James on the FA.. First Pitch . Photo Layne Potter
Description
On the South Face of this roadside attraction: Outhouse Tower. 3M, as expected, would turn out OK with some traffic and is probably free climbed quite regularly these days. Started with Layne Potter (his daughter's name is Mallory) who belayed me for hours, then finally finishing it with Leonardo from the Dolomiti who belayed me an equally long time and was too intimidated by the peeling Utah sandstone (he called it "like Marmolade"!), that I seconded it and cleaned it myself that day. I later climbed it and broke it into two pitches with Layne's son Sheridan who gave it his best at freeing it on a top rope, but maybe it was still too early? So, that's the story on that:
Pitch #1: From the ground, slab and face climb up passing a collector's sampling of fixed protection (some glue-ins) to a hand crack. Follow the hand crack until it ends at a 3 bolt hanging belay. Sandy. 5.9+, A1.
Pitch #2: Move right passing several bolts climbing black patina Navajo to the summit block headwall. Continue straight up to a mantle to the top. 5.9+, A0.
Rappel using the bolts atop the tower top from the route Chopped Sand.
Location
South Side of Outhouse Tower. OT is about 2.7 miles toward the San Rafael River Bridge from Scenic Byway Wall. A BLM public Outhouse is just to the north of the "tower".
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