Castle in the Sky Tower - Romancing the Stone

This is a quality Swell Adventure for those who don't mind a groveling approach and appreciate a variety of climbing. This tower is visible from the San Rafael Swell Swinging Bridge area.

This tower sits on top of the Wingate Sandstone and provides a wonderful, elevated scene above the San Rafael River and Limestone Bench.

An approach pitch is required to access this tower. Once you have navigated into the large scoop immediately below the east of the tower make your way up the 4th and low 5th slabs and cracks for roughly 250'-300'. There can be the occasional thought-provoking movement during this scramble. As you follow up the slabby crack weakness look for a red cord on the slabs to the right. When you finally see the red cord with the quick link this will be the start of the approach pitch. Make note of the cord since that can be a nice option when descending. There is a small flat area big enough to stack your ropes and rack up.

Approach pitch (5.8): Climb the cracks and broken terrain for 60+ meters to the upper shelf. The FA team utilized a tree as an anchor since the rock quality is poor. Be aware of loose rock everywhere. A double rack through BD#6 is helpful.

Once on the shelf hike up towards the tower. Romancing the Stone begins on the SSW side of the tower. Hike to the base and around until the obvious chimney comes into sight.

Pitch 1: Climb the left side of the pillar. Start up the V-slot. Make a few moves in the finger-sized crack before widens through the sizes from BD #1 to BD #6. When the crack widens to BD #6 size there will be a small crack that will take micro cams if needed. Belay on the large ledges on the pillar. There is a finger sized crack for anchor building. The FA team used BD .3, .4 and .75 sized cams.

Pitch 2: Climb the excellent .75 and #1 sized crack as it moves up and right towards the large chimney. This crack continues while in the chimney and provides ample protection options. The crack in the chimney widens into a larger crack and flake option as the chimney itself widens. The FA party built an anchor here, before the awkward flake, but encourage future parties to take the pitch through the flake, past the bolt, to the 2-bolt anchor on a ledge below and right from the summit proper.

Pitch 3: This pitch can most likely be solo'd, however the FA party used a rope on the ascent and down solo'd it as they moved back to where the 2-bolt anchor is. The summit proper does not have great anchoring options.

There is a small cairn pile with a cheap summit register (a zip lock bag with pencil and paper).

Rap: From the 2-bolt anchor it is a double 70m rap to the base of the tower. The FA party had about 10' left on their ropes when they rapped down.

Walk back down to the approach pitch top out and go to the skier's left. There are a few boulders and there is a pinch that was used and there is green bail cord and a quick link there. This is a double 70m rap down to the red cord and the ledge at the start of the approach pitch. Another double 70m ends with easy walking down back to the wash.

Follow the wash into the large scoop. The tower sits high on the shelf above and the route faces to the SSW.

[BD cams] (1)#6, (2)#5-.3, (1) set of BD C3's or equivalent micro cams, nuts. (2) 70m ropes.