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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 7, 2010 - 01:19am PT
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Anyone climbed shiprock? Should they? It sure looks cool. Is there more than one route?
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Gal
Trad climber
a semi lucid consciousness
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I'm curious as well.
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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I was in the neighborhood once ,....so I decided to have a look-see......it's a fun day...........check out the write up on 50 classic climbs in N. America. It's a big mountain of rock. The summit is cool...and it's where bolting in America got started......Bolts, beers, babes..........Shiprock is happening...
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Been up it twice.
I reckon its a go. The locals use the area as a big drinking spot, with lots of broken glass and trash at the parking areas. You can tuck your car away well hidden from the road (with 4wd) and the climb is spectacular.
I wouldn't say the same for other formations, such as Spider Rock, which I believe is really held sacred to the locals, but Shiprock is just one big piece o' burned out volcano (ok, it has a name and legend, "Rock with Wings", so some will feel it is disrespect).
Agathla at the entrance to Monument Valley is also a good one--the scariest 5.7 you will ever do!
Here are some mountains are sacred to several tribes in the area: http://www.lapahie.com/Sacred_Mts.cfm There was an uproar when the Snowbowl campaigned to use reclaimed sewage water to pump up to the peaks for snow making. Not sure whatever came of that plan...
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groundup
Trad climber
hard sayin' not knowin'
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There are a bunch of routes on Shiprock.
Find someone with an old copy of Desert Rock and check that out. Fred Becky, Bill Forrest, and as always... Harvey T Carter put up several bad ass lines in the 60's and 70's.
The original route is probably the fastest and safest these days. It's still technically illegal but the idea is to get permission from whoever leases the "grazing rights" below the rock. I don't believe any grazing takes place there lately though. You are far more likely to have your car broken in to or towed away by the authorities.
Most climbers I know who have climbed it made a few inquiries in town and then just asked the first person they met out on the range around Shiprock.
Deuce, didn’t you do a new line on the big side?
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mooch
Trad climber
Old Climbers' Home (Adopted)
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SHHHHHH......the Navajo Po-Po is watching, Jackass!
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dogtown
Trad climber
JackAssVille, Wyoming
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It’s closed to climbing. But I think Todd Gordon has, he’s the only one I know of. I’m sure others have.
DT.
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groundup
Trad climber
hard sayin' not knowin'
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Some of the local folks think all the controversy is funny. It's not like we're protecting some big secret here... This thing is the proverbial sore thumb, sticking up for all to see.
Fact: it's illegal. Simple as that.
Fact: several parties climb it each year with at least passing approval from someone local.
Tony is right. Check out the history post and let this one die off the front page.
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dogtown
Trad climber
JackAssVille, Wyoming
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let this one die off the front page.
Lets.
Cheers, DT.
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smith curry
climber
nashville,TN
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My first desert climb! About 12 years ago we drove out west and this was the first thing we came to. We called the Moab climbing shop to see if was OK and the guy "Sure I think so." Ignorance is bliss. We used the description in the 50 classics book.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there all, say, sorry if this bumps it up a bit....
but shiprock was always special to me, as, due to meeting a friend from this area... a navajo gal... we were in school, in san jose, and she was far from home....
it was just a nice time of sharing about life...
so--i always though about how folks have different lives, but, are all the same inside, as to enjoying friendships as:
ships that pass is in the night...
(or, in the spiritual highways of life, in this case)....
thanks for the info, as to climbs, and the history of such, too...
:)
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FeelioBabar
Trad climber
One drink ahead of my past.
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sheeiit...they ain't got no interwebs on the rez.
Go climb that thing.
Sacred my ass...you ever seen how much trash is around the base?
