Crux is the first step up after clipping the first bolt--above horizontal.  Direct start to the Shark Tooth formation up past a bolt to hidden piton on climber's left in upward facing flake on front of tooth.  Can be viewed from below far left at shelf level before clipping first bolt.  Then continue up as with Shark Tooth.

Shark Attack

Left Rib

Cracked Rib

Spinal Tap

Right Rib

Baby Back

Backbone

Dermatome

Head

Shark Tooth

Ergone

Spinal Nerve

Plaque Attack

Spinal Block

Spare Rib

Undercling

Walk-the-Plank

Spinal Cracker

Same start as Plaque Attack until first bolt, then up left side of tooth feature past two more bolts, then over tooth and to the summit. Climbing straight through the bolt line without stepping right midway through the tooth feature--at the upward facing flake--increases the difficulty (and fun) to the 5.9 range.

The crux will hit you after the second bolt - the gap before the arete can be backed up with a Alien or cam but beware of your rope getting sucked up into the seam above... its sharp and I would not want to take a whipper sawing into that.    Higher up there are some solid slab moves ... be prepared for the 7+ move.

Can be done as variation of left rib by stepping into gulley below midpoint rap anchors and climbing cracks on right wall of gully to anchors at top of left rib.

Start is same as Ergone but traverses right toward and into chimney instead of going straight up at the head wall above horizontal crack and after first bolt on that wall. Psychological crux is stemming out and transitioning into the chimney. Finishes on left arete after 15 feet of chimney climbing straight up.

Good solid rock past two bolts to first pitch crux - a semi off-width chimney easily protected.    Second pitch is short past two bolts and great belay station.    Third pitch goes across the chasm to the left and up the obvious Y-shaped crack above.    Move across the ramp leading up - you can sling the horn and then up two moves to the top anchors.

Slightly awkward start up a slab with a crack running up the middle of the Spare Rib formation (left of left rib).  First pro goes between large boulder to left and slab below crack.  Follow crack up and left to bypass steep wall, instead passing a single bolt on the arête and up to the anchor ledge.

Ascends the Southeast arête of the large Boulder that sits between the left and right ribs of Sven Tower 3.

Right of Backbone on a steep featured vertical face.  Sustained through three bolts and eases off a bit near the top.

There is no specific crux. It is a nice easy 5.5 crack. Both the right and left crack are about the same in difficultly.

Climb a slab past a few bolts to a horizontal crack then up the vertical face with a couple of jugs to a second vertical face. Then it's friction climbing to the top. 70m single rap barely makes it or 2 60m raps with intermediate rap station.

Ascends a nice right leaning hand crack up an initially steep wall that gradually eases.  Take the leftward horizontal crack to another small crack above, past a bolt, then scramble to the anchors for left rib climbs.

Above the second piton the rock gets a bit hollow sounding.  Gear placements available to get to top, but rock quality is suspect in places.  No flaking loose rock--just hollow sounding sections.

Crux is moving above the 3rd bolt through to 5th bolt.  Spicy traverse from 2nd to 3rd bolt but grade is lower in that section, feet are good, and  a fall would be clean.

Right of Baby Back and Left of the gully that separates the Left Rib of Sven 3 from the Spare Rib section.  Start on steep slab just left of the right arete--from top of boulder past two shallow horizontal cracks and left of a large free standing boulder to a steep wall with two separate crack sections, one low and left--and the other high and right.

To the left of Right Rib on the same face. Lower face has a bolt ~12 up ... felt harder than 5.7, looks like there may have been some breakage. Climb face to horizontal, then up to small roof. Clear roof to the left, clip bolt and climb to the top.

Start is at base of Tower 3 same as Left Rib.  First pitch requires gear anchor to left of Left Rib after first bolt above notch and at a nice standing belay to left of midpoint rap anchors of Left Rib.

Second Pitch is well-protected with a hard gear finish.  Start second pitch in chimney/corner between Left Wall and Tower 3.

 Third pitch tops out from back right side of "diving board" feature at top of second pitch—going to summit of Tower 3.

 The crux is very heady and delicate, but the gear is solid!

Crux is from the start to about the middle of the climb when the jams get easier, bigger, and the feet get a bit better.  There is some rock in the crack that could break loose with hard pulling in a certain direction, but with finesse, the climb is pretty solid--thus the PG-13 rating.

Great long mixed routes on good rock. East facing, looking out over Verde Valley, and Fountain Hills.

Shark Attack

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Sven Tower 3