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The Arrowhead

5.10+, Trad, 180 ft (55 m), 2 pitches, Grade II,  Avg: 1.5 from 2 votes
FA: Webster, Dreiman 1982
Utah > Southeast Utah > Castle Valley > Castleton Tower
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 such as CAT WALL and RESERVOIR WALL in Indian Creek DetailsDrop down
Warning Access Issue: Registration required for camping starting 01 Oct 2010. DetailsDrop down

Description

Two star quality but docked a star for only having two pitches.

Start a few feet right of Burning Inside at a crack/corner, about 20' below a roof.

P1. 5.9, 70'. Climb easily up to and around right side of the roof. Continue up for about 20' to a handcrack on the left which is followed to a 10' 5.9 offwidth and the ledge system at the end of Kor Ingals P1. Belay in an alcove on the right.

P2. 10+, 100'. Classic. Up broken rock for 15' and enter an overhanging flair. The crux flair has good pro, good rock and technical, strenuous moves. (10+ seemed like a sandbag grade to us; this section felt at least as hard as anything on Burning Inside, North Face, Little White Lieback or West Face.) Sado-masochists can avoid the crux by climbing the slightly easier but dangerous flake on the left, trying to avoid touching the stacked choss directly above the belayer. After the flair, regroup at a ledge, then up and left to an overhanging hand crack which takes you to a 10' squeeze chimney and a drilled Lost Arrow. A 4 Camalot can be placed at the back of the chimney, offering much better pro than the pin. The chimney can be laybacked at 5.10 (?) R -- if you blow it, you'll bounce off the slab. Better yet, remove your helmet and any extra gear and clothing and figure out the devious path through the chimney.At the top of the chimney unclip the 4 Camalot to avoid horrendous rope drag. 15' of crystally hands and cups get you the rest of the way to the belay, a perfect ledge with an uninspiring anchor: 1/4 bolt, drilled angle and tat; a good citizen would bring up a bolt kit to enhance this anchor which is also used by Stardust Cowboy.

From here either rap 100' to the previous belay ledge and then 50' using Kor Ingals anchors to the starting ledge or continue up Stardust Cowboy to the top. SC at this point consists of a long ladder of 1/4 bolts with homemade hangers (bring skinny biners) which connects to the end of North Chimney.

Protection

1 ea 2-6 rock, 1 ea 0 - 1.5 Friend, 2 ea 2-2.5 Friend, 3 ea 3-3.5 Friend, 1-2 ea #4 Friend, 1 #4 Camalot.We had more smaller pieces which we didn't use and fewer 3-3.5 size pieces and wished we'd had more.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Having a great time on the Stardust Cowboy's and Arrowhead's shared bolt ladder.
[Hide Photo] Having a great time on the Stardust Cowboy's and Arrowhead's shared bolt ladder.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ben Kiessel
Durango, CO
[Hide Comment] When I climbed this route a few years ago I laybacked the 2nd pitch and it was not that bad, just pumpy. When the bolt ladder ended we belayed, there weren't anchors, but there was gear. And then we traversed left around the arrowhead(loose and exciting) and finished as for North Chimney/Kor-Ingalls. Oct 31, 2006