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The Atlas

Utah > Southeast Utah > Grand County > Onion Creek > Mystery Towers & Top…
Warning 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. DetailsDrop down

Description

This is the enormous rib that defines the right (east) side of the Mystery Towers. It's huge, with a bulging, beautiful, nearly blank 700-foot south face and shorter north face. There are at least three separate summits. First, a main, bigger one, then a funny hat-like summit further along the ridge and a third, shorter but more spindly pinnacle at the sharp final arete. There's two routes on the whole massive formation, likely both unrepeated. One, Wait of the World, takes the sunny south face to the main summit. The second route, Wondermonger, by Tpny Wilson and Russell Hooper is a bit harder and a bit shorter. It's not clear if both routes goes to the same summit.

Getting There

1. The usual approach for the Mystery Towers works. It's possible to scramble directly up the steep gully right to the base of the south face. Or, from the Gothic Nightmare, contour across higher. A more scenic approach is to slog up the steep ridge that towers over the east side of the normal approach gully and keep wandering along the ridge-top to the same spot. Nice views this way.

Routes from Left to Right

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c A3
 4
● The Wait of the World
Trad, Aid 6 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● The Wait of the World
 4
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c A3 Trad, Aid 6 pitches

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The Atlas, south face.
[Hide Photo] The Atlas, south face.
Atlas from ridge approach
[Hide Photo] Atlas from ridge approach
Atlas
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