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.
