This challenging and aesthetic route can be found on the left side of the Cloud Tower, just right of the Clod Tower route. It shares the first pitch with the Clod Tower, but then breaks right soon after to gain the obvious dihedral system off right. It follows this for 4 pitches before being forced into the gully at the top of the Clod Tower. From here, finish as for the Clod Tower 

  This route is named in memory of a good friend and mentor- JR Thompson (1953-2006)

The Disciple

This is a little done route that sits just left of Crimson Chrysalis. Start in the large recess just left of Crimson Chrysalis- 4th class up the gully until it makes sense to rope up. 

  Head up the crack above to a decent stance just below where the crack splits. The Clod Tower heads up the left hand crack system for several pitches, ultimately gaining the top of the 'Mushroom'- a large red ledge system down and left from the summit of Crimson Chrysalis. 

  The crack system to the right is the Disciple.

The Clod Tower

One of the best long free climbs of its grade in the country.  On a par with The Naked Edge, the Prow, and Astroman.  This route should not be missed.  If you climb at this level, you will not have lead a full life without experiencing The Cloud Tower!   

  Approach: Same as Crimson Chrysalis.  Average approach time about an hour, unless you're an old geezer like me.  Cloud Tower begins about 100-130 feet right and downhill of CC, at an obvious chimney that leads to a left facing dihedral.  N.B. some pitches are described differently than as suggested by the guides.  Aspect: North facing until the last pitch which faces west and soaks up the afternoon sun. The initial pitches can be chilly. 

  P1.  Climb the squeeze chimney and up the hand crack in the left facing corner (5.8).  Rather than stopping at the ledge (135'), we kept climbing up the corner above for another 100 feet or so (5.8) and stopped on the next obvious ledge. (5.8, 225') 

  P2. Traverse up and way left, past a tree, to the base of a beautiful splitter handcrack, climb it (5.10) and then trend up and left to the base of an awesome right facing, right angling corner. Another rope stretcher. (5.10, 210+') 

  P3. IMO, the crux pitch. Face climb discontinuous cracks up and left past a bolt into the corner, ascend the corner with Eldorado-like face climbing and stemming and then tips laybacking for what seems like an eternity. (5.12-, 115'; Rack: 1.5F, nuts, blue/black aliens, green aliens, 1F, 1.5-2.5F) 

  P4. A long "easy" pitch (120', 5.10) that will be exciting if your rack is short on larger sizes or if your wide flaring crack technique is wanting. (Rack: I am embarrassed to confess having 3 each of 2.5-3.5 F, 2 4Fs and a 4 Camalot and using them all.)   

  P5.  The Harding Slot of Red Rocks.  The guide describes climbing a scary offwidth to the top of the tower at 5.10+.  We climbed a short wide section (5.7) and then tunneled through the tower.  The crux was squeezing through a taper for about 3 feet onto the west face.  Not recommended for the bulbous or the claustrophobic.  Some friends have climbed to the top of the tower as the guide suggests, while others traversed the tower (climbed right from the belay around the tower).  No one has expressed great joy at the thought of repeating any of these options.  (5.?, 45-50') 

  P6.  After emerging from the birth canal, you are suddenly transplanted onto the west face of the tower at the base of a stellar Indian Creekish hand crack. Climb the flaring hand crack through several awkward bulges (5.11), while shedding as much clothing as you can remove.  Potential radical temperature difference after the north face experience.  Save a 1 camalot and some energy for the final hard moves to the belay.  (5.11+, 110', Rack: (2) 1 camalots, (2-3 each) 2.5-3.5Fs) 

  I understand that this brilliant route has been extended but do not yet know further details.

Cloud Tower

P1 - 5.8 climb featured varnished face to a ledge with a bolted anchor.   P2 - 5.10 climb crack into the hole (awkward) and exit onto the face above - crux (birth canal).   P3 - 5.10 face climb to next set of anchors. 

It's a Girl - It's a Boy !

If you find yourself at the back of the line to climb Crimson Crystalis, and you are comfortable leading 5.10 R, this will make a great day. Most of the bolts on this route look like they are strait out of the 70's, but they are in good shape and could take a good fall. 

  Pitch 1 starts about 25 Ft left of Crimson.  The first pitch is solid 5.8 and a ton of fun.  Go strait up through discontinuous cracks past 2 bolts.  There are several opportunities for trad gear.  Mostly nuts, but small cams are a possibility. 2 bolt anchor at the top of the pitch. 

