The tower is the obvious gray- and cream-colored formation a couple hundred yards north of the highway, a few miles west of Hanksville. The rock is some species of shale, possibly Mancos shale. Helmets are advised, as the shale sometimes breaks into sharp fragments. Start on the south face, at the lowest point of the rock, about twenty feet left of the southeast arete (we left an army ring-angle at the start of the climb). 1. Aid the crack, which trends slightly rightwards, past a rotten pillar (careful!) thirty foot up, all the way to an obvious horizontal. Jog left here, and ascend a short steep open book in pale rock, and emerge on to a vertical face. Up this a few feet to a hanging belay with one bolt (1/2-inch by 6-inch) and an excellent 3.5-inch wide slot (100 foot, A3). 2. Continue up and left, passing two bolts, to a bulging stance. Surmount this (third bolt) and belay at two bolts under a steep wide left-facing flake crack (50 feet, A3). 3. Up the crack on large cams, then nail calcite seams just left of a left-facing dihedral/groove to a loose finish (60 feet, A3). Descent: Rappel 60 feet from the summit to the end of the second pitch, from about 50 feet of rope wrapped around a coffin-sized pile of dirt and extended to the edge. Rappel 150 feet to the ground.
Location
About ten miles west of Hanksville, easily visible from the road.
Protection
Gear: Pins: 6 large Toucans, 2 large Peckers, 8 assorted Knifeblades and Bugaboos, 6 Lost Arrows, 3 Texas Tacks (12-inch nails), 2 Standard Angles. Cams: two each 1/2-inch to 3-inch. Three each 3-inch to #5 Camalot. A selection of nuts, mostly medium to large. Fifty to sixty feet of rope or webbing for the summit anchor.
Long Dong Silver Area
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