Hike around the tower from a road 1.9 miles north of the fishers turnoff. You will head up on a ridge on the south side of the tower and then hike around the prow to the north side where the route starts. P1-Fun free climbing leads to a series of bolts that intersperse free moves(5.8 C1). P2-C1 crack to a bolt ladder (13 or so rivet hangers) You will also need some blue aliens, a set o' aliens, and cams up to 3 inches (C1). P3-Bolt ladder to the left(3bolts)then enters a crack that gets up to 4.5". P4-C1 or free climbing to the summit. Our clean ascent went up left up to a couple of roofs and then tensioned left to an offwidth(unprotected). You can also free climb up and right from the belay. Aliens(green, yellow, blue) helpful in addition to other cams
Location
1.9 miles north of the fisher towers
Protection
Double set of cams, double aliens, 13 bolt hangers.(no tricams, loweballs neccessary)
Scoped this out after climbing Rasta Wall. Hiked in about a month later in with mondo packs of gear, and blooeee. Beaten to it.
Walked away again, then returned with Roger Schimmel for second ascent (?) a little later. At the time, I was kinda bummed to find bolts near cracks in places; the aid challenge had been dumbed down. We nailed a bunch. I was doubtful it would go clean anytime soon.
However, it's great to hear it has been done clean. Way to go!
It's s fine line on the prow; a few more ascents and it should clean up nicely. A classic.
I did this route yesterday and thought it was way more fun then the north face route and not any harder.
Just out of curiosity, who leaves the blue spray painted carabiners on anchors in the fishers? I did west side story last summer and saw a bunch also. Do you just have a bunch of old biners at home sitting around? One of the anchors on West side story had 7 blue biners on it! and the next one had 6. It seems as if you just want to get rid of them since a lot of the time they don't make the anchor any stronger. Don't worry i don't take them, i just smile and shake my head.
Hey Joe, do you think that the bolt ladder on pitch 2 will go free at 5.10? there were some big sections that seemed to be lacking good holds.
Those are my biners. I have so many old ones and figure people will get some use out of them for bailing or whatnot.
"I did this route yesterday and thought it was way more fun then the north face route and not any harder."
Hmmm...no harder than a bolt ladder...
Take it easy.
Jeremy
By Joe Forrester From: Charlottesville, VA Mar 5, 2007
Ben, Sorry about the misprint. I think that everything except the bolt ladders should go free at 5.10 although I bet if the bolt ladder got a revamp some enterprising young rock-crusher could go up there and send the ladder. There are a lot of pebbles and mud-edges. You might also find some blue biners on Sundevil, I believe we left a few there too. Joe
hey jeremy, the flow is very straight forward(follow the bolts and C1 cracks to the summit), where as the north face you climb a bolt ladder to manky free. Then when you top out you are not on the summit, you still have to traverse to the summit. You have to rappel into a notch and then climb back out, and then reverse to get down. Both are easy but the flow is way more fun. ben
Mike Baker died last year, which was very sad. He did a lot of good desert routes but also got other climbers fired up about desert routes. He was a wonderful guy. Hope you guys appreciate this climb. Best, Cam
Did this route Dec 2001 w/ Bryan Bornholdt. Fun & nice sun (warm) in the winter. Last pitch seemed dicey, maybe we were off route (not unusual for us). Rapped off single bolt on top if I remember correct. Plus, we only hit 1 pin on the first pitch (again, IF I remember correct). FUN route, good time w/ a good friend.
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