Mount Moroni, East Face, Zion National Park. In April, Les Ellison and I climbed a new route on the east face of Mount Moroni. We ascended the steep, blank section of the face which lies between two major chimney systems. The face may be easily seen from a turnout on the highway a half mile south of the Zion Lodge. In 1982 my brother Jonathan and I climbed half the wall, encountering a ½- to ¾-inch crack which split the slightly overhanging wall for 400 feet. Just after dark, Jonathan reached a sloping ledge. While cleaning his A3 + pitch, I was hit by a large slab of rock, which had slid off from above. I didn’t know how badly I was hurt until I felt blood dripping down my back and into my underwear. So the next morning we descended. For the next attempt, I managed to recruit Les Ellison. We began early and reached our high point that day with plenty of light to spare. The next morning, Les led a mixed pitch, ending in a difficult off-width crack. I led a free pitch up beautiful, rippled rock, which ended in a giant chimney. Les managed that questionable lead easily and in two more tricky pitches, we were on top. Our descent was via a short rappel of the back of the mountain and then northward up a small canyon to a grassy pass. This led us down to the Lady Mountain Trail. (11 pitches; 15 bolts, including belays; V, 5.10, A3.)

Brian Smoot