The Classic Route (Lost Arrow Spire)

The Classic Route (Lost Arrow Spire)

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 42.08568°N / 113.71263°W
Additional Information Route Type: Technical Rock Climb
Additional Information Time Required: Less than two hours
Additional Information Difficulty: 5.7
Sign the Climber's Log

Approach


This is probably the best 5.7 climb in the park. Drive to the Practice Rock formation and find a parking spot (gets pretty full). The trail begins between campsites #19 and 20. Hike the well established trail downhill heading towards Stripe Rock, Boxtop, and Lost Arrow Spire. After about 0.5 mile you will pass The Boxtop formation with its characteristic cubical top on your right hand side. Keep hiking on the trail. At some point (less than 0.75 mile from the parking lot), the Lost Arrow Spire will come into view. At some point, you will come to a junction on the main trail and will need to take the left fork heading for the spire. The trail traverses beneath the east face of the spire and then cuts steeply uphill to its north face. The route begins here (see photos).

Route Description


The route reaches the top of this unique looking formation in two fun-filled pitches. Most of the protection is natural.

Pitch 1: 5.7. Climb up a left-diagonaling ramp and then stem up a vertical chimney formed by a detached boulder and the north face of the spire. Climbing up to this point is largely unprotected but quite easy (<5.4). Move onto the sloping face under a large roof. The face has good holds in the forms of dishes and dissolution pockets. Clip a bolt. Move diagonally up and right up this sloping ramp under the roof. Several (one or two) old pitons can be found in the crack under the roof - probably should reinforce them with micro-cams. The climbing gets a bit thin as the ramp steepens. Once past the roof move left through a notch and onto a large (but sloping) belay ledge. Gear anchor.

Pitch 2: 5.5. Move up the flake and left. Move around the corner onto the east face of the spire. There's nice exposure as you round the corner. The climbing is very well protected to this point (#1 and 2 camalots in a slanting crack). Move up the east face. As the runout slab portion begins, the angle eases immediately and the grade drops (4th class to 5.0 maybe). Move up to the top on great dishes.

Descent:
Two 60 m ropes (not sure if two 50m will do??). Rap off the west face of the spire directly to the ground. The rappel has a fun free air portion near the top.

Essential Gear


A small rack will do here. Small to medium nuts and cams including some tiny cams to back up the old pitons in the roof on pitch one. Cams up to #2 Camalot (on pitch 2). Have enough gear for an anchor atop pitch 1.

Miscellaneous Info


If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.


Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.