Big Country Spire Rock Climbing
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Elevation: | 5,031 ft | 1,533 m |
GPS: |
34.80739, -111.73105 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
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Page Views: | 2,691 total · 22/month | |
Shared By: | Trevor Bowman on Oct 15, 2014 | |
Admins: | Greg Opland, Brian Boyd, JJ Schlick, Kemper Brightman, Luke Bertelsen |
Description
A 250', fin-shaped spire about 1/2 mile northwest of Oak Creek Spire. The only route on it ascends the north face, and provides a nice shady adventure, but not without a healthy bit of looseness. Worth seeking out for tower junkies and avid Sedona aficionados, but not one I'd recommend for those with more refined tastes...
Getting There
Follow Jacks Canyon Road for approximately 2 miles and park in a dirt trailhead (for Jacks Canyon Trail #55) on the right (south) that sits about 200' off of the Canyon Road. Walk back to the road and head right (east) toward the Pine Valley Estates for about 100m and turn left (north) on an unmarked trail "the ridge trail", which immediately passes through a metal gate in the fence line. Follow the good trail up the ridge for just over a mile to the crest of the ridge, where it turns west and continues along the ridge crest toward the Courthouse Butte area. About 100m or so after the trail turns west, locate a subsidiary trail branching off to the right (north) and follow this as it descends the ridge into a wash. Follow the wash a few hundred meters to the west, and cut north out of it onto another, smaller ridge that leads to slickrock and the steep drainage (on the west side of the Spire) which spills from the notch between the Spire and the adjacent cliffs to the north. Follow this drainage to the notch, which will involve some bushwhacking in the final bit (hug the cliff to the north for easier going). The route starts just east of the notch proper, on the north face.
For most of the approach, the Spire blends into the cliffs behind (north of) it and is hard to pick out. The first good views of it as a free-standing monolith come when exiting the wash and on the slickrock below the final drainage.
Approaching the notch from the east side looks reasonable too, but will certainly involve bushwhacking.
Total approach time is 1 1/2 hrs or more.
For most of the approach, the Spire blends into the cliffs behind (north of) it and is hard to pick out. The first good views of it as a free-standing monolith come when exiting the wash and on the slickrock below the final drainage.
Approaching the notch from the east side looks reasonable too, but will certainly involve bushwhacking.
Total approach time is 1 1/2 hrs or more.
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