed, afterall. Myself, I'm totally weak and scared and can never seem to place enough pro to calm my fragile nerves.
For the crux pitch and the thin hands pitch, I protected almost exclusively with .75 camalots and #2 friends. 6x was my quick quess as to what I carried, and this isn't too out of line from what is suggested in other guides. The guys ahead of us had 2x in this size (they were using the Falcon Rock Climbing Utah book which says bring a pile of #3 Friends - that's wrong, it should be #2s) , and they were certainly wishing for more.
I consider the pro list in the original description to be pretty bogus, but like I pointed out, people have done it with less than that. Personally, I'm not sure where one would place 2x#4, 2x#3.5, 2x#3, or 2x of anything smaller than 1.75 friends on this route. Maybe I just didn't notice those placements because I had so many thin hands pieces, I don't know. Like you, I'm simply offering another opinion.
Yet another gear suggestion for those who care to know another opinion. I was pretty close to my limit on this route, and probably like the above commenter I prefer to keep my fragile nerves calmed. My partner and I wrote the following list at the summit (though I can't recall what else we did up there, memory's a bit hazy).
Aliens - 1 blue, 1 green, 2 yellow. Camalots - 3 x .5(purple), 5 x .75(green), 3 x 1(red), 2 x 2(yellow). No nuts, hexes or low grade shake.
Helmets are always recommended on towers, of course, but mine jammed at the awkward entrance to the squeeze so I chucked it. Belay ledges are clear of rubble.
This is an absolutely superior tower route.
By Tony Bubb From: Boulder, CO Nov 20, 2001 rating: 5.10
The Crux for me was green camalots in the top pitch. I lead the traverse moves and found them technically harder, but not as pumpy, so I felt more secure, as I took my time to figure them out. THe top thin hands I felt like racing time on, and felt insecure. I don't know that I'd have been strong enough to place 5-6 green camalots, but I guess it is possible to do so.
Maybe some people are like me, if it is a red or yellow camalot, who needs gear (this is why I only own two of each of those sizes, but four 2" pcs.)
So when the route is sustained red or yellow camalots for 100 ft........you place your red at 30ft, and maybe a yellow at 70 ft so that you can bounce if you fudge it and miss your clip? Sounds like a plan to me. where do I sign up? I mean I would much rather not spend the money on those pesky little things that save my life because I'm not all about climbing but rather all about telling people how studly I am at climbing.
As far as gear, I think most people will be comfortable with 3 each of .75 and 1 camalots, as the crack on the third pitch varies a bit in width. I'd bring at least 2 .5 camalots (or whatever) as well, for the crux pitch. I can't recall any placement larger than a 3 friend, YMMV. I'd recommend leaving the stoppers at home unless you really want to be old-school about it. The chimney looks scary and doesn't take big cams, but was much more secure than I anticipated.
As several have mentioned, this tower doesn't catch your eye like Castleton, but the climbing and the summit are phenomenal. Just enough foot edges to keep the grade at (solid) 5.10+.
We just climbed this yesterday. If someone forced me to put an order on classic desert towers, this probably is only second to Moses and just ahead of the North Face and Fine Jade. It just was really nice climbing on a great day.
I kept track of what we used after reviewing this page last week for beta. A comfortable rack was 4 #.75 (5 would not be out of line) and 3 #1 camalots and 2 of .4, .5 and #2 camalots. One piece smaller is nice in the chimney, and one piece larger could protect nasty fall on easier ground the final 20 feet of pitch 2. Definately only one piece (if any) in this size range. We also threw a large stopper to back up the first belay, although it probably wasn't necessary.
For the rap beta with one 60m rope: Rap the first three raps to the top of the same flake you tunneled behind for pitch one. The last rap is at the climbers right on the flake/ledge from the belay anchor that is used for the top of pitch one climbing. Shiny new hangers that drop you on the south prow in an easy rap. Walk 100 feet back around to your pack at the base.
What happened to the new bolts on top of the Squeeze chimney? I didn't feel to safe rapping off of the 1984 loose bolt and peton. it looked as if there were new bolts at one time. Did they pull? P.S. watch out for the local hics fireing there guns off while your climbing "YIKES".
What is a 0.75 Camalot equivalent to in old style friend sizes? Do you need a 3.5 Camalot on Jah-man? What is the best approach? Where should we camp - same as for Castleton?
By Tony Bubb From: Boulder, CO Apr 25, 2003 rating: 5.10
0.75 Camalot is essentially a #2 Friend, but you can place a 1.5" here and there, too. I did not carry a #3.5 on the tower and I didn't feel that I needed or wanted one, but I am sure if you take one that you can find a place to put it if you try. The two cruxes were going up left under a flake through the overhang of the second-to-last pitch which I protected with #3 Friend (maybe a tight #3 Camalot would work) and then the tight hands run for the top which pros on 1.5-2" pieces. You can camp as for Castleton, but the walk in is much shorter if you drive back around to the other side to approach. The walk was so-so, but in the flat area there were really nice desert flowers the whole way in, 2 years ago at about this time.
