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Fisher Towers
Utah
> Southeast Utah
Access Issue: RAIN, WET ROCK and RAPTOR CLOSURES: The sandstone around Moab is fragile and is very easily damaged when it is wet. Also please ask and be aware of Raptor Closures in areas such as CAT WALL and RESERVOIR WALL in Indian Creek
Details
WET ROCK: Holds rip off and climbs have been and will continue to be permanently damaged due to climbers not respecting this phenomenon. After a heavy storm the rock will remain wet, sometimes for several days. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB IN MOAB during or after rain.
RAPTOR CLOSURES: please be aware of seasonal raptor closures. They occur annually in the spring.
Description
The Fisher Towers is one of the most difficult places in the desert to climb, but also one of the most spectacular. The towers are huge soaring fins of mud up to 1000 feet high. Nearly all the routes on the major towers are at least Grade IVs, and there is more than one Grade VI here.
The Fishers have a lot of history. Shortly after making the first ascent of Castleton, Layton Kor came here to climb the largest tower, the Titan. The extremely difficult ascent of the Finger of Fate route was the subject of a National Geographic article, and is one of the 50 Classic Climbs of North America. After Kor climbed the Titan, Harvey Carter dominated the scene by making first ascents of every other major tower and most of the smaller ones.
The Cutler sandstone is actually very hard, but doesn't fracture into continuous crack systems like most other sandstone. The rock is also covered with a thick layer of mud, which makes the climbing dirty, loose, difficult, and sometimes very dangerous. The caprock for the towers is Moenkopi.
Stolen Chimney on the corkscrew summit of Ancient Art is by far the most popular route here, and at 5.9 A1 the only real moderate route. The Colorado NE Ridge of the Kingfisher, Phantom Spirit on Echo Tower, and the Finger of Fate route on the Titan are all fairly popular and increasingly difficult. Some of the hardest routes in the desert are here, many put up solo by Jim Beyer. Stevie Haston has freed Echo Tower as a long scary 5.12 and nearly freed the Titan.
Getting There
From Moab, drive north on the River Road(SH 128) past Castle Valley to the Fisher Towers turnoff sign(about 27 miles). Drive to the parking lot at the end of the road.
All routes are accessed via the Titan Trail, which is quite good and well marked, though it can be hard to follow in the dark.
[Hide Photo] A painting done from a photo taken from the Titan. Artist: Willis Randall.
[Hide Photo] View of the Fishers from near the Colorado River
[Hide Photo] Travis Coster rappeling the Colorado Northeast Ridge.
[Hide Photo] The Fishers and La Sals
[Hide Photo] Midget faded rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus concolor) at the end of the path. August 2012
Boulder, CO
When I climbed these routes in the mid 90's, they all suffered from significant rock scarring, much worse than anything on The Nose or Salathe; I'm sure it's worse now. Desert sandstone is a very soft medium that simply doesn't stand up to repeated piton placements. I feel that we desert climbers should adopt the Yosemite ethos that once a route has gone hammerless, subsequent ascenders should make every effort to avoid nailing. This seems to be happening in Zion.
What do others think about this subject? Nov 7, 2002
Salt Lake City, UT
I haven't done any of the other routes you mentioned, but I do think most people try to leave the hammer in the bag if at all possible. Nov 8, 2002
Boulder, CO
"The Fisher Towers are named for a miner who, in the 1880s, lived near them..." Sep 8, 2003
the Mountains
Durango, CO
ben Sep 11, 2006
Salt Lake City, UT
Flagstaff, AZ
Pleasant Grove, UT
Gardnerville, NV
Gardnerville, NV
Yes, we short-fixed almost every pitch, swapping once per tower. KF and AA we just did in a single block. The order was Oracle, Titan, Echo, KF, AA, Cottontail. It was a very fun, albeit long, day out. Mar 29, 2016