  Pitch 2 starts out with several good cam placements in a dihedral.  One #4 can be placed in the widest section of the dihedral. (wish I had one when I did it!)  The pitch then increases in difficulty and moves up and left over a bulge and onto the face.  The holds are very good, but there is no opportunity for gear placements until the anchors about 20 Ft away. Pitch 2 finishes with a 2 bolt anchor. 5.9- 

  Pitch 3 is a little confusing when you are at the start. There are 2 bolts strait above and one bolt way up to the right.  It looks like the route could be climbed by going strait up, but it would definitely bump up the grade on the climb.  The route is meant to go up and to the right over a small ledge.  We clipped the first bolt strait overhead and then traversed right about 15 Ft, clipped another bolt, then worked over the ledge.  This was the crux of the climb.  By clipping the first bolt overhead, it added a lot of head-game and safety benefit, but caused SERIOUS rope drag at the top of the pitch.  After pulling over the bulge and on the small ledge, move up and left to 2 more bolts.  Both are pretty runout in between.  After this, move strait up, through another seriously runout section, to a 2 bolt anchor.  However, do NOT set up your anchor here.  This is a hanging belay, but if you go up another 15 Ft, there is ANOTHER 2 bolt anchor on a fantastic ledge.  Power through and get to this ledge. A few small cam and nut placements are possible on this pitch and can help make the runouts better. 10.a/b   

  Pitch 4 goes strait up through another runout section. Some flakes look they would take gear, but are really loose and wouldn't support a fall.  After 15-20 Ft, work up and right to a bolt.  Move straight right to meet up with the 6th pitch of Crimson Crystalis.  The final 25ft of this pitch are on Crimson and has 2 bolts, plus multiple gear opportunities. 

  Rappel down Crimson Crystalis.  Careful of getting your rope stuck! 

  Overall, the route was a ton of fun.  If you are a solid 5.10 climber, you will have no problems with the moves on this route.  The runouts are big, but the moves are solid.  Since its not climbed nearly as much as Crimson, some of the holds are loose and shouldn't be used.  If someone lives in the area, and feels like having another project, this route could be vastly improved by adding a few more bolts in the runout sections that can't take gear.

Hook, Line, and Whimper

Test Tube is an outstanding handcrack and chimney climb.  

  Pitch one goes up the obvious corner system with juggy holds on the sides. Soon, the rock becomes glass-like, and the only feature left is a killer hand crack that widens into a chimney. 

  Pitches two and three continue up the chimney to the top of the pillar. These pitches are about 80 feet each. 

  Rappel the route to the right, Spare Rib, with one 60m rope.

Test Tube

This super classic of Red Rock Canyon NCA has a little bit of everything; cracks, face, big pro, small pro and is nine pitches long. The route is at the mouth of Juniper Canyon. The access is the same for Olive Oil, but Crimson is located on the Cloud Tower, which can be identified by a pinkish tower capped by a red top. The Cloud Tower is located on the north facing side of Juniper Canyon. As you approach the mouth of Juniper you'll see a bushy ramp that angles up and right (west) to the base of the route. Follow the climber trail up the ramp to the route's beginning.  

  P1 - Straight up the crack / right corner to a bolt belay 5.7 (130 ft).  

  P2 - Pitch 2 continues to climb the same crack / corner until you reach a recess with another 2 bolt belay. 5.8 four bolts (90 ft). 

  P3 - You can link pitches 2 and 3 with a 60 meter rope. Nice jams on this pitch. Continue up past a steep section to a 2 bolt hanging belay. 5.8+ (65 ft). 

  P4 - Enjoy the chimney above and continue on into the small cracks to a nice ledge to belay. 5.8 (90 ft). 

  P5 - Continue up the small-to-hand cracks past a bolt for 90 feet to another small ledge 5.8+ (90 ft). 

  P6 - Up another 90 feet angling right following 5 bolts. 5.6 (90 ft). 

  P7- A nice long face pitch clipping 9 bolts that will end in the red rock. 5.6 (110 ft). 

  P8 - Continue up the RR to a ramp with a bolt. Then traverse directly to your right, remember your follower, and then up the left ramp. Finish the pitch up the varnished face clipping 3 bolts. 5.7 (75 ft). 

  P9 - Up and right clipping 4 bolts over a small roof to the top. 5.8 (80 ft). 

  [Reprinted with permission from Jed Botsford, Climbing Ranger - RRCNCA].

Crimson Chrysalis

So there is a burly crack in Red Rocks!  Tiger Crack is a demanding pitch that calls upon a variety of skills. 

  Begin by schwacking through some scrub oak to a dirty little belay below a lichenous, low-angle hand crack in an alcove - this is just left of Crimson and immediately left of the obvious corner of Clod Tower.   

