Although we’d been counting on going to Zion for a while, our plans seemed to be constantly revising, when, how, time, money, these variables were in constant flux as we tried to move our lives from Washington to Utah and maintain some sense of organization. Although we planned on bicycling from SLC to Zion for a week of climbing, we ended up renting a car due to the constraints of time and weather, but more to the point, due to our overriding passion to spend all of our available time climbing. This isn’t a journal about our stalwart decision to boycott oil, it is about the creativity and flexibility to pursue your passions and goals while making an effort to curb your consumption of carbon. That said, if you don’t own a car, some time’s you’ll end up renting one. The Corolla that got us to Zion did over 35 miles a gallon, pretty sweet compared to some of the inefficient cars I’ve been forced to own over the years. Although I was a little bummed we didn’t get to go on a longer bike tour, the week was awesome and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Click below if you want to see some great pictures and a bit of a write up about our week.
This fall marks the third year in a row I’ve escaped the last few weeks of the shoulder season to climb in the sanctuary that is Zion Canyon. Each year I’ve made the trip with my good friend Amos, The Alaskan Hardman. Liz has come along too, last year being her first time to Zion but she was unable to climb due to a “minor” construction accident that resulted in three broken ribs…I guess I’m not Bob Vila after all. So this year was Liz’s first chance to share the rope with the boys and we had an amazing week climbing as a threesome. The weather was gorgeous, and we climbed our butts off.
When we started making plans for this years Zion trip we were throwing around the idea of bicycling from SLC to Springdale and bring the stoke of human powered adventure to Utah. Amos was inspired on our summers success and, being the adventurous spirit that he is, was psyched to give bicycle transportation a shot. But as time rolled on, work loomed ahead sooner and sooner, missed flights and the declining weather that is shoulder season ultimately convinced us to rent another car, cruise the 300 miles to Zion in mere hours, and have a whole 9 days to climb.
Once we reached Zion camp was made and plans were hatched. In the wake of the week’s previous whirlwind of moving, spending, imposing, I was left too distracted to even come up with an idea of what to climb. Luckily Liz and Amos still had enough wits and focus to get us out climbing and warmed up for the week.
We started out with a lap on the popular Ashtar Command, on the Ataxis Tower just off the road towards Mt. Carmel Tunnel. While the guidebook describes this as one of the easiest routes in Zion, I’ve found it to be fun and exciting, especially the second pitch which may be bolted but still makes you think.
Feeling good and warmed up we cruised over to the tunnel wall area to try and line up for the ever-popular Headache. This climb is an obvious system of splitters just north of the tunnel entrance as you’re driving up the windy road. It seems to always have a party or two on it but we managed to get on it just as a party was topping out. Three pitches of 5.10 offered us each an exciting lead and it was a great way to start our stay at the park.
Feeling good about our first days sending, we set out to climb a “unique-for-Zion” climb that’s had my eye for a couple of years. Made To Be Broken climbs patina and other classic Zion face features and is completely bolt protected. While most cracks seem to adhere to a + or – rating, Made to be Broken is rated 5.10d, a reportedly hard grade. We knew we had our work cut out for us so we did the only logical thing, give Liz the rope and make her lead first. Somehow she cruised right up it, with only minor difficulties on the last move, a desperate and insecure sequence ending with a shallow dimple filled with sand. To Liz this was a Jug and she encouraged us on, “it’s good, it’s friction-y”. I could barely make it past the first move without feeling like I was in over my head and questioned our objective for the day. Completely shaded and relatively cool temperatures meant that with no warm-up I pretty much immediately lost all feeling in my fingers and toes. By the time I arrived at the belay, whimpering and terrified, I could tell Amos felt similarly. The next lead was mine but I was not interested, with no one offering any encouragement I sensed a descent was immanent, however Amos felt obliged to at least climb up a few feet and feel it out. After realizing it would be more of the same we all agreed on a relaxing break in the sun. We managed to motivate and climb a nearby “5.7” crack pitch that even felt challenging. Realizing we were having an “off-day” we packed up and got psyched for a good dinner and something in the sun for the next day. I finished the day with to nagging questions: one – why couldn’t that guy have swallowed his pride and rap-bolted the route to make me feel safer? and two – shouldn’t any vertical crack requiring all points jamming be considered technical enough to receive a 5.8 or 9 rating? Oh well…
The next day we used as a rest to get re-motivated and soak up some sun. For Amos this meant some “bronzing” and playing his flute by the river, for Liz it meant an adventurous scramble up the abandoned Lady Mountain trail. While Amos’s day sounded more relaxing, I’m glad I made it up Lady Mtn. and was well rewarded with some amazing views of the valley and surrounding high country.
Feeling rejuvenated after our previous days disappointment, we decided on climbing the N.E. Buttress of Angels Landing, a route Amos and I had climbed before but one I was stoked to do again, get to lead some different pitches, and bring Liz up to speed on our Zion ticklist so far. The N.E. Buttress is a great Zion free climb and as a Springdale climber once described it, “dirty desert climbing”. The climbing was great and everyone was feeling good, freeing the whole route. At the bottom of the climb we encountered a bashed in cam that looked like it had taken a long fall, and then again towards the top we started to encounter some ropes left behind in odd locations. Figuring this was some sort of weird newbie mistake we cleaned up as much as we could and took the scraps with us to the top, in all we cleaned up a brand new looking 70m dynamic rope, a couple of draws and about 30 more meters of assorted rope and cord. Later we learned that this was gear set up as part of a self-rescue that occurred less then two days previous. We returned what we cleaned up to the Zion SAR and offer our condolences to the family and friends of Lyle.
