PRINT: Rock Climb Guide Route, Gallatin Canyon

Guide Route

5.6, Trad, 150 ft (45 m), 2 pitches,

Avg: 2.4 from 69 votes
FA: unknown
Montana > Southwest Region > Gallatin Canyon > W Side > Gallatin Tower

Description

Aka the back side of Gallation Tower, this is just right of the descent route. Many guides use this route to get new climber up to the top. Good for first time leads.

P1: is short (40-50 feet)and ends at two bolt hangers at a 8+ foot ledge.

P2: Continue up and right to the large grassy ledge. clip bolt hangers at edge, there are chains 15 feet left but they are the rap station for the standard route descent. If you go to the left chains, people descending will be annoyed with you as they need to work around your anchor to get back to the ground. Or build a gear belay in face of the next pitch. It is recomended that P1 and 2 be combined in to 1 35 M pitch.

P3: crux it at the bottom past two bolts (5.6/7) then procceed up in to the narrow chimney with great gear placement. Fun pitch for the grade Some people rap on this side so be weary of ropes flying past. 30M

Location

Follow the trail up left (south) of the formation past a wall of hard bolted routs. When you get to the chute (the tower decent end here) gear up and follow the the weakness staying on the right of the main wall.

Descent: Rap using chains on North side of tower, which goes down in to a wide chimney on to steps. 50m rope will get you to the steps (3rd class), 60m rope will get you back to the grassy ledge.

(The original descent beta makes it sound like it is a 50 or 60 meter rappel. Clarified by adding the words "rope", as well a couple of grammatical fixes.)

Protection

Gear to 3 inches and two bolts at crux. Chains at top.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

6 Claw Kelly beasting it on her first ever trad lead! Yeeee

The Stairs of Cirith Ungol (5.8+) - optional P3 variation on the guide route. Find it directly in front of the top out after P2.
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Climb the dirty chimney / roof crack up and around into easier climbing above. The route kind of wanders after the fun start.

The Stairs of Cirith Ungol (5.8+) - optional P3 variation on the guide route. Find it directly in front of the top out after P2. Climb the dirty chimney / roof crack up and around into easier clim…

First and second pitch

Tristan Roemmich (from Omaha), out climbing the second pitch the day of his wedding. A crack so good it merits a photo.

Third pitch

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Matt Wenger
Bozeman

5.6

Since I assume a lot of new trad climbers tackle this route, here is a tip for you: On the final pitch, either a) don't place gear in the splitter finger crack, or b) sling it out long. I have seen so many stuck cams in there. That crack is deep, and eats gear. A person could climb this on Monday mornings with some tools and have themselves an Indian Creek rack of 0.4 sized C4 cams in just a few weeks. May 12, 2020

Russell Hobart
Chapel Hill, NC

The third pitch has a great summit Sep 24, 2020

Joe Wagner

This is much nicer as 2 pitches. The bolt anchor at about 50 feet was added in the last 10 years or so, useful if you are trying to practice multi-pitch climbing, but otherwise skipping it makes more sense. Jul 27, 2021

Donita Fatland

Super fun route, agree it is excellent for the new trad climber, has great views, lots of features. Fun climbing, good moves are possible and it has a lot of features that would provide great experience to a new climber (or, like us, just those that like lower grades!). P1 and P2 are definitely combinable, we pitched it out just to practice building gear anchors (there are bolts and chains a plenty on this route, however) Tons of good placements throughout. 2 loose flakes on P2, on and above the large ledge with a tree. P3 is the crux, my personal opinion would be that it is more crack than chimney in places, as the chimney gets very narrow. On P3, the slab with bolts goes at 5.7 but is a fun variation, the crack to the right seems to be a little simpler but was dirty, with less clean gear placement off the deck.
Also- PLEASE heed the advice below, do not place pro in that finger crack to the left of the entrance to the P3 chimney about 20m up- we placed a .4 with a 120 alpine draw and it walked way deeper into the crack. Took 30 mins working it with a nut tool to salvage it!
Overall a fun romp, and would recommend! Sep 3, 2023