North America, United States, Utah, San Rafael Swell

Publication Year: 1997.

San Rafael Swell. Mike Friedrichs and Anne Yeagle put up an eight-bolt sport climb, Anti-Swell (5.10b), and Friedrichs and Todd Leeds climbed a 15-bolt sport climb, Bradley Mountain Wear (5.11d), both in Buckhorn Wash. Further south, James Garrett and Franziska Garret climbed the three-pitch Home Haunt (5.10 A1 ). Rob McKeracher and Matt Fetbrod established the multi-pitch Ladies of the ‘80s (A2+ Cl) and Vertical Smile (5.7 A2+). On Wisdom Tooth, Dave Medara and John Merriam climbed the Toothache (5.12c), and Cryptogamie Forest (5.11b) was climbed by the duo along with Mike Friedrichs and George Jamison.

Mother Hubbard’s Shoe, a tower between Window Blind and Assembly Hall Peaks, was climbed by a three-pitch 5.8 route by James Garrett and Lome Glick. Sand Worm Buttress saw an ascent by Jon Allen and Doug Byerly (5.10 A2), and Petrified Wood Tower was climbed by Lome Glick and James Garrett via a three-pitch 5.10 A3 line on the north face and a second route (four pitches, 5.10 A2) up the southeast side of the spire. The first free ascent of the Weasel Tower was made by Seth Shaw and Beth Mallory, and Breezeway Tower, located between Weasel and Pinnacle on Oil Flat Road, was climbed at 5.9 by Jim Howe and Tommie Howe. In the Dirty Devil River Gorge area of the southern San Rafael Desert the spectacular Meerkat Tower was climbed by Frosty Weller and Jonathan Auerbac (5.10b R Al). This Wingate spire was named for the small African desert animal that is getting fans because of its stance when alerted.