South Face of West Tower

A good adventure on one of the coolest looking spires in Sedona. The 4th pitch features some steep climbing on loose holds with bad pro 10 feet off a ledge. Pitch 1 all day shade (starts on the north face), the rest of the route gets all day sun.

Pitch 1) 60' 5.7 From the notch between Slingshot and Camel's Head, go up the obvious crack system on the north face to a notch between the east and west towers and a bolted belay.

Pitch 2) -40' 5.6 Downclimb a chimney to the south face, then traverse left to the base of a prominent pillar on the south face of the west tower. Belay takes finger and hand size and big nuts.

Pitch 3) 40' 5.8 Climb the right facing corner which turns to a chimney. At the top of the pillar look up. If you're scared, belay here so you can use your belayer as a crashpad for pro on the next pitch. Belay takes hand sized.

Pitch 4) 40' 5.9+ Climb the steep, intimidating crack straight up from the ledge at the top of the pillar. When the crack runs out pull over on loose jugs and traverse left to the base of a hand crack in a left facing corner. Can be combined with the previous pitch, but watch out for ledge-fall. Belay takes hand sized.

Pitch 5) 60' 5.9 Go up the hand crack thru a bulge to a sloping ledge, follow another short crack to a hand traverse out left (5.9), then climb up between the butt cheeks guarding the summit (5.8). Careful of rope drag.

Descent: 150' rap off a rusty bolt and a drilled angle back to your packs. The anchor could use replacing.

Park at Marg's Draw Trailhead. Follow the trail east until it intersects with the real Marg's Draw trail at a 4-way intersection with a sign. Keep going straight (east) on a hikers trail that leads to Snoopy. When you get close to Snoopy and Slingshot rock the trail will fork. Take the left fork uphill toward the towers until you reach the notch between Snoopy and Slingshot Rock. The South Face route actually starts on the north face of Slingshot, at the notch between Slingshot and The Camel's Head. GPS: 34,51.642'N 111,45.036'W

Nuts, 3 each to #3, 1 #4, 1 #5 Camalot (new sizes), extra slings. Most of the belays are natural, so bring extra gear.