Trick of the Tail

Brer Rabbit

Intifada

West Side Story

Route begins on the NW ridge of Cottontail Tower right off the trail.

P1- Follow the obvious feature straight up past one old bolt and a difficult roof mantle until you reach a large ledge and 3 bolt anchor. All clean, gear up to 4 inches (5.10+ C1+)

P2- Continue up and right past a poorly protected wide slot, continue via mixed free and aid to a 2 bolt station at the right edge of a small roof. Belay can (and should) be backed up with a .5 inch cam. (5.10 C2)

P3- Engineer moves right to the base of an old bolt ladder, follow this straight up to a new 3/8 inch bolt and negotiate the final move onto a great ledge with a 3 bolt anchor. (A2)

P4- Head around the corner and traverse the West face on run out moderate terrain, drop into an amazing bivy cave with a 3 bolt anchor, continue another 20 meters along the traverse past two old bolts on the "sidewalk" until it is possible to clip another 3 bolt anchor. No gear, two bolts. (5.8)

P5- Hoist your satchel, free climb left and up to an old bolt, mantle onto a shelf, mantle again, follow a sustained and discontinous crack system straight up passing 3 more old bolts. Continue slightly left into a crack to a great stance at a 3 bolt anchor. This pitch is requisite of numerous sawed angles, and a range of cams to 3 inches. Amazing pitch. (A3+)

P6- Follow the wide crack to the summit ridge and build a natural anchor. Take a couple larger cams and save a 3 inch for the belay. (5.9)

P7- Follow the ridge past a gap and fixed gear to a bolted belay.

P8- Head right of the belay, follow old bolts and new bolt studs up to a difficult and run out mantle move. Gain the shelf and find much needed gear. Continue up to a spectacular ledge with a 3 bolt anchor. (5.11R A2)

P9- Exit the right side of the ledge and negotiate your way right into a wide fluting, alternate aid moves and free moves past many old bolts to the summit ridge. Contemplate how Webster drilled this on lead. Locate and estrablish a great thread belay.

P10- Climb around to the east to gain the ridge or crawl through the hole (preferable), continue along the exposed ridge well around the east side of the summit block. Locate a wide right leaning crack. Follow this up to an old manky bolt, aid the lip and step onto the summit. The anchor consists of one good hangerless bolt, one pin and an old 1/4 inch. It is directly above the rap stations. Take a four inch cam. (5.6 C1)

Originally rated A6 by Beyer.  According to Beyer there were no holes drilled deeper than 1/4" deep on the first ascent.  Tim Wagner on the third ascent filled in holes that were deeper than 1/4" drilled by somebody.  The route starts right off the trail on the south face of the tower.

P1- Climb a thin seam that diagonals up and left via beaks and aluminum heads.  Climb a dihedral until a hook traverse left on cobbles is possible.  Belay underneath a small roof at a fixed pin.  (A3+)

P2- Continue up the crack to a left facing corner passing a possible belay.  Climb this corner to a small stance and belay there.  (A3)

P3- A rotten grovel leads to a horizontal crack.  Climb left following this crack with thin nailing and hooking.  Climb a vertical A1 crack to a spot below a small roof and set up a hanging belay there.  (A4)

P4- This is the business.  Climb thin cracks and seams with some hook moves to establish another hanging belay in a right facing corner.  (A5)

P5- Continue up this corner at A1 to some discontinuous cracks and features.  Climb this via thin nailing and hooking.  The pitch ends at another hanging belay in a left facing corner under a roof.  (A3+)

P6- Climb the corner above the roof to and A3 crack.  Climb the crack up and left to a horn.  Tension left off the horn to some hooking and then 5.6 to a large belay ledge to join Brer Rabbit.  (A3, 5.6)

P7- Continue up Brer Rabbit climbing a bolt ladder to an A2 crack.  Pass an old belay, climb past a hole then a 5.8 mantle and some bolts lead you to the Belay.  (5.8, A2)

P8- Climb up a right facing corner to a ledge and thread a hole for pro.  From there traverse right to a fixed pin and some awkward grovelling under a roof.  Climb bolts and cracks above the roof to the belay.  (5.8, A2)

P9- Climb a 5.8 squeeze chimney and a short A1 section on the south face of the summit blob to the summit of the tower.  (5.8 A1)

Descent- Make 6 or 7 raps down Road Kill on the Northwest face of the tower.

This route takes a lot of effort and time to set up good belay anchors.

I thought that of all of the routes that I have done in the Fishers (NE ridge, Phantom, Finger) this was certainly the most exciting. It does not have the same exposure as Phantom, nor the history of the finger, nor the height of Kingfisher. However, west side story is a very fun climb that deserves to be more popular. At no point does the aid become too hard for a competent C3 leader nor is the free climbing at all too death defying. One note of caution; someone someone should go up and start replacing the belay bolts, some are very old and dubious. Also, just a side note before I get to the topo, I think that this will be the next line in the fishers to go free. Very possible if the belays were improved. Now onto the business. Also, descending the route was not enjoyable. There needs to be another way to go about that. Also, another note: I will grade each pitch with a fun, zesty, uber zesty rating as opposed to the YDS. It is the fishers after all, each pitch can change a lot. I will note the harder aid pitches and free pitches though. Location: Begins on the left side of the north face of cottontail below the saddle between cottontail and echo.

P1- Fun- Begin on some slabs and work up obvious chimney system to spacious ledge.

P2- Fun- Use a few old studs to get into a squeeze chimney. Don't get stuck!

P3-Fun- Descent Aiding, a few mud moves. Follow the left side crack and then move right to a belay.

P4-Zesty/uber zesty- Good aiding and some exciting free moves. Maybe made more exciting because I was rope soloing, I don't know. Just dig the mantle. this pitch will take you to the giant bivy ledge on the saddle.

P5-Zesty-Fun aiding, but short pitch straight up arete on the west end of the saddle.

P6- Fun- Good aiding, but no particularly zesty moves, the chimney at the top is cool though.

P7- Uber Zesty- The aid pitch combined with a sweet traverse to a blind placement. The exposure is becoming more awesome

P8 Zesty/uber zesty- a free pitch with some enticing off-width. Combine this with the chimney marked Pitch 9 in the Bjornstad guide for one long pitch.

P9 Fun- Go around to the south side of the tower and climb a wide crack to a 1/4 incher to the summit.

Just a few words of caution. If you are going to rap the route, leave a rope fixed between 5 and 6 and 6 and 7 to help you get back down. A sweet route over all.

Description

Routes in Cottontail Tower