This route is located on the right side of the Sorcerer's Apprentice. It is very obvious. The route offers three pitches of sustained, exciting climbing. The rock on the route resembles varnish wingate, but actually has some seriously crumbly rock on every pitch. Pitches two and three are probably a little sandbagged, but hey, you be the judge. PITCH 1: There are two ways to start pitch one. You can either go straight up the obvious finger crack or climb the flake to the right. The rock is a little slick here and the protection can be tricky. Be sure to bring small stuff. Belay at the tied-off chockstone. PITCH 2: Head straight up the dihedral starting with the offwidth. This pitch is a bit of an enduro fest, but stick with it. The second pitch goes through every size from offwidth to tips. Belay in the "eye" where it is possible to walk behind the pillar. There are no fixed anchors. You can build an anchor with camalot sizes .75 through 3. PITCH 3: Climb out of the eye to the climber's right, over the belay and into one awesome dihedral. It starts off thin hands and then the crack tapers to nothing. It seems really hard at first, but once you realize that there are quite a few features on both faces the climbing becomes really fun. Just stem your way through the pitch and believe in the friction. Belay at fixed anchors at the top of the pillar. Bring small stuff. Wires may be helpful
DESCENT: Rappel down Sorcerer's Apprentice Left (The opposite side of the pillar from the route). Then either walk off down the ramp (very long), or do a double rope rappel from the fixed anchors on the ledge. We used two 60 meter ropes. I don't know if 50s will make it.
Protection
You could bring everything from RP's to Big Bros on this route, but all you will need is a set of TCU's and doubles in Camalot #'s .75 through 4. Two 60 meter ropes are nice, but you could get by with one.
This route is really good, and it makes a great afternoon outing around Moab. Considering it's closer to town than the climbing on Pot Ash you would think it got traveled more. We used a 60 meter rope and I led the first (original pitch I believe) out the sandy flake to the chock stone (exciting climbing with no gear above a blue TCU in sandy rock). My partner then was able to link the next 2 pitch's into one with a 60 meter rope for one long and awesome link up. The final stemming dihedral is incredible, unique, and well protected. Go do this thing.
If you are not comfortable running it out with hard squeeze chimney-offwidth moves, you may want to bring a #4.5 and #5 camalot on this route for the second pitch. I only had up to a #4, and it was a little heady.
This is really a great route. The first pitch is fun, but pitches two and three are great! Fun and interesting climbing on good rock. I find it hard to believe that this is not more popular.
RSS Feed
