Kissing Couple, Desert Season TR.

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Messages 1 - 35 of total 35 in this topic
Cuckawalla

Trad climber
Grand Junction, CO
Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 19, 2007 - 07:38pm PT
It seems from this point off we can hope that baking red rock will start to cool, and the lizards will take refuge from the cold. The animals all find shelter, burrow in and hibernate. All animals that is, except for the notorious desert rat.
After a summer of 100 degree temps, and escaping to higher elevations to climb, yesterday it was finally 85 degrees and a tad overcast.
What better way to kick off the desert season then running up a good adventure tower. Kissing Couple tower, known for its Long Dong Wall route is a classic. Lots of very exposed chimney and weird positions.
To the left of the hole towards the top you see that right leaning chunk of rock, you end up chimneying up that with total exposure under you.
It was put up by Harvey Carter and Layton Kor in 1960. The first pitch is a gem, thin climbing until the crack peters out and you do a traverse protected by an old pin on small crimps to gain a belay.
Me on the first pitch:

Jesse seconding the pitch.

Jesse Rocking the TRaverse

The 2nd pitch is up an easy loose flare that end in starts into a chimney.

JEsse Low on Pitch 2:

Me Seconding the top of Pitch 2:
Pitch 3 starts off with a scramble up some choss, mostly third class that allows you to follow some benches to reach the beginning of the Belfry. I ended up going to high and doing half of pitch 3. I ended up making a hanging belay in the chimney.

Jesse Starting the 2nd half of Pitch 3:
Higher Up and starting the very awesome chimney:
Me Seconding:
ME Com ming up the Exposed Chimney:
The last pitch requires some batshit navigation and excavation with an old pin and a finale of squeezing through a small hole to reach the summit.
Me Leading the last pitch:
(Look at those legs, almost a nut shot)
JEsse on the second:
Jesse doing the last Squeeze:
Last short chimney from the last anchors to the summit:
Summit Shots:
The only bummer is that the summit register is no longer there. Who knows where it walked off too.
The Rap:
The day ended with a decent hike back out of the canyon. Its hard to beat the monument as far as good adventure climbing with no crowds. Aside from doing Otto's Route I have never seen another person on the same climb I was on. So many lines exist out there with anchors and unknown names. You cant help but come and throw yourself at them. Not knowing what its rated, what you need, and who did it. Come experience The Monument, you wont regret it.
--Jesse
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Aug 19, 2007 - 07:45pm PT
Wow, sweet looking climb.
J. Werlin

climber
Cedaredge
Aug 19, 2007 - 07:53pm PT
Well the TR is not the same without one of Hillary's handstands, but a good post none the less. Nice send lads! The monument is cool--shhhhhh, be wery wery quiet, we don't want to steal any traffic away from Castleton.
Mtnmun

Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
Aug 19, 2007 - 07:59pm PT
These are the best TR photo's, what kind of camera are you using? You guys rock!
wiclimber

Trad climber
devil's lake, wi
Aug 19, 2007 - 08:30pm PT
Bravo!!
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Aug 19, 2007 - 09:28pm PT
Nice timing Jesse. I was just on the phone with my very first Zion climbing partner, Kevin Kelly, talking about the Bell Tower (the Kissing Couple) which, along with the Watusi we consider the best towers in the Monument.
Besides doing them together (with a tyrolean off the latter) we've done Independence together(see my old R&I photo of him) and we have repeated them numerous times. (I soloed both and beat Petefish when Sally and I were the first kissing couple on guess what. But Petefish reportedly one-upped me. Details lacking,..)

That tower is one of my all time ten best in no small part thanks to the wild finish. There aren't too many towers where the climbers sort of squirt out of the center of the summit.
I'd prefer not to explore what that metaphorically makes me though.
Cuckawalla

Trad climber
Grand Junction, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 19, 2007 - 09:49pm PT
Watusi is a great tower. I have done Fast Draw numerous times, without the tyrolean though. I have also done Medicine man on the back side which is my favorite route in the monument. I still think you should come down and do Angular Motion again and do some of the classics.

-jesse
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Aug 19, 2007 - 10:03pm PT
I don't think I could do the walk off if I actually managed to do AM a third time.

It needs a rap route near Fallen Rock.






People seem to think that a tyrolean is more work, but its actually LESS if you rig it right and have two (or more climbers).
To do it solo requires three trips across. A bit more work but kind of fun at that.
Cuckawalla

Trad climber
Grand Junction, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 19, 2007 - 10:36pm PT
Been a lot of Activity over in Ute Canyon I am sure there is a rap there now.
Handjam Belay

Gym climber
expat from the truth
Aug 19, 2007 - 10:44pm PT
I took a twenty footer in that "awesome chimney" while simulclimbing. Rope never came tight, I just lodged in like a stopper.

Nice pics!!!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Aug 20, 2007 - 12:27am PT
sweet!

sounds like an open invite.

I'm interested in heading out that way.

Monument, Tower, and Veed
Cuckawalla

Trad climber
Grand Junction, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 20, 2007 - 01:07am PT
Always willing to show anyone around!
Shoot me an email if you are coming through.
--Jesse
Nohea

Trad climber
Aiea,Hi
Aug 20, 2007 - 04:01am PT
Great Stuff! I am so moving to the mainland...eventually.

