Highway Robbery

Highway Robbery is the main attraction of this tower and a superb climb. Scramble up the 4th class approach terrain to start at the base of the main North facing plate using the adjacent tree as a belay and rap station. For the first pitch, half a dozen clips gains a mid point belay and a double bolt anchor. The climbing is thin and reachy and gets its 5.11b rating on less than vertical climbing with sketchy feet and crisp finger edges. The second pitch, and the brilliant crux of the route, launches dead center up the face. The climbing steepens immediately to dead vertical. At the second clip off the ledge an option to bail out right to the arete presents itself. This much easier option is a superb pitch by itself, and it offers the faint of heart a simple alternative that runs to the same anchor as Highway Robbery, therefore, making the top rope a very friendly possibility. Hang tough on Highway Robbery for the more difficult ride and a gorgeous climb up a thin seam and face combination that is literally sprouting nice, albeit thin, finger edges. There is a double bolt anchor just above the ledge, but below the final overhang that gains the bona fide "summit" of the Watch Tower. The final overhang has been ascended, but I have no useful beta (such as the walk off, etc). There are three raps to the ground from the top of Highway Robbery: 100ft, 60ft, and 50ft. Three stars for the great climbing, continuity, and excellent stone. This wall is North facing, so assuming you solve the access issues with the new owners first, wait until the weather is warm enough to climb in the shade.

QDs only. This two pitch route will need about a dozen draws and something for the double bolt anchors at the top of each pitch. P1, 5.11b; P2, 5.12b.