goatboy Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 I see several routes on this formation in Beckey's book, wonder if anyone has any beta on any of them. Hoping to go in there this summer and attempt something on the tower. Thanks in advance. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goatboy Posted April 3, 2003 Author Share Posted April 3, 2003 Soooooooooo, Not too much to say about this formation huh? Must be one of those "best kept secrets" I reckon . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaphappy Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 Far more likely that no one here has been on it. Awful far to go for such a "small" formatiom particularly when there is sooo much else to do in the area. Near by Boola Boola Buttress reportedly has outstanding stone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason_h Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 I've climbed Witches Tower, I don't remember which route though. We climbed it after finishing the Backbone on Dragontail. I don't really know what kind of beta you are looking for, from what I remember, we descended off of the back of Dragontail down into the basin below and then hiked over and up a fairly steep snowslope to the SW? buttress/ridge and then soloed maybe 4 pitches to the summit. It was like around 5.5 and the rock was excellent and the view really cool. No way I would hike in just to climb it, but it is a worthwhile to do after a route on Dragontail. I don't think it gets done often(at all) as there were no rap anchors or any signs of climbers, so bring some stuff to leave if you're gonna rap anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 THE MOUNTIES HAVE A TRIP UP THE TOWER ONCE A YEAR I BELIEVE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goatboy Posted April 3, 2003 Author Share Posted April 3, 2003 Jason, that's great beta, thanks very much. Surprising that the mounties climb it and don't leave their "droppings" (i.e. rap slings) all over it! When I climbed dragontail last year we hiked out right beneath the Witch's Tower and it looked like glorious rock, though a short route as people here have said . . . I would not hike in there just to climb it, but hope to incorporate it into a larger 5 day trip thru the enchantments (along with Prusik, colchuck, maybe dragontail) Thanks for the beta, folks -- anyone else? S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 there appears to be a really cool looing line on the north face!! chimmenies and shit.....dont snake it from me pleez!!!! the climb will prolly take like an hour or so..... main route goes up the se side i believe it is a ridge/ramp/arete terminating into the hill side.... you should not need crampons to access... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_w Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 I did the southwest corner a couple of years ago. Something like 3 pitches of 5.4 climbing. I thought it was really fun. It's not worth the hike just for this. It's a walk off from the summit, don' t remember which way, but it's pretty obvious. Southwest Corner I think the descent is on the right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbclimber Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 The Mounties usually go up the SW corner, which is mostly class 4 with one 5.5 step. They descend the South Face which is class 2-3. I did it a long time ago but don't remember much about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 correction on my part!!! yeah the sw corner!!! not the silly se side!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goatboy Posted April 4, 2003 Author Share Posted April 4, 2003 Great info, helps flesh out Beckey's descriptions a lot. Soooo Erik, how'd you like to climb that N Face route sometime? I'll check it out while I'm up there but won't "snake it" from you. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted April 4, 2003 Share Posted April 4, 2003 sure steve... i go up there quite bit.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goatboy Posted April 5, 2003 Author Share Posted April 5, 2003 I will take a gander at it and let you know what I see . . . I won't be there til July, though . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason_h Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 Damn. Sounds like I may have to X the N Face of Witch's out of the little black book soon. I've scoped it some too, it looks cool, though wet 'till later in the summer. Have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.