Please respect this beautiful area. Stay on established trails and do not trample any vegetation
Devil's Castle, Horns OF Satan, low down on the ro...
Description
Young (and old!) rockers often times flash the "horns of satan" hand sign with the index and baby fingers extended. Can't miss it at rock concerts! A similar shaped feature clearly demarcates the crux lower pitches of Horns Of Satan. Look for a roof that caps a U shaped face with an arete above it.
Pitch #1: Climb past some low level looseness and 3 bolts to a two bolt belay. 5.6. Pitch #2: Follow bolts to a great ledge under a wild looking roof. Better Rock! 5.8. Pitch #3: Climb the arete out of the U shaped bowl and belay at a bomber belay just under the main mid-way wall ledge. Great Pitch and good rock with excellent protection. 5.10b. Pitch #4: Gingerly step out onto the main ledge and scramble out left of a tree and large boulder. You may find the one bolt on this pitch! 5.4. Pitch #5: Pass two small roofs to a two bolt belay. 5.7. Pitch #6: Climb left of a left facing dihedral to the "Great Ledge". 5.9. Pitch #7: Starts out with a handcrack through strenuous roofs to wildly exposed, but well protected face climbing. This is a classic Smoot pitch...bolts are found where it won't otherwise protect with a continuously "out there" feeling. 5.10c. Pitch #8: Surmount a roof and follow the alpine summit ridge to the top! 5.5, 200 feet.
Pitches #1 and #2 link together Pitches #4 and #5 may be linked together Rappel Black Streak or walk off the West Ridge
Location
Located in the little apron about 100 feet to the left of Black Streak. Early season, most of the first pitch may be under snow. This is a steeper and more complicated approach than for Black Streak in early season so an ice axe may minimize the exposure. Spontaneous rockfall from melting snow and mountain goats poses a threat to the base of the route and the approach. Once on the route, this hazard decreases. Although equipped for descent, recommended to Rappel Black Streak or walk off.
Protection
One set micro camalots to #.75 One set of Camalots #1-3 QDs and many runners
By TP in SLC From: Cottonwood Heights, UT Jun 21, 2007 rating: 5.10c PG13
Very fun route!
On a note: In the summer months, mainly during the rainy ones, the big common ledge that splits Devils Castle can be very dangerous. I almost killed my belayer with an coffee table sized block that dislodged when I tried to climb past it (it looked solid). I think alot of precip might have played a part, just a heads up.
Wonderful climb! Some notes to help those heading up there. Can combine P1 & P2 w/ long rope. Pitch 3 is crux @ 10b w/many bolts. Can combine P4 & P5 w/ long rope. Pitch 7 protects w/ 4 or 5 cams 3/4" thru 3". Recommended rack of 12 draws and 5 cams. Enjoy the great moves!
I just did this route again today. I agree with Smoot as I think he once said this was his favorite up there at DC. It DOES still have some looseness as it probably always will. Part of the territory, I guess. The big block that TP mentioned...well, that whole belay looks alot more solid and clean then I ever recall. I am glad the junk is cleaning up with the increased traffic. The scariest pitches for me (the easiest, too!) are the 4th and 5th as I just don't seem to trust gear on limestone that much. Anyway, we were up there wearing jackets for part of the time. It sure is a welcome relief from almost every other climbing area in the Wasatch. The flowers were in full bloom and all the senses were maxing. We were all alone on the whole face. It sure beats the approach to our other alpine areas here near SLC! We rapped Black Streak with a 70m. A 60m is OK, too, but you will come up a tad short at the bottom and need to make a short 10m rap off 1 single, but bomber, glue in bolt. Enjoy! Thanks for the other comments.
Arrived at the parking lot to find another party headed for Black Streak, so rather than follow them we chose Horns of Satan. Good climb, with the 3rd and 7th pitches being the best. We thought the 3rd was the crux and the 7th was the most fun. While I didn't think it was better than or more sustained than Black Streak, it certainly was worth climbing. Great position on the 7th pitch.
ditto on a fun route and ditto on being extremely careful if anyone else is around - even on the black streak. We had a threesome with the second and third climbing kinda beside each other to keep the rockfall potential down. Since no one else was around we tried to knock off everything we reasonably could. Fun watching a melon sized rock bounce around from up high on the route and rebound from the top of the third all the way over the pillar across the gully.
Devil's Castle
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