Utah has Castleton, Arizona has the Mace, Oregon has Monkey Face, and Colorado has Psycho Tower. This is a fine route on a fine tower - a must do for those who appreciate a good summit.

Although generously bolted, this isn't a sport climb. Trad gear and skills are needed!

Pitch 1: start from a bolted anchor at the saddle on the north side. Follow two bolts up and step right (big air!!) into a crack / corner. Climb this to a ledge, up a step to another ledge (fixed nut), past the rap anchor on the left up a short corner to yet another ledge up and right.

Pitch 2: follow bolts to the right. It seems a little airy at the start, but you haven't seen anything yet! You arrive at an amazing stance at the left of the huge beak. Three more bolts take you right and up to a large ledge. The topo says "exposed" and Charlie's not kidding. The pucker factor is at max here. Your feet are just inches above the void - a fall would leave you hanging in space. I'd suggest leaving a long sling on the middle bolt to pull up on if you blow the move - lowering out is NOT an option! This has just as much air as

Rosy Crucifixion

except you're even more in space than that. Fortunately this spot isn't long and the bolts are close together. It is easily aided by pulling on biners (I should know ...).

This pitch gains little elevation and takes you almost 180 degrees around the tower.

Pitch 3: follow 4 bolts and a short crack to the top. This has a few hard moves (9+) but is well protected.

Many of the hard moves were height-dependent - shorter climbers found the crux easier but other parts harder.

Psycho-Path

Psycho-delic

Unknown Crack

Nameless Face

Psychosis

Psycho Hose Beast

On the North face of Psycho Tower, this climbs the rappel line for the regular route

Psycho-Path

, 5.9.

The first pitch goes up a steep hand/small hands crack, 5.11a. The second pitch climbs the face past some bolts and gear placements all the way to summit, 5.11a.

This climbs the south face of Psycho Tower.

The first pitch goes on the face and midway up takes the arete on the right side of the face, 5.12b/c. The second pitch goes just right of huge roof, 5.11b, and third pitch joins to the right the last pitch of

Psychosis

, 5.11a.

The route was bolted on lead without previous rappel inspection.

The crux is near the start. It has some offwidth and stemming moves with delicate rock. Some nice handjams and feet put you on a ledge into a corner. From here, you can continue up the small crack or layback the corner with nice pro leading up to underneath a blocky, dirty roof with not so nice pro but easy traversing over left to the last bolts on

Nameless Face

.

Nameless Face is a high quality pitch of climbing which adds an extra 100 feet to the Psycho Tower's regular route,

Psycho-Path

.  The crux is getting off the ground at the first couple of bolts, but the climbing will keep your attention all the way to the anchors.

Instead of the "4th class scramble to the exposed saddle below the west face," climb the bolted face on the south side of the tower to anchors on the saddle, which is the start of

Psycho-Path

.

Psycho Hose Beast is short and bouldery. The crux is around bolt 5. Head right via the little crimps to the obvious slopey rail. One last big move from an unlikely sandstone pocket will bring you to the jug hall that remains.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Psycho Tower