  P1: Climb up the junky hand crack to a bolted belay atop a pedestal.  5.6 or so and totally doable in your Five Tennies. 

  P2: Three bolts of fingery climbing lead up an odd series of sidepulls and liebacks.  Certainly the crux for me but you crack-deprived Red Rocks locals might find this section relatively easy.  Footwork is key, but once you move right to the crack itself there is a rest.  Continue up the crack which is steep and leaning all the wrong ways.  Size changes and several cruxes ensure a solid pump.  Up higher you may be glad to have brought a #5 or #6 Camalot to protect a difficult move out of a wide section, but even after this very overhanging hand jams will keep you fighting right to the end. Some awkward moves up the dirty corner on the right or, more directly, sketchy moves up a final loose face lead to an anchor.

Tiger Crack

Pitch 1: climb straight up the corner, passing a difficult section at an obvious bulge.  Pitch 2: continue up the crack system to a good ledge beneath a prominent chimney.  Pitch 3: climb the chimney to an overhang at its top, then belay on a ledge about 20 feet higher. 

  At this point the crack system has diverged from the main corner and reached an impasse beneath an unprotectable varnished headwall. The fourth pitch begins with a traverse right and up to gain the main corner at the lip of a giant overhang.  A committing move leads to a position of momentary security in the corner above.  Difficult climbing continues for another 40 feet until the angle begins to relent.  Easier climbing then leads to a large ledge on the very crest of the buttress. 

  Although we explored another pitch up the main crack system on the upper buttress, the climbing was loose, dirty, unpleasant, and not recommended. Especially because you are already standing on the walk-off descent ledge.

 Descent: There may be better ways to do this. . .  We walked west on the ledge system until reaching the first drainage.  We walked down and right (east) to a rappel from a large pine tree on the right edge of the drainage.  Two double-rope rappels led to the canyon floor. 

  A few other descent notes.  Although our rappel route was workable, it did not achieve the status of "pleasant" or "relaxed," and I would readily consider other options.  Going straight down the drainage did not look like a good bet.  It turns into a dank chimney littered with shredded rope cores signifying an ancient epic.  Somewhere in this area I have heard of a hiking/mountaineering route that leads over west into the bowl beneath the Rainbow Wall.  I have not done this, and do not know precisely where it goes.  However, it seems like it might be a good way down if it could be easily reached. (And as we entered the descent drainage, we saw a few ducks, so it is possible we were right there. It may be necessary to go a little uphill to reach the bowl, and we were in a downhill frame of mind.)

 Historical notes: This is a prominent line, and I am sure many have wondered why no route has been recorded here.  In fact,the first three pitches have likely been done numerous times dating back to the 1970s.  We encountered a lot of old bail gear.  The top of the third pitch is kind of a dead end.  The continuation of the crack system becomes an unprotectable RURP seam.  It is climbable (we top-roped it), but it is hard enough that the sometimes crispy rock, and the lack of protection become serious factors.  The corner on the right looks outrageous, but ultimately tiptoes slightly inside the boundary of the insane. 

  The route is excellent, and despite earlier activity, has remained nameless. One common element in the naming of climbing routes is reference to the scorpion as symbol of "the sting is in the tail."  Surely, this concept applied to this route with its spectacular top-pitch crux.  But we wanted something better...  The word "thagomizer" refers to the bony tail spikes of the stegosaurus.  The word has been recently adopted by paleontologists, inspired by a Far Side cartoon from 1982.  The cartoon shows a caveman giving a lecture to a bunch of other cavemen.  With his pointer he is indicating the tail section of a diagram of a stegosaurus, and he is saying to his assembled listeners, "Now this end is called the thagomizer, after the late Thag Simmons."  Scientists adopted the term into their formal lexicon.  An image of the cartoon, and full explanation can be found here: 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thago…

Thagomizer

The Pachyderm is an interesting route with interesting character. Upon first looking at it, it is not immediately obvious that a good route is here. The first pitch is obvious, but the broken face above it doesnt immediately reveal itself to be passable. Yet, about 200' above this face is an appealing looking chimney. Our thanks to George and Joanne for braving unknown terrain for this fine route. 

  The Pachyderm lies near the base of the ramp, on the second buttress on your left. Look for a dark, varnished chimney that leads to a prominent scoop about half a rope length up the wall. 

