[TR] Lone Peak Cirque, UT - Triple Overhangs 8/24/2011

[powdherb]

Trip: Lone Peak Cirque, UT - Triple Overhangs

 

Date: 8/24/2011

 

Trip Report:

Hey guys, here's my TR I posted on Skisickness

 

I was sitting on the toilet last friday quite hungover when I picked up a copy of a recent 'Climbing' magazine. In it was a featured article on Utah's Lone Peak Cirque. Sure we've all heard it all before, Lone Peak has some of the best granite in Utah. But shit, what does that mean?

 

My first time up there was with Drew probably about 8-10 years ago on a recon mission. Sitting on top of the summit block, the proposition of climbing the face below was mind boggling. That shit was for mountaineers.

 

Well, it turns out I was right. We began up the trail tuesday night on the hottest day of the year. Thermometer read 100 degrees at 530 pm at the trailhead in dust-fuck nowhere. I heard the approach from Draper by way of Jacob's Ladder was the best way from multiple sources, including the anachronistic Wasatch Climbing by the Ruckman boiz. Published in 1998, they said that this trailhead was active as of '1977.' Good.

 

What lay ahead was 6000 vertical feet of steep dust filled 'chutes' if you will, preceded by rattlesnake filled south facing death gullies lined with local ATV-driving insurgents. Following this tragic debacle, one was lead into a mosquito infested cirque with cairns in virtually every direction. I spent considerable time on the way down destroying the pointless cairnes and yelling at them as they toppled.

 

Eventually after 5 hours of hatefulness, we arrived safely at our granite perch overlooking Mormonopolis to the south, negating the need for headlamps.

 

The route itself is good. It would be even better if you could park at the base. Mostly splitter granite takes you up a couple hundred feet above lone peak cirque and offers excellent views of the surrounding range. The best pitch by far was the final pitch, Triple Overhangs, which has a huge roof composed of 3 tiers. This pitch is a solid 10a in LCC standards, but is less hard as it was intimidating. Each roof has a locker hand-jam so good you could hang off it and eat a hot dog. Speaking of hot dogs, when we finally got back down and out of the dust-bowl, I had in-and-out burger just in order to hold me over until my order at cafe rio was ready. Animal style. Bring no rack except 5 #2s and 4 #3s. Maybe 2 #1s.

 

Summary: Solid climb, never going back unless by heli or teleport.

 

The cirque on the best part of the approach.

 

A nice moderate hand crack starts it off.

 

Liz approaches the overhangs.

 

Pulling the crux.

 

 

Finishing up. Great 5.9ish hands.

 

Final face moves to summit.

 

Gear Notes:

Lots of big stuff, but no #4s. Don't think I placed any nuts...

 

MOSQUITO JUICE

 

Approach Notes:

They all suck.

Edited August 25, 2011 by powdherb

[layton]

Lots of people love this place. I'm glad someone else feels that, although awesome climbing, the hike barely makes it worth it. What is worth it is going in for 2-3 days and climb these routes (you can EASILY do 2-3 routes a day)

 

Triple Overhangs ***1/2

Vertical Smile ***1/2

Center Thumb ***1/2

Out of the Question *****

Hyperform ***1/2

Lowe Route ****

 

There are closer, longer routes

Pentapitch 2-3p

Stifflers Mom 7p

Arm and Hammer 4-6p

The Thumb 7p

The Fin 5p

Tingey's 8p

Devils Castle (volcanic?) 7p

Till Hell Freezes Over (limestone) 5-6p

to name a few

 

 

 

[mneagle]

The key to the approach is knowing where to get out of the 4 x 4 territory and start heading up hill. Once you are on the right trail, I don't remember a lot of hardship, except for the steepness. It reminded me alot of the approach into the Pickets. The first time you do it, there will be some bushwhacking and suffering but it gets easier the more you do it.

 

For anyone contemplating the trip, bring up some camping gear and make it at least a weekend trip. There is lots of great stuff to climb. My favorite route is a link up of Triple Overhangs and Vertical Smile, AKA "Vertical Overhangs". It's longer and gets the best parts of both routes. There are also some great routes on the Question Mark wall, which is the big face to the right in your panoramic shot. The Golden Wall is between the 2 and also has a few good routes.

 

Early season there is a lot of snow to melt. The pond/streams then form but by late season its pretty dry. We used to bring up buckets and store water for later in the year.

[layton]

you can no longer drive the road, adding miserable miles

[powdherb]

This is the problem. The beta we got told us was assuming we were starting up about 3 miles higher than we actually did. In reality, we parked at the Jacob's Ladder trailhead which is a mountain bike zone. From here you walk a few miles up a bike trail then join with the old road, and up the dusty ridge.

 

With the road closed it probably adds 2-3 miles of desert suffering.

[stevetimetravlr]

That is one sweet looking route, nice one!