There are two routes on this tower. The original Forrest-Hurley route,

Angels' Fear

, and

Capetown Caper

. Once we reached the tower and saw the splitter cracks taken by

Capetown Caper

, we immediately ditched our plan to climb the easier, Forrest route. Ours was likely the second ascent of Capetown Caper. By local, Valley of the Gods standards, this is an excellent, direct route with great rock.

Pitch 1: The "5.8" pitch starts just left of the south prow. Work up a series of short dihedrals. We used some aid, needed to excavate the cracks and ledges and to negotiate a few precarious blocks. It might go free now (at least for a few months, until debris covers everything again). This ends at a big, rotten ledge. Didn't see any obvious belay possibilities here, so continued up the next pitch. This is a vast improvement, following a splitter crack in excellent, steep rock up to a ledge strewn with large, precarious blocks. Lots of small (under 1-inch) cams, many nuts, a few larger cams. Used one angle piton midway.

Pitch 2: The alluring headwall is split by a single crack. Ascend this, mostly using small cams, nuts, slider nuts, a couple pins. After a fixed pin, the crack closes up again; reach right to place a cam in a flake crack. Up this crack a few feet then reach right again to a final short, easy crack. Very fun!

Summit anchor is not on top but is located down a few feet on the other (north) side.

Capetown Caper

Angel's Fear

With surprisingly decent rock, this route provides an enjoyable aid climb to an outstanding summit.

From the Valley of the Gods Road, park on the southeast side of the tower (37.2733, -109.8700).  Hike west around the south side of the summit massive and then north to the west side of the tower.  Climb up a loose dirt slope to the base of the west face (all class 2). The approach takes ~ 45 minutes and is ~ 1.5 miles long.

The climb starts up a thin crack ~50 feet right of the northern prow of the bathtub.

I would recommend climbing the route in three pitches due to a rope eating crack 25 feet up.  Rope drag could be highly problematic.

P1 -

The crux of the entire climb starts right off the ground.  Aid through a series of two small roofs with a mantle to a sizable ledge; this section of the climb has the worst rock on the route.  5.8 C2-, 25 feet.

P2 

Improving rock quality makes this pitch fun. From the ledge, continue up a thin finger crack for 20 feet, traverse right and continue up another thin crack (small TCUs and small X4s useful) passing a fixed pin along the way.  Near the top, the crack widens and small roof will need to be conquered.  Fix from a good bolt/piton anchor.  5.9 C1, 100 feet.

Walk 200 feet south to the base of the summit tower.  The fixed anchor DR4 mentions is in bad shape (small star-drive and questionable pin) and is not recommended for a belay.

P3 

Scramble 4th class up some blocks to a bedding seam and fixed anchor.  Climb up the right thin crack through a physical and exposed roof (ball nuts and small cams extremely helpful).  Once through the roof, reach a ledge and then traverse left to a wider crack in the center of the face.  Watch rope drag.  Continue up the wide crack to a pin anchor.  5.6 C1, 80 feet.

Scramble 3rd class (20 feet) to the tippy-top.

Rappel the route (Double 60M ropes required).  A single 70M MIGHT work for the second rappel.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Lady in the Bathtub