San Rafael Swell. Frosty Weller and Randall Weekley made the first ascent of Sandcastle by its northwest face (II, 5.10-, A2, 4 pitches). This is on the ridge between Cane Wash and Oil Well Flat. Plank Walk (I, 5.10, 1 pitch) on Scallywag Point was climbed by Weller and Weekley. The route is at the Head of Sinbad. The same pair climbed The Outpost by its east ridge (I, 5.8+, 3 pitches). This is in the Sandcastle area. Keen Butterworth and Weller climbed The Phantom (I, 5.9-, 1 pitch). The spire is visible from I-70 to the west and is located beside the Copper Globe Road, a half mile after passing north through Devils Canyon Wash. Nursery Rhymes (I, 5.6, 1 pitch) on Mother Goose was climbed by Keen Butterworth and his son Keen. It is beside the road on the way to the White Knight, visible from I-70 just east of Eagle Canyon. Little Erma (I, 5.9, 2 pitches) was ascended by Butterworth and Mike Bryan. The tower is south and above the Little Erma Mine at the top of Chute Canyon at the end of Behind the Reef Road. Butterworth and Jonathan Auerbach made the first ascent of Sandy Duncan (I, 5.8+, 1 pitch), northwest of the Bowling Pin and Space Baby. The same pair climbed Space Baby (I, 5.10-, 1 pitch). It rises northeast of the Bowling Pin. The Mustard Jar (I, 5.10, 1 pitch), in Cane Wash north of 1-70 from the Head of Sinbad country, was first climbed by Butterworth and Weller. The southernmost spire of the Family Butte group, Alien Child Tower, was climbed via a variation (II, 5.9, A2) by Weekley and Weller. It begins up the right side of a flake in the center of the south face and meets the original route 100 feet up. Bottleneck Peak was climbed by two routes. Mike Pennings and Doug Hall climbed Tippin’ the Bottle (III, 5.11+, 3 pitches) following the obvious corner of the northwest face route. Pennings and Jeff Hollenbauch climbed Zoomerang (III, 5.11-, 3 pitches) on the right side of the buttress climbed during the first ascent of the northwest face. The Stock Exchange Wall, a Wingate-sandstone face, is along Mexican Mountain Road, a few miles from the main road up Buckthorn Wash. Mutual Fun (5.1 0d), Bull Market (5.11b), High Dividend Yield (5.10a) and Buying Short (5.10b) were climbed by James Garrett and Dave Anderson. Dylan Wall to the left of Stock Exchange Wall has numerous high-quality but undocumented routes. The Lightbulb (II, 5.10, A2, 2 pitches) was soloed by James Garrett. This bizarre tower is near the San Rafael Campground. On Assembly Hall Peak, Garrett and Franziska Schawalder Garrett climbed three routes: Heavy Metal (5.10, A0), Leaning Pillar (5.10a) and Lactic Stackidosis (I, 5.10+).

Eric BjØrnstad