Gear
- #0.2-4 with doubles 0.3-3, nuts
- Double 60m rope
Approach
0.8 miles, 400 ft gain? 25 mins?
Take the trail below and past the tower until there is a gully that comes into view to the right of the tower. Head up towards the gully, but go left below the steep slabs guarding the tower. Don’t go right up the gully as this will leave you dead ended. Contour the steep slabs left until you are dead ended below the tower on a pedestal of sorts. Look up the slabs above you about 50 ft. and you should see the bolts for the first pitch.
Time estimate
Probably 6 hrs with breaks/transition time
- 30 min approach
- 3 hrs climbing (30 min per pitch)
- 1:15 hrs rappelling (5 rappels, 15 min per rappel)
Plan
- 6:00 – Donuts
- 7:30 – Drive (20 min drive)
- 7:50 – Trailhead
- 8:00 – Hiking (41 degrees)
- 8:30 – Base (42 degrees)
- 9:00 – Climbing (44 degrees)
- 12:00 – Summit (50 degrees)
- 12:30 – Rappelling
- 1:45 – Base (51 degrees)
- 2:00 – Hiking back
- 2:30 – Car (52 degrees)
- 3:00 – Home
Overall
The jump is optional at the end if you want to continue to very top past the 6th pitch (rock is poor after that though). Sounds like overall good climb with a cruxy 2nd pitch!
P1 – 5.8, 150′
Climb up multi-bulge face (5.8) with bolts to a fixed anchor above (a bit runout). Then scramble up to the base of the second pitch up and left.
P2 – 5.10c
Crux pitch. There are a couple stiff spots on this pitch, but basically climb in crack system left of a buttress, with an overhanging tight-hands crack at the top to a fixed belay. Save a #1, 2, and 3 for the last 30′.
Start of P2 Top of P2 Top of P2
P3 – low 5th
Climb up into slot behind the top of the buttress and tunnel right behind it until you can exit to the right. A couple of face moves up and further right will put you on top of the limestone layer and a fixed anchor. Short pitch.
Start of P3, climb through the slot!
You can leave your second rope at top of P3 and rappel pitches 4-6 with single 60. You can rappel from top of P3 to top of P1 with double ropes.
P4 – 5.8, 80′
Climb crack above and right of the anchor to good shelf with fixed anchors.
Pitch 4 of Coyote Tower
P5 – 5.9, 95′
Fingercrack in corner, good layback crack. Then short offwidth section leading to “dirt clod” (be careful not to damage this!). Surmount the dirt clod and climb up to a ledge in corner with anchors.
Start of P5
P6 – 5.9, 80′
Climb up nice steep finger crack (5.9) to flat summit. I found the moves right at the top to be the crux on this one.
Start of P6
Reports
Coyote Tower Jan 2022
This climb was sustained and tough! Full body workout! Tons of stemming, good amount of hand jams (definitely crack gloves needed), overall quite good (but difficult) climbing. This was probably our favorite climb in Sedona, lots of quality climbing, pretty good approach, good rappels. Only downside is that you have to bring two ropes and…