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Harkonnen Castle Rock Climbing
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| Elevation: | 5,362 ft | 1,634 m |
| GPS: |
38.69936, -109.55282 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
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| Page Views: | 6,022 total · 22/month | |
| Shared By: | J Hickok on May 16, 2002 · Updates | |
| Admins: | slim, Cory N, Perin Blanchard, GRK, David Crane |
Access Issue: Closures and Restrictions
Details
Check Raptor closure status and details at: nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/…
Read about Anchor Replacement and Restrictions mountainproject.com/v/utah/… in Arches National Park
Read about Anchor Replacement and Restrictions mountainproject.com/v/utah/… in Arches National Park
Access Issue: RAIN, WET ROCK and RAPTOR CLOSURES: The sandstone around Moab is fragile and is very easily damaged when it is wet. Also please ask and be aware of Raptor Closures in areas such as CAT WALL and RESERVOIR WALL in Indian Creek
Details
WET ROCK: Holds rip off and climbs have been and will continue to be permanently damaged due to climbers not respecting this phenomenon. After a heavy storm the rock will remain wet, sometimes for several days. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB IN MOAB during or after rain.
RAPTOR CLOSURES: please be aware of seasonal raptor closures. They occur annually in the spring.
RAPTOR CLOSURES: please be aware of seasonal raptor closures. They occur annually in the spring.
Description
Looking north from the road towards the formation, the Harkonnen Castle can not be mistaken as the largest and primary formation north of Owl Rock. There is an obvious splitter on the face, which is the middle section of this free climb.
Climbers likely looked at this potential line, but it did not see an ascent until fall 2001 by Dave Mealey and Aaron Boyles. They named the first, and currently the only, route on the formation: Dune ... after the novel by Frank Herbert. The name of the formation, although not so much a tower as a castle, is also from the the novel. Looking around the formation it may be unlikely that the Harkonnen Castle provides any more decent lines.
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Consolidated comments from David Mealey regarding the FA:
Did the FA on 9-11-01 while the twin towers were falling. There is no approach at all for this 400' of entrada fun. Has a beautiful 2nd pitch splitter and a nice 3rd pitch OW.Definitely worth a half day.
We gave this the route a 5.10 rating. We did it in five pitches. The first pitch is a little heady but not as bad as it looks. The rap is off the north east side. It's two raps to the lower slabs then you can walk down the slabs from there.
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(Disclaimer: have not climbed the route, but only am documenting the formation.)
Climbers likely looked at this potential line, but it did not see an ascent until fall 2001 by Dave Mealey and Aaron Boyles. They named the first, and currently the only, route on the formation: Dune ... after the novel by Frank Herbert. The name of the formation, although not so much a tower as a castle, is also from the the novel. Looking around the formation it may be unlikely that the Harkonnen Castle provides any more decent lines.
=======
Consolidated comments from David Mealey regarding the FA:
Did the FA on 9-11-01 while the twin towers were falling. There is no approach at all for this 400' of entrada fun. Has a beautiful 2nd pitch splitter and a nice 3rd pitch OW.Definitely worth a half day.
We gave this the route a 5.10 rating. We did it in five pitches. The first pitch is a little heady but not as bad as it looks. The rap is off the north east side. It's two raps to the lower slabs then you can walk down the slabs from there.
=======
(Disclaimer: have not climbed the route, but only am documenting the formation.)
Getting There
Follow the main Arches road all the way to Balanced Rock. As you are passing Balanced Rock, the Harkonnen Castle is the large, long formation looking towards the La Sal mountain range. Continue past Balanced Rock and make the right turn towards the Windows section of Arches.
This road follows the edge of the formation and the Harkonnen Castle becomes more obvious as it looms over the road on the right. An obvious nipple-like formation resides north and lower than the primary summit located at the south end of the tower formation. As the road wraps around the formation Owl Rock comes into view, and if you pass the Garden of Eden turnoff which leads to the Owl, you have gone too far. Park about 200 yards before the Owl Rock turn. The south face looks towards Owl Rock and the Garden of Eden parking lot.
This road follows the edge of the formation and the Harkonnen Castle becomes more obvious as it looms over the road on the right. An obvious nipple-like formation resides north and lower than the primary summit located at the south end of the tower formation. As the road wraps around the formation Owl Rock comes into view, and if you pass the Garden of Eden turnoff which leads to the Owl, you have gone too far. Park about 200 yards before the Owl Rock turn. The south face looks towards Owl Rock and the Garden of Eden parking lot.
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