- Edit (TBD)
Description
Traverse a few feet left (west) to where it's possible to set up a belay using small cams in a pocket. (Your belayer will be above a blank slab, so a fall would take you both for a ride, without the anchor). Climb the sandy slab, with a cruxy section above the pin to a ledge. Traverse this 30ish feet left to another drilled pin and go up a challenging vertical seam (5.11) to another ledge. Protect your second in a nice crack and traverse all the way left around to the other side of the tower. Belay at a drilled pin, which is next to a good protection crack. You will now be in the shade on the north side of the tower. Pitch two climbs the gaping offwidth above you. The first real difficulties comes at a v-slot that's just too small to squeeze through, requiring you to climb the outside. Above the crack widens to just too wide for you big cams. Fortunately, those who came before drilled 3 fixed pins. This pitch is fairly well protected, but hard and sandy. I'd give it desert 10+ OW, but many will be tempted to down grade it to 5.11.
Location
Start below a slab on the southwest side of the tower.
Protection
Small nuts, draws, single set of cams from TCU-#3 friend. Double set of big cams up to #6 Friend. A blue big-bro would be nice...but we didn't have one.
Routes in Upper Hammond Spire
- 1Unknown5.11Trad