We did Jah Man last weekend. We found the gear notes above very helpful and ended up carrying three of #1.5 and #2 Friend sizes with doubles of other sizes and only one #3 Friend. I found that the #2 Friend was "tipped out" in several instances on the thin hands sections or almost too opened up for comfort. Having resolved to add some Camalots to my rack, I was advised by a new acquaintance and desert expert that Camalots do not have the same holding power in desert rock at certain cam positions as Friends. Apparently fall tests at Indian Creek demonstrated this point. Thus, a mix of protection types and extras as described in other comments may be more appropriate than a minimum rack of Camalots. The last rap to the ground is best done from the belay on the arete. Does anyone know the ratings of the arete route pitches? I led the first pitch and figure about 5.11 maybe 5.11a considering some ratings in Castle Valley.
Just did the route again last weekend. Forgot how cool this route is. Anyways, here are my gear suggestions.
Three .75 cams or #2 Friends and maybe three #1 Camalots. An orange alien backs up the manky bolt on pitch 2 nicely. The flake is going to break, someday soon perhaps. Two .5 Camalots is plenty and maybe a couple finger pieces. Nuts can certainly be placed all over this climb. Nothing bigger then a #3 Camalot is needed. Take #2 Camalot.
Hmm, Kor-Ingalls or N Chimney on Castleton are easier and will get you used to the rock, but involve mostly wider cracks where the crux on Jah Man is a thin crack (but Castleton would be good preparation for the "Sister Squeeze" right before the crux pitch). If you hang out at Indian Creek and cruise up all the easiest (5.10!) thin cracks that would probably be the best warm-up you could ask for. However the crux on Jah Man is not as sustained as an Indian Creek splitter.
I thought the gear list from A.C. 11-19-01 was perfect. You can easily get away with fewer green camalots but that size is in your face on the two 5.10 pitches so it makes things easier. The pitches are relatively short making for what seemed like a much quicker day than, say, a route on Castleton. A single 60m rope worked well and I'd recommend it since its not a short approach. You just need to rap from the new anchors at the far end of the ledge atop Sister Squeeze. There is a newer bolted climb over there, does anybody know anything about it?
I will have to agree with the late Mike Sofranko, the traverse on pitch three felt super hard for me (I'm 6'2"). I'm far from hardman status but I'd like to think that I can second 5.10 without hanging, which didn't happen on this part of the route. Is our #2 forged friend still fixed just before heading up the vertical crack?
Edging shoes are really nice for this route, I think. The cracks are mostly thin hands/wide fingers, so you rely on mostly edges, and occasional toe-ins, for feet. There's also the crux traverse, which isn't crack climbing at all.
The most exciting thing about this climb are the consistently manky bolts. Whether they be anchor bolts or protection bolts on the last pitch, they're mostly rusty 1/4 inch drive bolts. Next time I hike up...I'm taking a bolt puller and some 3/8"x3.5" bolts...at least for the belays.
dive pitches my arse! we did it in two w/70m rope link first three and last two. xcellent route only need one rope. easist approach I've done in desert!!! if you liked castlton; you'll love the sista.
Okay, more gear beta to mull over... I brought 2 sets of camalots up to #3 with 6 #1s. I didn't place the #3s at all- waste of weight damn it! I placed 5 #1s on the 4th pitch and was happy to have them. I'm not sure where everyone was placing all those green camalots since the red ones seemed to fit nicely.
And, being 5 foot tall, I don't think the crux on the 3rd pitch is easier for short people. It's actually quite a reach to that gaston flake and the feet are way low! But totally doable. And the last pitch is pretty tough if you're short. I had to throw for the arete- very bouldery, but I stuck it and it was all good.
All in all this is an amazing route and well worth the walk! I thought the approach to the Rectory was way less steep than this one.
Oh, and yes the forged friend is still there. I could touch it and I felt it move, but since I was pumping out on lead, I didn't try to clean it ;)
Any other chimneys on towers in the desert comparable to Sister Squeeze? The entire route was lots of fun. I expected the hand crack to be my favorite section of the route but it turns out that the chimney pitch was. I saw the new anchors at the top of P2, far right on the ledge but I was wondering why there were 2 holes in what seemed to be perfectly good rock, above the piton and star driver at the top of P2. Seemed like a great place for a couple of bolts to back up the "historical" anchor.
Optional rap route. From the top of the Sister Squeeze flake/pillar you can walk along the ledge to the right to some newer anchors and hit the ground with one 60m rope. This seemed to be a cleaner rap option then going off the belay anchors on top of P2. See the photo I added. Then just walk around the tower back to the base of the route. Maybe a 30 second walk.
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