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Spinnaker Tower Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Spinnaker Tower

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	Challenger Chimney T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A2 X
	Her Swollen Belly Sail Swept the Sea T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a A1 PG13

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Elevation:	6,470 ft	1,972 m
GPS:	36.68975, -108.83671 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	2,079 total · 23/month
Shared By:	Matthias Holladay on Jun 19, 2018
Admins:	Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Ship Rock is located on the Navajo Nation Details

Climbing is ILLEGAL on the Navajo Nation including Ship Rock. According to the most recently published guide on Ship Rock ("Desert Rock", and "50 Classics.."), Ship Rock was placed off limits to climbing in 1967, but the ban was not enforced until 1970, following an accident.

It is probably legal to drive to the base. It is reportedly illegal to camp there. However widespread litter suggests that this is a popular "party spot" (which may be deterrent in of itself). It is illegal to collect or remove rocks on the Navajo Nation, without a permit.

This area is included on MP for historical purposes and to inform would-be suitors that climbing Ship Rock is illegal.

Access Issue: Climbing on the Navajo Nation is ILLEGAL. Details

This area is included on MP for historical purposes and to inform would-be suitors that climbing here is illegal.

Description

A hulk of a peak, this tower has a broad summit area with lower angled slabs at the top; its adjoining spire, Bollard, is at its base, and is one of a number of wide buttresses / pillars that have their accompanying deep chimney counterpart; these thin out higher up the formation. Spinnaker's north face has some formidable lines; its east side is also quite featured and shares its col with the basalt ridge line, which rims the Black Bowl, leads north, then west, & ends with the spire across the Black Gully from Spinnaker: Crow.

Getting There

From the parking area below Fathom, follow the 4WD part of the road up to where it ends, and find the trail north through the boulder fields; here it narrows and becomes indistinguishable in places, contouring ever upward; after crossing the debris field of the Black Gully, continue below Bollard to the base of Spinnaker's west face; from here, a series of sketchy slabs and small sections of exposed 4th leads to the east face.