Pandora Posted March 24, 2011 Posted March 24, 2011 Trip: Psycho Tower, SW Colorado - Psycho-Path, 5.9+ Date: 3/15/2011 Trip Report: My friend Tad had been talking about Psycho Tower most of the winter, ever since seeing it featured in Climbing Magazine. After he excitedly read aloud the description, I had to admit it sounded pretty cool, but it was too far out of the way to bother with, I negatively concluded. Last week a split-second change in plans had us staring up at this crazy-looking tower. After six days in Indian Creek I was pretty bored of endless gorgeous splitters and wanted to clip some bolts while traversing crumbling sandstone above huge air (?). At any rate, it was on the way home. An easy scramble (or 5.11- bolted variation) will put you at the the start of three short pitches that wrap around the tower to the summit. I was most apprehensive about the crux third pitch, which some of our beta described as "likely 5.10 if you're shorter than 5'10". That is true, I found. The highlight of the route is definitely the second pitch, which traverses the lip of a giant roof on tiny edges for feet, nothing but air below! Eyeing the tower on the approach Tad following pitch 1 Tad on top! Looking down on the Dolores River from the summit Flaking the rope so we can toprope the 11- variation (which was fun!) One last look Gear Notes: A single set of cams is plenty; I also carried ~10 draws to both extend those placements and clip the bolts. We used a 70 m rope which got us back to the notch in one rappel. Approach Notes: Make sure to park at the BLM lot about 1/2 mile past the tower itself and walk back along the road to find the trail. Quote
layton Posted March 24, 2011 Posted March 24, 2011 way to get after it! nice to see you post a TR Quote
Peter McCorkell Posted March 24, 2011 Posted March 24, 2011 YEAH TAD!!! So good to see you on here bud! Looks like a sweet climb. Congrats guys! Quote
Moonshiner Posted March 24, 2011 Posted March 24, 2011 "After he excitedly read aloud the description..." I can hear the stoke in Tad's voice, classic. Well done boys! Quote
jpark42 Posted March 24, 2011 Posted March 24, 2011 HA...Glad to see that Tad finally talked someone into climbing that route. Looks like a good route but man that things is in the middle of nowhere. Tell Tad he's looking sexy without his grizzly adams beard Quote
tad_ Posted April 13, 2011 Posted April 13, 2011 yo pandora... get on back to the pnw so we can send some ill peaks! Quote
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