This is one of the few moderate routes at Upper Blair, and is an excellent warm-up for the harder stuff in the area. Located on the SE face of Little John Tower, this pitch follows right-facing flake features to the obvious handcrack near the top.

The first flake can be reached from directly below, or more easily by following a dike in from the right.  After the second flake, a weird traverse left gains the beautiful handcrack.  There are excellent views of the Five Corners formation from the summit.  Descend by scrambling down gullies on the north side of the formation.

Baobab Tree

R of B

Trough

Some climbs are better than they look.  This is not one of them.  Just when you think the climb may get better you encounter loads of bird dung.  So you think staying on the left will avoid all this.  Wrong!  I went up about 15 feet on the left and found more bird excrement.

So if you get past all this go left around a chockstone.  Then scramble off the other side (merge with Trough descent), join

Trough

to the top or climb a face past another chockstone (left side).

We took a vote.  It was unanimous (3-0), pull the gear and get out.

If you are looking for an easy lead or if you just started and are working your way up through the grades, then this is your route.

Mr. Kelman says "this was the first route used to ascend the tower (early 1950s)".  Today its main function is to provide a relatively easy passage off the tower.

Climb the trough as seen in the photo.  When you encounter the large chockstone at the top, follow the trough that passes it on the right.

Description

Protection

Routes in Little John's Tower