Trip Report
The Cocktower
Saturday February 13, 2016 3:05pm
This might not be the most worthwhile trip to report on, but the more climbing content on this forum the better, eh?

I first saw this little spire a couple years ago, located high above Tioga Road in Lee Vining Canyon. In the summer, I would drive past it on my way home from work each day, stopping occasionally to look at different approach options. I knew I had to get to the top of this hilarious looking feature, and already named it “The Cocktower”.
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The Cocktower
The Cocktower
Credit: Nudge Nudge
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Eventually a friend and I hiked up to scope the approach last summer. It turned out to be horrendously loose and shwacky, and we were super cautious to not knock down anything that might have even the slightest chance of heading toward the highway. We stopped at a point just below the tower where we figured we’d come back and rope up for.
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Almost to the base
Almost to the base
Credit: Nudge Nudge
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A couple months later, another friend and I hiked back up with gear this time, roping up for one short section before the base.
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On the approach
On the approach
Credit: Nudge Nudge
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The front side appears to have an awesome looking knobby face.
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Looking up at the front side
Looking up at the front side
Credit: Nudge Nudge
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We scrambled around back and into the notch to the shorter side. The rock on this side had a lot thin flakes, and surprisingly hollow-sounding rock. The route was a short A1, placing 3 bolts to a crack that took a few cams to the top.
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From the notch
From the notch
Credit: Nudge Nudge
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Looking down the route
Looking down the route
Credit: Nudge Nudge
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After spending so much time dangling on the notch-side, it was pretty exciting pulling up onto the top. I placed a couple rap anchors, and it was now officially named "The Cocktower".
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On the tip!
On the tip!
Credit: Nudge Nudge
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-Nathan

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Nudge Nudge
About the Author
Nudge Nudge is a trad climber from .

Comments
Batrock

Trad climber
Burbank
  Feb 13, 2016 - 03:12pm PT
Looks like a hairy bushwhack to the base.
moacman

Trad climber
Montuckyian Via Canada Eh!
  Feb 13, 2016 - 04:23pm PT
Did you name the route after a Jimi Hendrix song?????

Stevo
Bruce Morris

Trad climber
Soulsbyville, California
  Oct 14, 2016 - 10:03pm PT
So what did you rack the backside of the "Cocktower", ? A0?

Also, did you think about coming back and rapping up the front of the tower? Or would it go ground-up, hand-drilled?

A worthy obscurity with a heinous approach! So typical of most of Lee Vining Canyon I'm afraid . . . .
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Oct 14, 2016 - 10:07pm PT
hah! Great obscurity FA resurfaced. Thx!
Nudge Nudge

Trad climber
Author's Reply  Oct 17, 2016 - 11:11am PT
Bruce-
From the notch A1. The front side definitely looks cool, but it looked a bit beyond what I'd want to do ground-up. I do want to go back sometime and start with doing the front on TR, since there are anchors on top now.
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Oct 17, 2016 - 12:07pm PT
Obscurity is so awesome sometimes!

There is much stone left in this world!!
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  Oct 17, 2016 - 12:15pm PT
Moacman, "All Along the Cocktower" was my first thought too, and we should give credit to the Nobel Laureate who penned the inspiration (though Jimi did play the hell out of it).

Whatever it's called, this is the good stuff.
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  Oct 17, 2016 - 12:25pm PT
Who said there are no more worlds to conquer? Fun TR, and I'm grateful fo the bump. I missed this the first time.

John
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Oct 17, 2016 - 05:57pm PT
Noice!!
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