Climb some rotten shingles into a tight squeeze chimney that separates two free standing towers.

Flue Cleaner

Atlantis Tower

Rim Rock Spire: Bingbong AKA Thin Rock

Birthday Tower

Atlantis Tower is one of the last remaining gargantuan towers of the greater Debeque Canyon area. Somehow it has either gone unnoticed or unclimbed due to its location, huddled next to the cliff wall above Plateau Creek. Thousands will drive by every year going up to the mesa, but none have made the leap. The route is surprisingly good, and although I didn't free it on lead, it will go free probably around 5.11 ish well- protected.

Edit: I went back and was able to free the whole route on toprope. Most of the climbing is 5.9-5.10 with the crux being 5.11+ at the start of Pitch 2. Still needs a true FFA on lead.

P1 - start behind the flake, climb up a semi-rotten crack 5.10 lieback/ 5.9 C1, and clip three bolts up high where you can then tunnel through the formation under precarious blocks. From here, hike up the shoulder to a two bolt belay.

P2 - the fun begins. Clip two bolts around a corner (5.11+ or C0), and jump into the #5 crack which thins to #4. Two bolts pass the flake where it is dangerously thin. Face climb or aid climb clipping many bolts up the ridge, where you can grab the knife edge, and traverse on nice feet over to a few more bolts to the summit (exposed af!), making one final mantel move. There are two bolts on top for a belay.

I've also heard this tower referred to as The Squirrel. It's gotten more ascents than I figured. One guy has done it a bunch of times. All the bolts and rap anchor at the top could use replacement. There's the carcass of a deer in a deep notch near the belay at the top of the second pitch, interesting on how it got there.

P1. Climb an ancient bolt ladder with 5 or 6 bolts, then scramble another 25 feet to a notch between the rim and the tower.

P2. Climb off hands and past vertical OW to easier ground.

P3. Traverse on a nice ledge system, and bust out a few hard moves including a mantel with less than perfect gear. A short easy scramble takes you to the top and the anchors.

Climb good hands in solid rock for ~10 feet into some very rotten rock.  The rotten section is ~12 feet thick, with a strangely solid and safe hand/finger crack in the center of it, that protects well.  Pull over a small roof (crux) and make easy moves to the top on solid sandstone. It gets one star for the adventure, not the rock quality.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Exit 49