If you free this route, you are a true desert free climber.

Pitch 1  Climb a thin crack in a right facing corner to a ledge. There used to be an anchor here but it has been stripped of its hangers. Continue up the crack as it widens from #3 to #4.5 Camalot over the next 50 feet and belay at a fixed anchor in the alcove. (5.11 or C1)

Pitch Two  Wiggle out the bombay chimney and continue up the crack passing some less than stellar rock along the way. Belay at the fixed anchor on the shoulder. (5.10- or 5.9 C1)

Pitch Three  This pitch is shared with the North Northeast route. Climb past the lone pin to a small ledge and then make a couple easy but serious free moves to the summit. (5.8 C0)

Rappel the Route

West Face

North Northeast

This would be a good climb if it were on decent rock.  Otherwise, it's a weak one star, but more or less worthwhile from the adventure standpoint.  It supposedly goes free; we employed some sort of trickery on every pitch.  The unreliable nature of the "stone" discourages any kind of bold free climbing.

The route climbs the leftmost line on the north end of the tower.

From the ledge on the west side of the tower, spot a set slings 20' up on at the far left side of the west face.

P1 40' 5.6 (?) Figure out a way of reaching the slings.  This pitch looks like easy and straightforward friction but our shoes shot off slopes we thought they'd stick on.  Our leader ended up lowering into a gully from which he could nervously free climb up to the slings.

P2 25' 5.10 (?) Free climb or aid or free free or whatever up a thin vertical crack to a large ledge.  Belay as far to the east of the ledge as you can.

P3 100' 5.10 (?) Climb the hands and wider crack system on the left, not the thin crack system directly above P2. Getting into the crack system is tricky -- not sure how anyone free climbs this.  We climbed up ten feet and tension traversed into the crack.  Once into the crack it's hands and cups for about 50' until you reach two old bolts at a poor stance beneath an offwidth/chimney section through a bulge.  Continue past the offwidth and a short layback and hand traverse section (#2 - #1 Friends) and belay at a decent ledge below a a short left facing corner.

P4 30' 5.11 (?) Up the corner which starts at #1 Friends and  diminishes to blue Alien.  A couple of face moves on disintegrating holds gets you to a two bolt anchor below the summit bolt ladder.

P5 20' 5.8 C0.  This pitch was challenging even with pulling and standing on each bolt.  Ends with mandatory free climbing.

Descent: From the top of the P4, rap the west face.  Two 60 meter ropes might get you to the bottom in one.  It was too dark to see the ground, so we made a second rap off and anchor midway down.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Argon Tower