The Skeleton Key

The Skeleton Key is a king line of the North Fork of Taylor. The route was established in a multi-week ground up effort by Karl K and Brandon G. They managed to free all but roughly 50 feet of climbing on the first ascent. Thanks to them for this modern day Zion Classic. There were many hours of hand drilling on lead that made this route possible.

The Skeleton Key features long crack systems connected by unlikely face climbing sections and could reasonably be climbed at 12a A1 with some aiders. Every pitch features high quality climbing from beginning to end. Some sections seem a bit spicy onsighting but the route is quite safe and well equipped.

in 2020 Brandon reached out and suggested I reach out to Karl about trying to free their prized route. He was certain it could go. Karl was psyched to show me the line and we teamed up for 5 days in October 2020 to try and free the route. 

We spent 2 days getting ropes fixed from the ground up thru the crux on pitch 12. Karl took a rest day and I worked the route all the way through the crux on day 3 removing our fixed ropes on the way down. After a rest day we set off to try and send the route from bottom to top. It was my last day before heading to Yosemite so our fingers were crossed that it would come together.

Ultimately I managed to free the entire route in about 13 hours. Karl and I climbed in blocks and he graciously offered to let me lead each crux pitch. He walked away having done every move but without sending the crux from anchor to anchor. It was one of the best days of climbing I’ve ever had, and one of the best routes I’ve ever climbed. Karl is a wonderful partner and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. He and Brandon have put dozens (maybe hundreds?) of days into developing high quality routes in Kolob Canyon and I’m thankful they allowed me to play a small part in their story.

P1- (11+) look for two bolts in dark rock off the ground. Make some tricky moves to the roof that leads you left to another bolt in a left facing corner. Switch cracks into a right facing corner near a bush. Climb to a bolted belay. 40 meters

P2- (12b) Start up the right facing corner until you can step right to 2 bolts. Climb up into a STEEP left facing corner. Use some stemming wizardry and bouldering power to get out of the corner and make some tenuous slab moves to your right. 30 meters

P3- (11c) climb the left facing corner above then escape right out of the roof onto a cryptic Zion slab. 15 meters.

P4- (10d) continue following bolts up and right until you  clip the last bolt at a funky step across move to the left. Follow the large corner up to a bolted belay on top of a massive pillar. (Potential sloping bivy). 35 meters

P5- 11d climb up into the roof and then follow the difficult shallow corner with a less than tips crack. 15 meters

P6- 11a “The Sportwidth” start up the obvious wide crack above. If you lack OW technique you might be luck if you have strong fingers. After finishing the wide navigate the funky roof overhead, step right to a bolt and continue up a flare to a set of anchors on the left wall. 35 meters

P7- 11a “The Flare” step right off the belay and navigate some funky terrain to a flared roof feature. Clip a bolt then continue up the massive corner above. Keep an eye out for anchors on a ledge on the right wall. There is a bolt protecting the traverse. 35 meters

P8- 10d “The Gills” step right off the belay clip a bolt and head up the crack above. Switch to the right crack near a roof and continue up the splitter until a bolted belay. 30m

P9- 11a climb up the burly corner until you get to the wild flake feature heading left. Do not continue up the main corner. Clip a bolt at the top of the flake and belay at a small stance.

P10- 12a climb up and over the roof following a thin splitter which slowly opens up to hands. After about 80 feet look for bolts traversing right on an INSANE patina face. 35m

P11- 11b climb up the striking right facing corner to a massive bivy ledge. 3 people could easily sleep here. 30m

P12- 13a or 10d A0 “Condor Corner” move the belay left to the obvious line of bolts. (You may have to link the first 2 bolts to build a belay here). Climb some incredible techy stemming moves up to a burly boulder problem crux. There’s a good stance here to enjoy the incredible position you’re in before continuing to the belay. One bolt belay. Bring a 1”-2” piece for the anchor.

P13- 12c “The Twister” climb up the left facing corner until you get to a steep bolted section. Try and sneak a rest at the lip of the roof and then tackle a boulder problem on amazing patina. The position in this pitch is once again, incredible. Continue following bolts up and left to a bolted belay.

P14- 11a climb up the wildly overhanging cracks above. Follow cracks up and slightly right then take a left leaning over hanging corner until it curves back right to a bolted belay. 35 m

P15- 11c climb the right facing corner to a ledge. Follow two bolts up a devious slab sequence which guards the summit. Continue to bolted anchors on the summit of Tucupit!

Descent: a 70 meter rope will do the whole route. Tie knots and use back-ups!!! Some of these raps are extremely tight on one rope and some require traversing to get into the anchor. An 80m wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Start rapping from the top. Go to the anchors on top of P13 and rap straight down instead of trying to traverse to the route. Find a rappel anchor left of the condor corner and make a tricky rap back over to the bivy below condor corner. Rap the route from here until you are back on the pillar at the top of P4. Head down the climbers right side of the pillar and hit the anchors on top of P3. From here it’s 2 35m raps straight down to the ground.

Hike about ten more minutes passed the approach trail for Tucupit Occidentalis. When the drainage starts to narrow and you’re under the north side of Tucupit look for a drainage heading up on your right. Eventually escape this drainage and hike up hill to the base of the wall. Head right and after going down a hill look for the bolts marking the start of P1.