Washer Woman Tower is named so because it looks like a woman bent over an old fashion wash tub doing laundry. The route seeks suds up the Southwest face then climbs straight up the woman's head to one of the most spectacular summits in the desert.
In Search of Suds is a very high quality climb with good rock, wild exposure and an amazing view. The adventure has only begun once you reach the summit.
The route begins on the right side of the Southwest face, there are several ways to get there. It is best to begin the route from the saddle between Washer Woman and Monster Tower. The best approach is from the South via steep talus slopes.
Pitch 1: 5.10- 85" Scramble to the saddle and begin climbing off the left side of the ridge in a steep fist crack with difficult moves right off the deck. Continue up and pass an offwidth section and belay at a bolt anchor with slings. You should be able to see daylight through a small eye piercing the tower above. Beware of loose rock on this pitch.
Pitch 2: 5.10- 90" Climb up to an airy stance near the Eye and sling a chockstone for pro before moving into the crack left of the eye. Make some 5.9 moves and continue up to easier climbing in the crack above. Pass a squeeze chimney through a bulge and make scary moves on sandy sloping holds out of the chimney and onto the belay ledge. Belay at 3 bolt anchor with slings below a roof.
Pitch 3: 5.10+ 70" From the comfortable belay ledge move directly right and into a good hand/fist crack with a roof above. Power through the roof with several 5.10 moves and make a difficult move up and right above the roof (5.10+, TCU). Continue to the ridge on fun 5.9 crack climbing. Arrange a gear belay on the ridge.
Pitch 4: 5.6 70" Traverse along the ridge towards the summit and belay where it steepens. This can be combined with the next pitch.
Pitch 5: 5.9 20" Face climb a short steep section with an old pin, Belay at bolt anchor on large ledge below final headwall.
Pitch 6: 5.10+ 80" Face climb up past some loose rotten bands (5.9R) to a beautiful black varnished face with four drilled pitons. Face climb on small holds up and past the bolts to a mind blowing summit and belay at bolt anchor.
Descent: 3 or 4 two-rope rappels down the Kor Route
Rap 1: Rap back to the ledge at the base of the last pitch.
Rap 2: Rappel through the arch! Carefully thread anchors just over the edge of the South side and make a wild free hanging rappel down the face to a set of Metolius rap bolts. Getting over the edge to start this rappel is tricky and way spooky. This is one of the most incredible rappels in the world. Be very careful of loose rock when you pull the ropes after this rap.
Rap 3: If you have two 60 meter ropes you can hit the ground on this rappel. If not look for the best set of bolts (several exist) and make another rappel.
The view, the summit, the rap, the rock. I loved it all, soak it in. I thought pitch 2 was definately 5.10 pulling onto the belay ledge. End rappel #2 below all the scree by the large right facing corner with solid bolts.
Ben, it is your opinion that the moves on the face pitch are harder than those on SC, but far be it from you to downgrade SC. I personally have done both routes and thought that the face moves where very easy on In search of suds and far more difficult on SC, still I'm not going to go changing grades on either.
We approached from the S, which entailed driving further than you perhaps need to, but allowed us to walk up a long, gradual ridgeline that began right at the parking spot and led to the base of Monster. Easy route-finding, minimal impact. Scrambling around the Monster the next day to the N. Ridge was probably the crux of this arrangement-- loose scree over steep mud cone-- but it beat figuring out a different approach.
This is a good route to take a helmet on - more for the rappels than the climb. The West Face route, which the rappel line follows, involves a deep corner with lots of loose blocks. We made two 200' rappels from the base of the arch, so there were fewer rope pulls, minimizing the danger - but we still pulled some small chunks loose.
I've approached Washer Woman and Monster from the south several times now, and it is a much better route than the north side. There's even a faint trail developing that can be followed starting from the ridge right above the parking area next to the wash.
What a cool and unique route. The first time I did this route there was nobody else on it. That adds to the experience a lot. Rapping through the arch is a truly surreal experience, the roof on the third pitch was exhilerating and well protected. So good!!!!
Great route, though there is a fair amount of choss on it. The summit, however, is worth every bit. I don't think the final face moves are any harder then the face moves on Ancient Art. I think this route is comparable in difficulty to Jah Man. We approached from the south side. If approaching from this side head directly to your right up the ridge rather then follow the wash.
A couple of details corrected: The description says "...rappels down the Kor Route." Layton Kor never climbed the tower, there is no Kor Route. Instead, rappel down the original route of Pete Carmen and Rick and John Horn.
The old pin mentioned on Pitch 5 of the description was placed by these guys. Our route finished to the summit by the line of their first ascent. They bolted up the final headwall, which was lead free by Glenn (correct spelling) on our climb. Since then these old bolts have been replaced, as noted.
enjoy, Charlie
By toddgordon From: Joshua Tree, California May 28, 2007
I did this climb with Tony Sartin in April of 1994. At one of the rap stations, there was a biner stamped HORN......from the first Ascent of the West Face Route in April 1967 By Rick Horn, Jim Horn, , and Pete Carmen. I switched biners with one of mine, and have it with my collection of odd junk I have found on various climbs over the years. That was cool.
todd, it's too bad you took that biner, as cool as it is on your shelf it was more cool to find on the route. Of Course, if you hadn't taken it, someone else probably would have.
Washer Woman Tower is one of the most coveted summits in the desert. It’s been on my tick list for years.
