North Chimney

This is probably the easiest route on Castleton, and is a fantastic climb. To reach, hike up the talus as for the Kor-Ingalls, when you reach the base, walk around to the north end of the tower and traverse out on a ledge to the base of the chimney which is right on the left hand corner of the North Face.

P1- Climb the double hand cracks in the corner. This pitch is intimidating, but there are many rests. The crux of the pitch is at the top where you climb over a short bulge, and then up to a small ledge to the belay.

P2- Climb a short but tricky 5.8 offwidth protected by an old bolt. Place a big cam here instead of clipping the useless bolt. Then climb the chimney above climbing over chockstones and varied cracks to a belay on a small ledge. The belay takes hand size cams.

P3- Climb up the hand crack up to a stemming move at the top of the chimney which gets you to a ledge. Climb up easy ground to a ledge where you join the Kor Ingalls. Gear placement can get a little runout after the first 20ft but its easy climbing. After stemming across the ledge, there is a spot at knee height to place a .1 Camalot.

P4- Climb the last pitch of the Kor Ingalls to the top.

Descent

From the summit, walk toward the Rectory to find the N. Face Rappel station (long chains with 4-inch rings) nestled between two boulders on the taller side of the North Face.

All directions are described for a rappeler (rappeler’s left, etc.)

With 2x60 m or 2x70 m (2 raps):

Rap straight down about 125 ft to a large ledge with rappel rings on its left and a boulder on its right.

Rap past another ledge with an anchor on its right side to the ground (225 ft with 2x70 m) or to a platform (200 ft with 2x60 m). The obvious flaring #3’s corner of the N. Face starts from the left side of the platform. Down climb a chimney on the right side of the platform about 20 ft to the ground.

With a single 70 m (4 raps)

Rap 40 ft hard left following the bolt line of the last pitch of Sacred Ground. This rap station is beefy Rap Hangers (no rings or chains) but I’ve never had trouble pulling the ropes.

Rap 90 ft slightly right to a large ledge with rappel rings on its left and a boulder on its right.

Rap to another good ledge with an anchor on its right side (90 ft).

Rap 110 ft to a platform. The obvious flaring #3’s corner of N. Face starts from the left side of the platform. Down climb a chimney on the right side of the platform about 20 ft to the ground.

With a single 80 m (3 raps)

Rap straight down about 130 ft to a large ledge with rappel rings on its left and a boulder on its right. This used all of my 80 m rope.

Rap to another good ledge with an anchor on its right side (90 ft).

Rap 110 ft to a platform. The obvious flaring #3’s corner of the N. Face starts from the left side of the platform. Down climb a chimney on the right side of the platform about 20 ft to the ground. (Or, try to rap straight to a boulder above the ground depending on your 80 m).

Three sets of cams to #3 Camalot, 1 bigger cam for pitch 2. A set of stoppers.