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Lap Dance

5.11-, Trad, 400 ft (121 m), 3 pitches, Grade II,  Avg: 3.7 from 53 votes
FA: P1: Unknown. P2 & 3: Bryan Bird & Joe French
Utah > Southwest Utah > Zion NP > Mt Carmel Tunnel > Cragmont
Warning Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closures ***** RAIN AND WET ROCK ***** The sandstone in Zion is fragile and is very easily damaged when it is wet. Holds rip off and climbs have been and will continue to be permanently damaged due to climbers not respecting this phenomenon. After a heavy storm the rock will remain wet, sometimes for several days. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB IN ZION during or after rain. A good rule of thumb is that if the ground near your climb is at all damp (and not powdery dry sand), then do not climb. There are many alternatives (limestone, granite, basalt, and plastic) nearby. Seasonal Raptor Closures DetailsDrop down

Description

Lap Dance follows a beautiful corner system for three pitches. The route is like a climbing tour through the desert, with each pitch exemplifying the style of a different climbing area. Roughly.

P1: Begin in Indian Creek. A clean tight hands splitter in a varnished right-facing dihedral. A long aesthetic pitch with steep sections punctuated by small rest ledges. 5.11-. 155'. Bolt anchor.

P2: Move on to Red Rocks. Changing corners and a thoughtful stemming roof. Featured face climbing around hand cracks. Start up a right-facing dihedral and switch to a left-facing dihedral. As the gear peters out, stem into a improbable roof, clip a bolt and pull onto the face. 5.9. 110'. Ratty slings on loose rock and shrubs.

Move the belay across a sandy ledge to the base of the next wall.

P3: Welcome to Zion. Climb through some ledges and vegetation to a short chimney and roof. A fun pull through the roof leads to a nice, long hand crack in a right-facing dihedral. Enter a squeeze and exit onto loose and vegetated ledges. Scrap up to a nice ledge. 5.10. 130'. Bolt anchor.

Rappel with two 60m ropes in three raps.

Consider bringing some webbing/rope/cord to clean up the P2 belay.

Location

This route is located a few hundred yards to the left of the second tunnel window. The route is identified by the long varnished right-facing dihedral of P1. It's visible from the parking area.

Park at the second to last turnout before the Zion-Mt. Caramel Tunnel. Follow a trail that leads through a wash and past some large house-sized boulders. Continue on the trail around the I'n'I and U'n'U buttress. Keep your eyes peeled for the black varnished splitter corner. That's Lap Dance.

Protection

1x 0.5" - 0.75"
3x 1" - 2"
2x 2.5"
1x 3.5"

Optional extra 1.75-2".

The guide recommended a 4" and a 5" piece. Neither are necessary.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

F'in Tight P: Bernard Fat Bong Lam
[Hide Photo] F'in Tight P: Bernard Fat Bong Lam
Pitch one is pretty splitter.
[Hide Photo] Pitch one is pretty splitter.
Splitta, Jack Plantz climbing. Bernard Lam with the shot.
[Hide Photo] Splitta, Jack Plantz climbing. Bernard Lam with the shot.
Cruising up some tight hands on P3
[Hide Photo] Cruising up some tight hands on P3
Mac raps P3 of Lap Dance. The route climbs through the trees and up the leftmost of the left-facing corners. <br> <br> Photo: Corey Gargano
[Hide Photo] Mac raps P3 of Lap Dance. The route climbs through the trees and up the leftmost of the left-facing corners. Photo: Corey Gargano
Looking down P2 of Lap Dance. Roof above changing corners. <br> <br> Photo: Corey Gargano
[Hide Photo] Looking down P2 of Lap Dance. Roof above changing corners. Photo: Corey Gargano
P1 of Lap Dance. Big fingers to tight hands. An excellent pitch. <br> <br> Photo: Corey Gargano
[Hide Photo] P1 of Lap Dance. Big fingers to tight hands. An excellent pitch. Photo: Corey Gargano
Mac following the beautiful first pitch of Lap Dance. <br> <br> Photo: Corey Gargano
[Hide Photo] Mac following the beautiful first pitch of Lap Dance. Photo: Corey Gargano