Recently, I found myself with the time, a willing and capable partner, and a window of decent weather. What we didn’t have was an appropriate approach vehicle. The regular approach entails 17 mi of 4x4 and dirt road bouncing down the Shafer Trail to the White Rim above the Colorado River in Island of the Sky National Park. This is then followed by a grueling talus scramble. I don’t mind sweating a bit to get to a route; it keeps the masses out. It also makes the summit that much sweeter to put that extra effort into earning it.
I had a plan…..
Drive to Mesa Arch in the park, a casual walk along the rim, then a few raps down to the base of Washer Woman. It all sounded so simple.
My buddy “D” arrived about 1pm the day before our ascent. We decided to forego the warm-up climbing on Potash road and reconnoiter my plan. It started as I’d expected: an easy flat walk for about 20-30min. The terrain began to get a bit more complicated as we bouldered over and between petrified dunes. We then found it necessary to rap a short chimney. Scrambling down further ledges, making occasional 5th-class moves on sometimes very crumbly exposed “stone” -- if you can call it that! Another tough spot convinced us to fix a rope to an old juniper and rap a 50ft overhang. Then there was the 120ft overhang -- this had a nice big juniper for an anchor! Then we frictioned down a great bowl (perfect for the Extreme Skateboarder). A short exposed section which looked easy enough to climb but terrifying to contemplate down climbing caused us to retreat. We would need more ropes.
We returned the next morning leaving the car just after 7am. It was a perfect day: slightly overcast and without wind. We followed our tracks, now criss-crossed with those of coyote, jack rabbit and big horn. We down climbed the easy chimney we rapped the day before, only to find that its bottom was so narrow we had to walk sideways dragging our packs behind. We passed our first 2 fixed ropes. Then found a decent anchor for a third. The route down from here was pretty featureless so we tied 2 ropes together and rapped about 330ft to the talus below. The hard part was done and it only took about an hour.
We boulder hopped, tripped and recovered, slid, leaped and sweated as we crossed about a mile toward the tower. At times, absolutely nothing was trustworthy. At other times, it was like climbing at Fisher Towers, only we were walking! The solidified gravel was only solid at its angle of repose; the moment you weighted it, you’d slide. I found myself kicking steps as if I were mountaineering. The good news was that this also only took about and hour (2hr approach- not too bad!)
I’d read somewhere that pitch 2 was the best so I was a bit disappointed when my buddy suggested I take #1 and #3. I was not sad for long though as the steep hands and fists right off the belay on pitch one got me going. The mental crux of this pitch is passing a large chockstone which appears to be ready to go. I avoided it but it didn’t move as D pulled gingerly past it. The sweet belay ledge with its window to the north delighted me. D climbed the 2nd pitch past the cool “keyhole” and up through some wide cracks (a little loose here and there, but no too much grumbling from D). The crux: OW to hands to slopper ledge definitely gets your attention and appreciation. The following pitch starts out the same way -- in your face! Steep hands to small gear and a committing move then easier ground to the summit ridge. An easy 5th-class traverse reminds me of many alpine ridge walks: incredible views and exposure. A short boulder move pitch past a shallow driven pin gets you set up for the final pitch up the old woman’s head. Uninspiring rock with fair pro leads to a committing move past a bulge to some good pockets and excellent varnished rock and drilled pins. A few rodeo attempts allowed me to girth the second pin before pulling the crux move.
4 hours climb time to the summit. And what a summit it is! Teetering like some Dr Seuss drawing I found it larger than I imagined; flat, comfortable and nearly windless. We lounged a bit, taking it all in.
A short rap down, then to an intimidatingly placed anchor for the arch rap. We were rapping a lot today for someone who really doesn’t like rapping. As the rock fell away and the arch opened below and in front of me I felt and unusual pang of vertigo. Disoriented by the view which seemed mindblowing as space seemed to expand around you.
We pulled the ropes to thread the third rap while hiding in a cave to avoid rockfall. Then pulling a final time we frowned to find our tail rope snagged about 40ft up on the worst rock we’d seen all day. After a 30 min detainment from our exodus to reclaim the rope, we were back on the talus. The jugging was to begin, we would now climb about 800ft of rope and ledges while our packs swelled with the additional gear and ropes.
10.5 hours car to car it was an Epic Day. Not that we didn’t know it was coming; no we actually looked forward to the toil of it all. I’m not sure I would recommend it, but if you are set on doing Washer Woman, and you have no 4x4 it is possible. Be ready for big adventure, and hard work.
Our gear list: no 4x4 needed! 6 ropes, single set TCUs, single set stoppers, #8,10,12 Hexes, double set #1-#3 Camalots, 1 #3.5 & 1 #4 (not needed), assorted draws and slings. 3 quarts water per person was adequate for partly cloudy skies, high temps about 80F.
climbed this on 10/24/07. Good cairned trail leaving right from a switchback on White Rim road due S of the towers. Second pitch with the sandy slot was the spookiest unless you're a true desert rat. The last pitch had 3 not 4 bolts and it's stiff, i'd give it 11.a.
Crux of route: Getting on rappel to lower through the arch. The bolts are at least 3 feet below the ledge! I thought the 10+ summit face pitch was harder than the 10+ 3rd pitch. One of my favorite towers. Worth the drive if you can get a couple towers in.
The description above is incorrectly worded for the rappels. You DO NOT rap through the arch. You rap DOWN the arch or INTO the arch. If you go through it, as in from the west side pass through the notch to the east side, you are off the rappel route. There is an anchor at the base of the arch, but its best to continue, on double ropes, down about 60 more feet to a chain anchor on the left. From here double sixties reach a ledge just barely above the base .
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