After the successful send another day of rest was in order, this time Liz was less go-getting so we all bronzed by the river. The following day we returned to our favorite cragging spot at the Kung-Fu Theater. This time The Dark Tower was in our sights, a 4 pitch route with everything from crack to roofs, face climbing and slab named in honor of the epic series by Steven King. No matter what you’re into, go read the Dark Tower series, then climb the Dark Tower. Cool.
We finished up the day with a lap on the first pitch of Enter the Dragon, a sweet sport line climbing the exposed aréte of an old rock scar. With multiple cruxes the 5.11 grade tested our stamina for the 5th pitch of the day.
With one big route left in us we timidly agreed on an attempt of Shune’s Buttres, a sustained 8 pitch route with a wild and exposed finger crack 500 feet off the deck. With this in mind a rest day was in order, and again it turned into an adventure of it’s own. With our sights set on Cable Mountain we decided to go light and fast, jogging and carrying nothing the 8 miles from canyon floor to the lookout above. We ended up running half or more of the 16 mile trip, with only some slight re hydrating from a meager spring we were lucky was flowing at all. Amazing hike that I recommend to anyone, sorry there aren’t any pictures, didn’t bring the camera on that one.
Not as sore as I thought I’d be the next day, we made for an alpine start of Shunes and reached the base around 10 am or so. Amos and I had attempted this route previously but failed to finish after waiting behind a team of three all day, so I was happily humored when a party of two came up just as we were about to get on the route, roles reversed, we were now the slow team to deal with, luckily the two guys made the right decision and found another route to climb that day.
First pitch honors were once again mine, the route has two 5.11 pitches, the first being right off the ground and the second being the exposed finger crack on the 7th pitch. Amos wanted the 7th so duties for launching off fell on my shoulders. The climb begins with a 1 inch finger crack that leads to all sorts of craziness. The topo describes the pitch as beginning with 5.11+ and ending with a 5.10+ section, however I feel this to be reversed and find the most difficult section to be the “5.10+”. At around 45 meters the pitch tested my endurance but ultimately I yarded on a cam in quivering desperation, just feet from the anchors. Amos and Liz managed to free it on top-rope however, keeping the team free ascent alive.
Next pitch goes to Amos, a variation that offers up splitter fingers and hands as opposed to some ugly chimney choss. Amos made quick work or it and it was Liz’s turn to tackle the challenging offwidth pitch.
Requiring some serious shenanigans, up and down climbing, going inside and coming out of a giant crack, we’ve nicknamed this pitch “Shune’s Asshole”.
More laybacking and fist jamming from Amos got us to the bottom of the only moderate pitch on the route, a little chimney job that brings you to the top of the pillar connected to Shune’s.
A short traverse pitch that is rated 5.11 but to short to be considered one of the cruxes of the route, clip a few bolts and we’re on to the meat of the climb.
Down on the ground I didn’t have much motivation to jump on this long and intimidating climb, but as the saying goes, put one foot in front of the other…. After looking around the corner at the insanity that lay ahead, Amos continually commented on how crazy it looked, how he didn’t think he could climb it, and how he wasn’t sure he would be able to come back if he started out. Putting one foot in front of the other, Amos made his way out and around the corner, grunted and clawed his way up the impressive crack above. Out of sight Liz and I could only wonder what lay in store as we listened to Amos’s chorus of shouts and yells, most often ending with “this is insane!”. Eventually our turn came and the insanity was true. My prediction that I would shart myself turned out however to not be true, but I was deeply humbled and impressed by how amazing the climbing, exposure and location turned out to be.
With a meager collection of cams we pitched out the last few pitches a little shorter then the topo prescribed, adding an additional one.
The last pitch was the icing on the cake. Splitter with some of the classic positive face holds Zion is known for. Truly unreal.
A quick photo on top and we started to rap, not quite making it half way down before full dark descended. Once on the ground some cold soda and reggae music welcomed us. Shunes. Spectacular. Although both Amos and I pulled or hung on a piece, Liz never fell and at least one of us managed to free the parts others couldn’t, making for a team free ascent and giving motivation to come back for the full send.
While the trip was over for Liz and I, it was just beginning for Amos. With plans to meet up with a friend in Flagstaff Arizona and continue on to El Potrero, we outfitted him with a sweet bicycle from The Bike Collective, in SLC before we left. Along with a Bob Trailer to haul his gear, Amos was ready for human powered adventure. It was pretty odd leaving him in the campground but I get a smile on my face thinking of him riding through the desert on his way to Flagstaff. In all an amazing week as I look back and try and settle in to my new digs for the winter. I’m looking forward to change gears here at Nature of Motion and bring on some fresh perspectives for winter-time mobility. If you’re still here thanks for reading and keep in touch.