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Caleb Padgett
Rockville, utah
[Hide Comment] 09/18/14
Installed a 2 bolt belay at the top of the second pitch and removed the tat on the blocks and shrubs.
All belays are now equipped with quick links and chain for rappelling. Sep 18, 2014
Aaron Miller
Santa Fe, NM
 
[Hide Comment] This is a really fun and quality route. A few comments on the conditions of it.

At the top of pitch 1, there is a suitcase sized death block teetering just below the belay. I was not able to pull it out but it has about 4" of play if you pull on it. It will come down on its own if not removed intentionally. I pasted a few large "X" marks on it and hope these dont wash off. It will scare the bejesus out of anyone who accidentally tugs on it.

This route, just like all the others we climbed following the September 27th rain event, was super sandy. I think that it will wipe off eventually. Most of it probably came off with or ascent.


Also, save a .3 camalot to protect the move standing up to clip the bolt on pitch 2. Its not an obvious placement but you will see if if you look for it. This may have felt way more heady for me with all the sand and dirt pasting the wall the day we did it. I was happy to have this piece in. Oct 4, 2014
Ray Hellinger
Gunnison, CO
 
[Hide Comment] P1 is one of my favorite pitches in Zion. Love this climb. One of the best routes in the Cragmont area. Mar 25, 2015
Ray Hellinger
Gunnison, CO
 
[Hide Comment] FYI, trundled the scary block at the top of pitch one.

I am curious what people think of the top out of P3. A bolt would be nice. Pretty runnout and sandy. Otherwise, P3 is pretty amazing and fun.

For gear, I took the following BD cams:
1 x 0.3/0.4
3 x 0.5/0.75
6 x 1
2 x 2
2 x 3
1 x 4/5 Apr 21, 2015
Smokestack Lightning
Arizona
  5.11-
[Hide Comment] As for P3, "pretty runout and sandy" describes a decent amount of terrain in Zion. While a bolt might protect the top of P3, it wasn't the intent of the FA party and, overall, it's this aspect of the climbing that makes Zion adventurous and rewarding. Apr 22, 2015
Anus Herder
Colona, CO
 
[Hide Comment] The first pitch is more splitter than indian creek!! Next two pitches are fun and mellow, stellar route definitely get on this thing! May 26, 2017
Tim Watts
Colorado & Corsica
[Hide Comment] Please Please Please ! No matter how tempting it may be, stop ticking every hold imaginable. From obvious foot holds to giant hand holds the first pitch was covered in little white ticks. If you are projecting 5.11 and you need to tick holds because youre redlining your way through the pitch, I have a solution! Go climb something easier. Nov 24, 2017
Kezzie Shuster
Golden
 
[Hide Comment] Such a pretty crack on P1! Pitch 1 was long and sustained with good rest....the fun goes on and on. The next two pitches had some cool moves and worth doing Jul 12, 2018
M HawkMan
[Hide Comment] First pitch is superb. Definitely bring some extra BD .75. I brought 4 and used them all.

As for the second pitch, that roof spooked me. It's not terribly hard but it is definitely sandy and getting to that bolt can be a bit heady.

Excellent route overall. Oct 25, 2020
Miguel Castro
socal
 
[Hide Comment] P1 is splitter and a solid 3star pitch. P2&3 are sandy and w/e but worth doing Apr 22, 2021
Sam H
SLC, UT
 
[Hide Comment] P1 is the money, but I though that P2&3 were also stellar and well worth doing! Be careful in the squeeze near the top of P3, the back of it has large loose blocks, one if which came loose when I climbed it. Also be careful when rappelling P2 and keep your rope running on the right face out of the crack, there were what looked like 3 different colors of stuck ropes in the crack below the roof. Jun 1, 2022