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Elevation: 10,400 ft 3,170 m
GPS: 42.772, -109.223
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Shared By: Ron Olsen on May 23, 2006 · Updates
Admins: Mike Snyder, Taylor Spiegelberg, Jake Dickerson

Description Suggest change

A superb alpine climbing area with some of the most stunning scenery in the Winds. Home of the classic Northeast Face on Pingora and East Ridge of Wolf's Head.

Summitpost.org has excellent information on the Cirque of the Towers.

Pooping in the Winds: Please Pack Out Your Poop

Every climber, backpacker, and hiker is expected to use a wag bag and pack out your poop. Though it often feels remote, the Cirque of the Towers is visited by more and more people each year- we are loving the area to death. Please bring multiple wag bags any time you are hiking into the Winds. 

Lonesome Lake, in the Cirque of the towers, has been declared unfit to drink from, even when filtered or treated because of fecal contamination. Help keep other lakes in the Winds from this same fate of contamination by using Wag bags. 

Getting There Suggest change

To get to the Trailhead. From Boulder take 23-118 for 27.2 miles. Pavement ends at 18.5 miles. Take a left on Lander Cutoff 23-132. At 34.2 miles, take a left at the T intersection. The sign at the intersection will point to Big Sandy Campground. 

The trail to the Cirque is well-traveled and pretty straightforward. To get to the Cirque take a left to Arrowhead Lake sign. Stay close to the lake to find the trail. At the end of the lake, after going over large boulders, take the steep trail directly up left to the top of Jackass Pass. Follow that trail for about 1/4 mile looking for a faint trail off to the right to avoid a large boulder field. 

73 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Cirque of the Towers Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Cirque of the Towers

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 717
East Ridge
Trad, Alpine 10 pitches
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 148
East Face, Left Side Cracks
Trad, Alpine 11 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 419
South Buttress
Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 81
Cirque of the Towers Traverse
Trad, Alpine 20 pitches
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 469
Northeast Face
Trad, Alpine 12 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 74
North Face Center (Ecclesiastes)
Trad, Alpine 9 pitches
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 30
South Face, Right
Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 45
Northeast Arete
Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b R
 25
Feather Buttress
Trad, Alpine 8 pitches
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 135
Black Elk
Trad, Alpine 8 pitches
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 10
Roof of Tears
Trad, Alpine 3 pitches
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
 5
The Plume: Broken Arrow, NE Face
Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 8
Col du Ane
Trad, Alpine
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 12
Red Cloud
Trad, Alpine 6 pitches
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
 7
White Buffalo
Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
East Ridge Wolfs Head
 717
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad, Alpine 10 pitches
East Face, Left Side Cracks Pingora
 148
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, Alpine 11 pitches
South Buttress Pingora
 419
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
Cirque of the Towers Traverse Pingora
 81
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, Alpine 20 pitches
Northeast Face Pingora
 469
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, Alpine 12 pitches
North Face Center (Ecclesia… Mitchell Peak
 74
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, Alpine 9 pitches
South Face, Right Wolfs Head
 30
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
Northeast Arete Sundance Pinnacle
 45
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
Feather Buttress Warbonnet Peak
 25
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b R Trad, Alpine 8 pitches
Black Elk Warbonnet Peak
 135
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad, Alpine 8 pitches
Roof of Tears Warbonnet Peak
 10
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Trad, Alpine 3 pitches
The Plume: Broken Arrow, NE… Warbonnet Peak
 5
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
Col du Ane Warbonnet Peak
 8
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Trad, Alpine
Red Cloud Wolfs Head
 12
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Trad, Alpine 6 pitches
White Buffalo Wolfs Head
 7
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
More Classic Climbs in Cirque of the Towers »

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