The Mudstrosity Rock Climbing
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GPS: |
38.79847, -110.45724 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
Page Views: | 5,510 total · 22/month |
Shared By: | Steve Bartlett on Oct 13, 2003 |
Admins: | Andrew Gram, Nathan Fisher, Perin Blanchard, GRK, D C |
Description
The tower is 10 miles NW of Factory Butte, in Salt Wash. From the summit of Factory Butte, it looks like a mini-Titan. The whole area is lonely and dry, with little vegetation except little lumps of barbed wire stuff grabbing at your legs. This is the most prominent tower in the area. There are other smaller towers here, all unclimbed. There is also an extensive cliff behind, and a particularly striking 700'+ tall buttress with a "nice" line up the prow is just behind the Mudstrosity.
Be warned: don't expect any free-climbing! The rock is either Mancos shale or some kind of strange Morrison formation shale. It is kinda like the stuff of the huge (no climbing allowed) formations in Capitol Reef, or the lower cliffs on Factory Butte. Anyway, it is way rotten wherever the rain hits it, and only the vertical surfaces are seemingly hard enough for technical aiding. The seams that there are can be way cool, rather like the better aid seams in the Fishers. Unlike the Fishers, expect solitude...though those fat fuckwits on ATVs and dirt bikes are taking their fumes and noise and dust just about everywhere these days.
Be warned: don't expect any free-climbing! The rock is either Mancos shale or some kind of strange Morrison formation shale. It is kinda like the stuff of the huge (no climbing allowed) formations in Capitol Reef, or the lower cliffs on Factory Butte. Anyway, it is way rotten wherever the rain hits it, and only the vertical surfaces are seemingly hard enough for technical aiding. The seams that there are can be way cool, rather like the better aid seams in the Fishers. Unlike the Fishers, expect solitude...though those fat fuckwits on ATVs and dirt bikes are taking their fumes and noise and dust just about everywhere these days.
Getting There
From Hanksville drive west for a few miles. Drive north on a dirt road to the east of Factory Butte, to a Y-junction north of Factory Butte. Keep left here. Drive through a prominent saddle, into a large desolate valley. Head left and descend, and then drive through a cool red-mud canyon, through a high-clearance dry wash (3.5 ml from the Y), through a notch, then head west (left at a fork). Over another streambed (likely wet) and up a dry wash. Head uphill (right, north) up a prominent rough road at 6.5 ml from the Y to a dead-end at a wellhead and a nice view of the tower. Backtrack about a quarter mile and locate a very faint 4WD road heading west, and eventually this takes one close to the formation. Good luck... A 20-minute flat hike from here.
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