I didn't know sacrificing empty beer bottles was a sacred ritual.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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It's a mega-classic, the biggest desert peak in the US.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 7, 2010 - 08:15pm PT
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Jeremy and Mooch I take it from your strong responses that you are worried about access. I have never been near it accept maybe when I was about 9 when my family drove through New Mexico. I don't know if we were even near it then. I have certainly never climbed it but it has played a major part in the history of American climbing. I am sure you guys would never climb it either since it is apperently illegal and that would jepordize access a lot more than just talking about it. I am just interested in the history. I am alos intregued by the strong responses. My hunch is that a lot of the people screaming the loudest about not talking about it are also climbing it which would seem quite hypocritical. Just my opinion I don't know if I am right. Also I did not know about the other thread until I was informed earlier in this thread. I have since looked throught he other thread and it has some great info certainly much better than this one, but similar threads get put up here all of the time and if you don't like it then don't comment and it will go away.
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Listen to Todd Gordon. He's done the most, and has probably also provided the most respect as well.
All things related to the land are sacred, not just to the Navajo. It depends on your own attitude. I've also talked and hung with a lot of locals there, so if you really are concerned, get up there and chill for a few weeks wandering around first, that's certainly how I approached the climbing there.
Then you can decide for yourself.
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Lee Davis
Trad climber
Belen, NM
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Aug 30, 2015 - 04:43pm PT
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Shiprock is a fantastic climb, and quite accessable. I did it twice, the first time in 1969, and again in 1970. And, I was there when snow forced a rescue of a team on the standard route, prompting the Navajos to "close" the peak to climbing. See: http://mountainproject.com/v/shiprock-a-closing-adventure/110931606 . It was closed after ascent #147. Since then (1970), there have been over 350 climbs, with a peak number of ascents in the 1980's, with about 14 a year during that decade.
Is it "illegal"? The Navajo tribe issued a statement that all formations within the reservation are closed to climbing, but there are no laws to back this up. There is even a tribe climbing group that climbs formations throughout the reservation. As for the climb itself, the peak is remote, and I have never heard of it being 'patroled' by the Navajos. Once on the climb, the interior nature of it, plus the vast size virtually guarantees invisibility. The only telltale sign would be the car parked at the base, yet the sheer vastness of the area adds a cloak of secrecy to this also. I intend to climb it again, now that I am back in New Mexico. The standard route is about 5.6, or a brief step of 5.9 on the horn if you free climb that (the 5.9 can even be top roped with a rope thrown over, if you chose) The first ascent party did a hand over hand up the rope.
There is plenty of information online, especially in the climbing forums, and even photos of the summit register showing every posted ascent. Enough to make your mouth water. Lee Davis
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Sula
Trad climber
Pennsylvania
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Aug 31, 2015 - 10:01pm PT
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Interesting that Alex Honnold and Cedar Wright were able to get permission for a number of "closed" climbs on Navajo land, including Shiprock, in April 2014.
Here's the Climbing.com article.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Aug 31, 2015 - 11:44pm PT
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It's not open and no one but the Navajo Parks Department has the authority to grant permission to climb anything. Want to ask them for permission? Call: 928-871-6647 or get ahold of Quentin on fb.
NO ROCK CLIMBING or BASE JUMPING on Navajo Land. Please abide by the humble religious requests of the Navajo people and do not climb the Monuments. “Navajo law will be strictly enforced on this issue,” Parks Department Manager.
And from Alex and Cedar's guide:
Just my two cents... The Navajo Nation still has it's ban or restriction on climbing on the Navajo Nation in place. Cedar just happened to speak to the right people and should you pursue this avenue (in which I do recommend) please ask and not poach climbing on our reservation. During our tenure with Cedar and Alex, we still ran into some troubles and even though I'm the 'Navajo Guide' who did take them out there, there are some that still will take advantage of you since those outside of the tribe are 'outsiders'. Please ask for permission when attempting to climb on the Navajo Nation as there are Navajo climbers that can get you access and that's the way we prefer it. Also, we had a blast witnessing these two climbers tear it up on our reservation. We hope we can be of some assistance again down the road. Please visit our Dine (Navajo) Rock Climbers Coalition page found on Facebook to get more info on how you can climb on our reservation.
Quentin Tutt - 05/06/2014 10:18:36 |
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