North America, United States, Utah, Zion National Park, Peak 6,482', The Reach Around; and Peak 6,482', and Slow and Delerious

Publication Year: 2007.

Peak 6,482', The Reach Around; and Peak 6,482', and Slow and Delirious. In spring 2005 two routes were started on Peak 6,482', unnamed but known in the local climbing community as G-l. G-l is short for Mt. Greer, named in honor of the Greer brothers after their successful attempt on the west face in 2005. G-l is located east of the Nature Center in Zion Canyon, two major peaks south of Bridge Mountain. Slow and Delirious and the lower half of The Reach Around follow a major weakness up the middle of the central buttress leading to the main summit.

The best access to G-l is by following the Watchman Trail in its entirety. The popular part of the trail ends at a viewpoint above the first and lower cliff band. From the viewpoint continue east past the sign that reads “No Trail Maintenance Beyond This Point.” This historic part of the trail takes you within 500' of the start of the routes. The Reach Around (IV 5.10+ A0) is the first known route from the main canyon side of the peak and was put up by the Greer brothers, Brody and Jared, in early spring 2005, over two days with a heavy bender in between. On day one of their ascent Carl Oswald and I, after a serious effort at the bar, climbed the first six pitches of Slow and Delirious (not to be confused with fast and furious), while the Greers were establishing the first 300' of The Reach Around. Carl and I ran out of gas by late afternoon and descended the first chimney/gully north of the top of the tower on pitch six. After one rappel we down climbed 400', drilled an anchor, and rappelled down to find our friends’ fixed lines on The Reach Around.

The Greers finished their route the following day. The Reach Around begins roughly in the middle of the peak, 50' left of Slow and Delirious on the right side of a 100'-tall square buttress with large ponderosa pines on top. TRA starts with a low-angle crack that faces south (the rest of the route faces west). It then follows vertical cracks that lead into the major gully on the north side of the main summit ridge. Nearly halfway up the peak the route breaks left into the major gully and curls around to the summit.

A year or so later I returned with Joe French. We began by following the previously attempted Slow and Delirious line. The first pitch begins in a finger crack in a right-facing corner with a sharp roof 30' off the ground. We followed cracks up the center of the ridge. This route offers many options from its abundant ledges. We tried to follow the cleanest path of least resistance. That path turned out to be a good blend of quality cracks, corners, and chimneys, along with bits of typical Zion choss. Three pitches from the top we moved left off the main ridge, across the first chimney/gully system north of the summit, to the next buttress between that gully and The Reach Around gully. Joe and I climbed 14 pitches up to 5.10+ (5.7R) on this enjoyable route. We descended The Reach Around, which required much down- climbing and route-finding to locate the rappels. Our adventure went at IV 5.10+R and took 11-12 hours car-to-car.

Bryan Bird