Ashtar

is the located on the prominent tower on the west side of the Mount Carmel Highway Tunnel, across from the ranger kiosk.

The first pitch will take everything on your rack: cams, nuts, hexes, and TCUs.  It is mostly crack climbing for the first 75 ft then climbing on small ledges and crimps to first set of anchors.  The second pitch is mostly bolted with some exposed, crimpy 5.9 climbing.

The second pitch traverses right and a .5 is handy for the runout between the anchors and the first bolt. There can be a lot of drag on this second pitch and communication can also be an issue. Very fun!  Great view and exposure!!

Ashtar Command

Woods Route

Warzone

P.C. Thug

Feeling Minnesota

This route follows the face to the left of the popular

Ashtar Command

route.  The anchors for both pitches share the standard rappel route off of the tower.  There are a handful of run-outs between fixed gear, so bring a light rack.

P1: Start on the left arete of the tower and face climb up to the first bolt at 20ft. A medium size cam might help protect these moves. A few mid-10 moves lead to the right and a couple more bolts. A run-out on easier ground leads to the final mid-10 moves on thin face.

P2: The second pitch is obvious from the belay. Clip a handful of bolts along a seam to a hard move to the left. This is a short pitch. (50ft, ~5.11a)

Who knew such an adventure route could be so close to the road!

P1,3 are sandy

P2,4 are classic

Finger crack behind a flake in a right facing corner rising up through light colored stone above a collection of boulders on the back of Ataxia with respect to Ashtar Command. Two bolts and webbing anchor as of Sep '16.

Climb a crack 20ft right of Ashtar Command.  The crux comes right off the deck and protects with a 0.5 cam in a pod.  Run it out to the first bolt and follow 3 more bolts until you can head left to join Ashtar.  This is a fun face variation to Ashtar that may be a little heads up for the average 5.8/9 climber.

Description

Protection

Routes in Ataxia Tower