Class 2

Gear

  • Either single 70m rope or double 60m ropes for rappel
  • #0.2-5 with doubles 0.4-3 (and maybe #0.0-0.1?)

Approach

2 miles, 1,000 ft gain, 45 mins, somewhat bushwacky at end.

Overall

The “hand crack” climb (somewhat a fist crack), has a “tunnel” squeeze at one point and a slight traverse on a ledge, and P4 is a bit runout, overall sounds pretty decent though.

Approx topo based on best info…

P1 – 5.10, 125′

Belay at a single bolt with a small nuts or red c3 . From belay bubble, step right into a finger crack and up toward the steep potato chip flair with a crack in the back or climb the chimney a few feet right. Pull the wild lip, and move up into varied terrain on quality stone. Belay at tree ledge. 2 bolt belay.

P1 to P2

Move belay left 40ish feet left to giant ledge and a finger crack on a pillar. Belay at a single bolt and medium nut or small cam in the crack.

P2 – 5.8+, 160′

Climb obvious finger crack to a small stance, boulder up noob jugs towards protection bolt. Take space ramp with varied low angle crack up and right to optional belay (.75″ – 3″) outside of the closet or continue 30 feet up and into the tunnel vortex. Rebirth onto a glorious ledge. 130′ or 160′. 2 bolt belay.

P3 – 5.10, 140′

Why you came to the Pearly Gates. Leave belay and climb casual leftward 5.7 ramp out and under the Zion splitter. Enjoy varied crack and unique face holds through single and twin cracks. Angelic. 2 bolt belay.

P4 – 5.9

Sketchiest pitch – “Moves are high consequence (face climbing with not much but the bolt) but moves are all there.” Sedona Classic but in the most classy way. Move up steep hands into the wide. Squiggle Squirm up the wiggle room. Wide climbing for beginners, wild features, fun, 5.9. Mantle onto large ledge.

P5 – 5.10

Boulder up patina jugs up towards a bolt and a thin crack and eventually another bolt, slightly heads up*. From here move up towards the tree and low angle terrain. A final prom night jug haul on quality stone leads to the actual summit and two bolt belay.

Some say this is loose/sketchy, but comment on 12/6/2021 says “on the p5 face climb the loose stuff must have cleaned up over the years, holds felt secure, you’ll want the #1 though”

P5 alternatives

There are many ways to climb the final pitch ranging from 5.7 to 5.10x. The described way was our path of least resistance, but there are probably 5 or 6 different ways to climb this last pitch. Climb a moderate crack system directly off the belay ledge until an easy traverse left leads to the tower’s north face. From here 5.6 face climbing takes you to one of the best summit’s in Sedona. Look for the first rap anchor on the far side of the summit.

Descent

There’s three options…

  • Rappel route to the left, single 70m, 7 rappels
  • Rappel the route itself, double 60m, 4 rappels
  • Rappel route to the right, double 60m, 4 rappels

Descent via Kicked out of Heaven (to left)

Single 70m rope. This is the route on the climbers left. 7 rappels.

Descent via the route itself

Double 60m ropes, 4 rappels. 2 bolts and chain rap station on the North side of the summit.

Rap from summit to top of P3. 200′
P3 to the top of P2. 130′
P2 to the top of P1. 150′
P1 to Earth. 130′

Descent via Earth Angel (to right)

Double 60m ropes, 4 rappels, this is the route to the climbers right. Rappel 110′ to the left side of a huge ledge. The second rap anchor is on the wall to the right at the middle the ledge. (Use caution when pulling the rope, as there is a large boulder on an intermediate ledge which can easily snarl your rope. Descent will become very problematic if you don’t have two ropes). The second rap continues down 180′ another large ledge. From here, rappel 160′ to a brushy ledge near the ground. The final rappel anchor will be about 10’ to climber’s left. Rappel 80′ to the ground from here. A faint trail takes you down and right to the start of the climb in a few minutes.