Aloha,
wil
sollybonton

Trad climber
bellingham, wa
Aug 20, 2007 - 04:26am PT
Nice looking climb jesse, looks like your still gettin it done in the monument. Cheers.

Sol from Bellingham
steelmnkey

climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
Aug 20, 2007 - 10:15am PT
That is a really nice looking route!! Thanks for the pics.

Gotta ask...what's the story on those circle tats?
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Aug 20, 2007 - 10:22am PT
Awesome black and whites at the beginning of this thread.
handsome B

Gym climber
SL,UT
Aug 20, 2007 - 11:25am PT
sweet! thanks for the TR!
Matt

Trad climber
always on the lookout for ed's 5.10 OW van
Aug 20, 2007 - 11:40am PT
nice TR-

still, i'm a bit disappointed, i waas hoping for some kissing shots.


Cuckawalla

Trad climber
Grand Junction, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 20, 2007 - 05:58pm PT
TWo Sausages dont make a right
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Aug 20, 2007 - 06:40pm PT
Two sausages make a sandwich right?
Zander

Trad climber
Berkeley
Aug 23, 2007 - 11:38pm PT
Nive TR!
Great Pics, Red rock. What could be better.
thanks,
Zander
Studly

Trad climber
WA
Mar 4, 2010 - 02:38pm PT
Awesome TR!
Dirka

Trad climber
SF
Mar 4, 2010 - 03:11pm PT
Sweet Pics and a great TR. Thanks for posting up. Dig'n those first shots!
micronut

Trad climber
fresno, ca
Mar 4, 2010 - 03:34pm PT
Cucawalla way to rock and rolla. Thanks fer totin the camera along and sharing the stoke.
thebravecowboy

climber
Apr 10, 2014 - 11:35pm PT
windy thursday springtime bump




Kalimon

Social climber
Ridgway, CO
Apr 10, 2014 - 11:38pm PT
Awesome desert thread . . . thanks OP and BCBoy!
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
Apr 11, 2014 - 12:57pm PT
Cuckawalla: used to post great content, too bad he's gone. Nice pics and bump!
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Apr 11, 2014 - 01:19pm PT
Wow, blast from the past.

I'm pretty sure Harvey and Layton did the Bell Tower and Watusi in '61.
This straight from Layton.
15 years later I made my first trip to the desert, and climbed the 2 best looking climbs I could spot, only to find out decades later that Layton and I had done the same 2 climbs for our first desert trips!
thebravecowboy

climber
Apr 11, 2014 - 01:30pm PT
Start of the Long Dong pitch?

So, Ron, I have to ask, what was the vibe in Colorado National Monument in 1976? Cute girls at the gate? What were you listening to on your drive in? What approach did you take? What rack (generally) did you bring? Who was your partner? How much cord did you folks pack (we had a heinous 140 m - wimpy!!!)...? Was 1976 as good as the syrupy vibe on this song by Ween?
[Click to View YouTube Video]
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Apr 12, 2014 - 07:46am PT
Bump for the real deal, what does it go at????
Looks like a great climb, Ron and jesse thanks for the history!!!
thebravecowboy

climber
Apr 12, 2014 - 09:26am PT
MP calls p1 5.11, p2 5.7, p3 5.8, p4 5.10
clinker

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
Apr 12, 2014 - 01:47pm PT
Nice TR and pics.

We had a chuckwalla mascot that lived in our dodge dart for 2 months on a desert trip in 84. His name was Bachar, was way cool and would climb onto my shoulder when i was driving. He did clamp on to my partners finger for 20 minutes at the hot springs.
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Apr 12, 2014 - 02:17pm PT
Funny you should ask about cute girls.

I showed in March '76 and CNM had just taken on this beautiful red headed zoftig 26 year old anthropologist. She had transfered from another park where she had been involved with a much older man for years. He worked SAR and though not a climber she knew many and understood the jargon.

According to her it hadn't been long before the Supt., who lived 2 houses away with his wife and kids, had propositioned her, but another old guy was the last thing she wanted.
I guess she wanted to cougar.

I was 21.

Our fling lasted a few weeks, and I headed to Zion.

But the spurned Supt. hated me with a passion and called ahead to Zion.
I was wrong footed from the getgo.

Hell, even before I crossed the state line!

My first day in Zion I met both Kevin Kelly and Scott Fischer.
Kevin and I got halfway up the wall left of Monkeyfinger.

After a week and a half, and 2 toolings, Scott talked the district ranger Tony into believing I wasn't evil incarnate and he showed me the memo circulated to watch out for me, described as "a climber and a nuisance!"
thebravecowboy

climber
Apr 13, 2014 - 12:38am PT
I was so tickled as I shared your story with my current climbing pard this AM that I failed to pick up on her lack of amusement. Nonetheless, great times were had today:


So: how burlz is the Ribbed Buttress? The line is striking and it is RIGHT there every time I pedal that stretch of road...And the sister analog across the way is very attractive, and shaded...
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Apr 13, 2014 - 10:01am PT
Still waiting to hear about an ascent replete with a skateboard for descending the road.

With 2 vehicles that route is longer than the approach and descent combined!
My kind of route, I've done it several times.
Messages 1 - 35 of total 35 in this topic
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