The Mission

The Mission. "Stick to the Mission" follows the mo...

Description 

The Mission is a tower of some-what soft Windgate at the very upper end of Day Canyon. Its uphill side is roughly 230 feet high and its downhill side is over 300. The name of the tower reflects both its shape and is in reference to Todd Skinner who was recently killed in Yosemite.

Getting There 

If you dont want to walk all day from the mouth of the canyon, the best access is off UT 313. Follow this road until you reach the Dead Horse State Park Road that leads down into Longs Canyon. From the junction go 2.1 miles looking for a rough road breaking off to the northeast (left). Follow this road for .9 miles. A smaller road breaks off to the left for 100 yards to an old well head. This is marked on the USGS 7.5 minute topo for Gold Bar Canyon as "DH" at the same spot a 5800 elevation note is made. Park here. The Mission is in the Canyon due north of you. If I'm reading the map right, its at 38 33 253 North and 109 42 600 West. Walk north roughly 300 yards until you are almost directly across the canyon from the Tower. At this point you are looking directly at the west face of the tower (see photo). Look for cairns marking two good rappel bolts just below the rim. Fix a long static here. This rappel is 225 feet, so you may want to tie two together. From the base of the rappels walk across the canyon to the base of the tower.

Featured Route For The Mission

"Stick to the Mission" 5.11 PG13  UT : Moab Area : The Mission

"Stick to the Mission", a Toddism that kept so many of us focused on what mattered (climbing), follows the obvious dihedral to splitter on the southwest face. P1 is a soft hand crack in a corner. A bit awkward but fun. Belay at the fixed anchors on the ledge.P2 is the business. Do some face moves with a bolt protecting you (5.11) to the splitter. The crack starts as a good hands, then goes to cupped hands, then fists, and then at the dogleg it tu...[more]