  Pitch 1: Climb the chimney to the scoop and belay. 5.8, 120' 

  Pitch 2: Some choices present themselves. The original route stepped slightly left off belay and headed up, following old bolts to a bolted stance about 100' above. However, there seems to be another option by stepping right off the belay ledge and heading up that way. This way may be at least worth a look- as there are new bolts up near the belay on this side, and there may be one or two more closer to belay. Either way, head up for about 100' until you see a bolted belay (new bolts). 5.9, 100' 

  Pitch 3: From this belay, traverse right to the chimney and follow it up to a nice ledge. 150', 5.7 

  Pitch 4: Head up the chimney to the summit, 190', 5.7 (There is an optional belay about 50' below the summit if rope drag is an issue.) 

  Descent:This descent is tricky and dangerous and extreme care needs to be used! Drop into the gully on the west side of the formation. Although you need two ropes to descend, the first three rappels can and should be made with a single line. Upon arrival at the fourth rap, use the second line to make one long rappel to the floor. (Variation: A fifth rap station is far off to the west below the fourth rap station. Its condition is unknown, but it may be possible to use this to get down with a single line)

Pachyderm

This is the kind of route that doesn't fit easily into the "star system."  It is a proud and challenging line, but the challenges often go beyond clean technical difficulties.  If you're looking for a serious mountain outing, this could be a real contender! 

  Start out climbing the first continuous crack system to the left of Test Tube to a large, brushy ledge area on the right.  (Or alternatively, climb Test Tube or Spare Rib to the same area.)  Climb the gully above, fourth class at first.  Higher, the gully is split by a protruding buttress; face-climb the buttress, with limited protection, to another large brushy ledge.  At the right (western) end of the ledge there is a clean corner behind a pine tree.  Go up the corner to a belay by a bush.  Jog right for a few feet, then climb back left into a left-leaning cleft.  Follow the path of least resistance (with some hard climbing) until reaching the flat top of a flake/pinnacle feature in the red rock.  Cross left to the opposite end of the ledge and make a face move to reach a clean offwidth crack (probably best to belay at the base of this crack).  Climb the crack and continue generally straight up for a few hundred feet until reaching an apparent impasse in a small cave.  Exit to the left on very soft rock.  The difficulties soon ease and the summit ridge is reached. 

  The FA party continued up to the eastern summit of Rainbow Mountain, then worked west to the normal Oak Creek descent route.  This took us almost six hours, and we generally knew the way. 

  Further info on this route can be found at  this site. 

Laceration Spur

This is a really neat route and a good option if Crimson is crowded and you need to kill an hour or two. It's also worthy of the hike by itself, especially if pair with a trip up Test Tube or Pachyderm. 

  About 100 yards east of Crimson is a small buttress with a prominent varnished corner on its left-hand side. Just to the right of this corner at the base is a striking finger crack- this is your route. 

  Pitch 1: Head up the finger crack through a bulge to the belay. 5.8, 85' 

  Pitch 2: Step left off the belay and follow bolts and pro to the next belay. 5.7, 85' 

  Pitch 3: Head straight up on somewhat easy ground, following the bolts to a hanging belay. 5.6, 85' 

  Pitch 4: Head straight up to the summit on 4th class terrain.  

  Descent: Rap the route with a single rope.

Spare Rib

The direct finish to Thagomizer.   This whole line is aesthetic, obvious, and fun.  Every pitch is basically 5.9. Pitches 1-3 are the same as Thagomizer.

 P1.  35m.   Instead of starting in the obvious crack, you can save yourself some effort by using the face to the right.  The rock is great.  Follow the stellar crack, making a few moves out on the face that feel committing but always land you on a great jug.  Climb above the tree, and belay on top of the white rock, on a wobbly boulder.  

 P2. 20m.  Go up.

 P3.  30m.  Up the chimney.  Harder and better than it looks.  Stop on the ledge with the old bolt.  (I climbed up the corner, made an anchor, and downclimbed for comfort).

 P4.  35m.  Follow the crack upward.  Move left into the hueco/flake feature to surpass the seamed corner. (Or not, it's a free country.) Above you will have a reasonable stance, and be looking up and right to what looks like a scary, runout corner with no protection.  Soldier on and be pleasantly surprised that every single hold is good, and small cams protect it very well.  Follow the crack above to the overhang, traverse hard right (5.5) to the top of Thagomizer, and belay.

 The Rappels were pretty easy and clean. R1. 40m.  Off the small tree.  Go 10' below the ledge with the bolt to a bomber slung thread on a small ledge. R2. 50m.  Rap to the tree just below the P1 belay. R3. 30m.  Rap to the ground.

Thag-Hag

[This is a temporary measure to define site structure. If you would like to submit a thorough description of this rock, please email Larry]

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Routes in Cloud Tower