Lazarus is the short, slender spire that is the southern of the trio of smaller towers including Hermit's Hovel; it is the left-hand spire when viewed from the Deadman's Spires campsite in the wash below the formations. The rock is pretty damn soft, but this is a pretty straightforward aid ramble for those who enjoy obscure summits.

Scramble up to the north notch between Lazarus and Hermit's Hovel. Thrutch up a wide crack for 15' or so to a ledge atop a pillar. Aid past 2 bolts on a steep bulge and then up a micro-splitter on relatively good rock (for this zone). Another bolt protects the moves onto the shoulder ledge. Aid up two more bolts and tension right off of the second to a shelf and the anchor. Carefully surmout the large choss blocks above the anchor to the deteriorating summit.

Lazarus Spire

Hermit's Hovel  - Mystery Incident

Redemption Tower

Resurrection Spire

Just left of the center of the north face, take the obvious wide crack that goes nearly to the summit.

P1:  Starts on soft rock and slowly becomes steeper and wider until you can fit in the crack.  The last  70' or so is physical chimney/squeeze climbing that's without gear unless you have a gold big bro.  Gear anchor past the junk ledge in a good hand crack.  200'

P2:  Short boulder problem leads to easier climbing to the summit.  Short pitch.

Descent is to the climbers right of the line climbed.  First rappel is 40' to a ledge.  Next is close to 200' to the ground.

This is the obvious crack on the north face of the tower.  At the bottom of the route is a bolt in a big block that pulled out from a roof about 30 feet above the ground.  I don't know what happened here, but there was no sign of ascent above where that block pulled out, and it looks like whatever happened here during a previous attempt went very, very bad.  Climb up some scary loose sections passed a bolt (placed by the previous attempt) without a hanger and continue up the widening crack until you chimney through the tower near the top to reach a two bolt anchor at the summit.  There is also a small summit register just above the anchor hidden in a small alcove under some rocks.  Most of the route I climbed free, I used two points of aid at the steepest part of the offwidth bulge.  The route will go free at 5.10+ or easy 5.11.

Resurrection Spire. 300' III 5.9. C1.

This spire is on the left end (west) of the large spires above the campsite. The central spire also has a route on its north side. It looks a very good line, probably done in the 80s by as yet unknown climbers.

There are several approaches, the easiest is by a stone chute below and right of the three smaller spire formations. Then walk below these smaller spires to the far end and north side of the big spires to Resurrection(one will pass the 80s route up the central spire). Continue to a chimney with a hand crack on its inner wall.

P1) Up the chimney and the hand crack to anchors below a fine slightly overhanging 1" crack. 100' 5.9.(An old failed attempt will be seen about 30' to the right of this pitch)

P2) Follow cracks and grooves to anchors 80' C1. May go free at 5.11+?

P3) Move out left onto a slab, then up right to a steep wall, then left into open groove, (one bolt pro) that leads to the shoulder left of summit. 60' 5.8.

P4) The first step is climbed using three bolts, then continue up second step to a fine summit and register. 60' A0 5.7.

Descend the route via rappel. FA. Paul Ross, Layne Potter. 16th Oct 2003

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Dead Mans Spires