[Hide Comment] The three star rating is for the exposure rather than the rock quality. Yeah it isn't solid sandstone during the lower 2/3 of the climb, but the exposure is something you have to experience. The lower face before the chimney has four clips and goes around 10+. I think the book says the chimney goes at a 5.9. Technically, it was a little easier than 5.9, but I guess the dirt and sandy nature of this pitch increases the difficulty a bit. We soloed up the first part of the climb and then linked the 10+ face section and the chimney section into one longer pitch. (50M was fine). The face (protected by three clips) after the chimney just before reaching the bolts on the diving board/catwalk goes at 10 something also. Now you are ready to walk across (or scoot your bum across) to the camel's face. You can do the belly flop onto the top of the camel's face or traverse down and left to move up the corkscrew section. Then move up and right to attain the exposed summit. Double 60M rap from the ledge above the chimney pitch allows you to barely reach the ground. We rapped with a skinny 50M and a thick 60M which gets you to a spot where you then have to do two moves up a little slot and then two moves down on the other side in order to terra firma. Oct 4, 2004

[Hide Comment] Jimmy Dunn is the King of this Tower. He climbs it (up and down) without a rope! As far as I know, however, the tower still awaits a naked free solo by a cancer survivor ... Aug 30, 2005

[Hide Comment] Hands down, not only one of the best desert base jumps but one of the best base jumps period! Jun 20, 2007

[Hide Comment] Great climb. Do NOT miss the corkscrew pitch. Its not that hard 5-7/8 As Eddy Murphy says in "Bowfinger" "Keep it Together, Keep it Together"
PS Left my camera in the parking lot with some great pic's if found please call. I'm in the phone book SLC. Cheers and have a Great Climb Oct 4, 2007

[Hide Comment] Can ancient art be rapped with a single 70m rope? Feb 21, 2008

[Hide Comment] For posterity - Ancient Art is the centerpiece of a CitiBank commercial that has been airing in Nov-Dec 2011. Dec 3, 2011

[Hide Comment] Can be climbed safely with a single set of Camalots #0.5 to #3 (double #1 optional, some quick draws, and four to six long (24") slings. "Yes" the first bolt on the last bolt ladder is still missing! The climbing is exposed but only 5.5ish to the next bolt. Placing a cam behind the flake below is a BAD idea! That flake is barely attached. As unique as this climb is, BEWARE! It seems to be a gumbi magnet. You may have to wait awhile and watch a total cluster above you! Mar 23, 2012

[Hide Comment] too bad. I remember the day when you could climb this and see no one else. Now the parking lot has become a cluster of cars. Alot has changed over the past few years. Apr 1, 2012

[Hide Comment] Des anyone know what the speed record on this tower is? Has one been recorded? Thanks for the beta Apr 18, 2012

[Hide Comment] Did this on a packed day (18 people on it) ended up being quite the cluster F. If it's busy find something else to climb for the day, it's a short route with ok climbing. The summit is very cool but, as a climb I'd give it 1 star.

Place your gear carefully as the rock is iffy most of the way up.

One other note: If it's windy, the top pitch can be pretty scary. Apr 20, 2012

[Hide Comment] I just wanted to add that this climb and rappel is possible with a SINGLE 60m rope. I couldn't find that info anywhere online, but my partner and I did it yesterday and you end up with about 3' to spare on each of the longer rappels. Nov 27, 2012

[Hide Comment] I just wanted to add that to rap this route with a single sixty would be stupid and inconsiderate of the parties below you. Mar 31, 2013

[Hide Comment] Little homemade video of us climbing this thing for the first time. No helicopter shots like the Citi commercial, though.

youtube.com/watch?v=XQx2Nom… Apr 21, 2013

[Hide Comment] Summit shred session

youtube.com/watch?v=maH61YC… Nov 12, 2013

[Hide Comment] Any guides want to take an exchange student from Germany up Corkscrew the last week of May for 200? I told her about my climb last September, and she wants to go up but cannot afford the official package. It could be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, so if you have a free day let me know. CarterMedia AT Hot mail Dot Com.

The climb we did in September, by the way, was awesome. It rained the night before (a lot) which was a pro and a con. Pro, because there was NOBODY waiting in the staging area, and a con because the rocks were still a little wet, and there was mud in the upper shelf, and a puddle or two in the rocks, including on the knob of corkscrew.

Climbing tip:

The second coolest photo you can take is of the front cliff when you are coming down. If you have anyone on the ground, tell them to take one (like attached) when you are coming down. It shows the huge size of the cliff there.

Apr 23, 2014

[Hide Comment] Better climbing tip:

Don't climb sandstone when it's wet jackass. Apr 23, 2014

[Hide Comment] ^^^Second this one. Climbing on Cutler the morning after a heavy rain is pretty dangerous. If there is enough water that it is pooling, probably wise to wait for the rock to dry. Be smart and don't turn into a statistic that will change access for the worse. Apr 24, 2014

[Hide Comment] Climbing wet sandstone is a beating offense. What a jerk. Apr 26, 2014

[Hide Comment] You can rappel from the "P3" anchor directly to the start with 2 70m ropes.
Dec 1, 2016

[Hide Comment] Please please PLEASE don't rappel down the chimney. If you have two ropes, you can rappel down the face to climber's left of the chimney with dual 60s, and completely avoid risking rock fall on parties below you, and avoid the possibility of a stuck rope. Dec 2, 2016

[Hide Comment] Ancient Art free solo: youtube.com/watch?v=8ZwPMTe… Oct 23, 2020

[Hide Comment] The cringy Citibank Ancient Art commercial featuring Honnold and his gf ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

youtube.com/watch?v=CIjGaDU… Apr 23, 2022