This awesome all-free route has been described as the "Astroman of Zion." It does share a number of similarities with Astroman, including hard climbing, spectacular position, good exposure, as well as a couple funky pitches guarding the top.
However, the climb is not nearly as committing as Astroman (it can be rapped from any point on the route), has a 5 minute approach, and you don't have to descend the North Dome Gully at the end of the day.
Think of it more as six solid Indian Creek pitches stacked on top of one another, followed by two weird desert-adventure pitches at the top.
Don't be scared by the 5.12 rating: the crux is short and easily aided making this an excellent climb at the 5.11 A0 grade.
P1 Climb the easy but runout slab up and left to a belay at the base of the Pillar of Faith. Watch out for wet spots.
P2 (5.10+/11-) The real climbing starts here at the Pillar of Faith. Despite what many guides say, starting the pillar on the right side is 5.11R. Climb the pillar starting from the left and working back to the right.
P3 (5.12) The crux Black Corner pitch. Desperate tips lie-backing (or french-freeing) leads to a moderate chimney which is followed to a belay. The meat of the climbing is the first 15 feet of the pitch before reaching a good stem rest. Easily aided and fun to TR.
P4 (5.11) If you're climbing the route at 5.11 A0, then this would be the crux free pitch. Fun stemming leads to a rest before a difficult roof. The pitch goes for a long ways after the roof so long slings are key here to reduce rope drag. Pull the roof and continue up via sustained fingers in a corner with occasional feet to a very badly located anchor.
P5 (5.10) A fairly short pitch. Lieback and handjam up the corner to a belay in an alcove below a slot.
P6 Two options here:
The standard route climbs the OW and face above at 5.10 (#4.5 Camalot is nice for up high on the pitch).
If you're feeling particularly chipper at this point, you can traverse left to the Monkeyfinger Crack which goes at 5.12-.
Either option leads to a spacious belay in the Monkey House.
P7 (5.10+) Nice liebacking and jamming in the chalked corner above leads to a belay. A fairly short pitch.
P8 (5.10+) This is where things get weird. Climb up and right to a sandy slab which is protected by some drilled pins and bad bolts. Continue upward over interesting rock to a huge ledge and belay.
P9 (5.10+) Even weirder, but just like Astroman, you haven't climbed Monkeyfinger unless you've done the last pitch.
Enter the sandbox/chimney to the right of the belay. After finding a suitable location to empty the sand out of your shoes, clip a couple of bad bolts and undercling right out under a series of roofs and continue up to the rim. Once on the rim fight up through ropedrag, sand, and manzanita to a flat area where you can sling a couple of branches and belay.
Protection
One set of stoppers
Triple set of cams up to #2 Camalot
Two #3 Camalots
One each of #3.5, #4, and #4.5 Camalots
Two 60m ropes will get you down in 5 raps
Approach
Park at (or take the shuttle to) the Temple of Sinawava area at the end of the canyon road. Walk 100 yards back down the road to the route which follows the striking, varnished dihedral system on the SW-facing wall. A trail leads up to an often-wet slab at the base.
Descent
From the tree at the rim, 5 double-rope (60m) raps got us to the base.
Go soak your hands under the cold water in the sink of the Temple of Sinawava bathrooms.
Agree with you Joe on Pitch 2. We trusted the guide and followed the right crack, this was totally desperate and protected only by marginal RP's (but with good gear well below your feet). Only on the way down did we realise it is much easier to start left of this and then switch into the right crack when it becomes wide enough to get the fingers into. The last few feet of this pitch is perhaps 4" and seemed 10+.
Yep, that section on pitch 2 almost thwarted us. I started up the right side and wasn't willing to commit to the sketchy free-climbing well above good gear, so I tried to aid it. Anyway, the RP I placed blew as I put my body-weight onto it... very marginal RPs indeed!! We were just about to bail, but decided to give the left side a go which is pretty mellow with the crux coming when you start climbing the right side of the pillar again. I think I used the #4.5 camalot at the top of this pitch.
Joe, Where else would you put the 4th belay? It seems to me that a miserable hanging belay is inevitable. It would be nice to have a belay seat for this anchor though it would not be of much use at any other anchor.
A 60 meter rappel just makes it from the third anchor to the ground.
Dave- I think the anchor would be much better located about 30 feet lower. As it is, the 4th pitch is very long and the 5th pitch is very short. The roof at the start of pitch 4 gave me massive roof drag towards the end of pitch 4. It seems that a shorter pitch 4 would make more sense with a belay not too long after the roof... then pitch 5 could be a long pitch up the corner with no rope drag. Also, if the anchor were lower it would be on the slightly lower angle section where a hanging belay would be more comfortable. Its not like its located at a natural stance right now... it's a full-on hanging belay in the middle of the corner.
Oh yeah...two pieces of fixed gear, one (what I believe is a SUPER BOMBER NUT) located in the back corner just before pulling out under the roof and another nut about thirty feet below the top of pitch four.
climbed this route on 9.13.2005. I lead the first two pitches, and the fifth pitch.
I totally agree with the idea of lowering the top of the third pitch to the lower angle part. That full blown hanging belay at the top of four just plain SUCKS!!! DOn't forget the buttbag and knee pads.
The pillar of faith was awesome climbing, plugged in the grey and purple Met. FCU to protect when going into right corner...and saw a good foot placement half a body length above and just went for it...climbing only gets easier and easier from there to the belay. Top of pillar can be protected with a 4.5 BD or 5 Wild Country , really good features in back of OW and then just throwing for top is bomber safe...jug and a welcome lip on top to grab onto.
For parties wanting to save weight, you can get away with a double set through #2 Camalot, a single #3 Camalot, and a set of wires. Although having only doubles will demand some run outs or back cleaning on the 5.10 handcrack pitch just above the 5.11 roof, the #4 & #5 Camalot are truly optional. It is nice to have two or three purple TCU-sized pieces for the Black Corner. Also, this route can be rapped with a single 70m rope.
By Drew Bedford From: Wasatch Back, UT Mar 31, 2008
To be accurate, we did yo-yo the crux pitch, but this was before micro-cams and those small nuts in soft sandstone were freakin us out a bit. Olevsky should be willing to confirm the facts--he watched us from the parking lot and pumped us for details at the end of each day.
Temple of Sinawava
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