True Summit of Devils Castle

[Scott P]

I have been told that the true summit of Devils Castle is actually usually bypassed on the traverse and that it requires one class 5 move. Can anyone confirm or deny this? I have done the traverse and would really like to know if I reached the true summit, since it has been so long ago.

[Iceaxe]

Devil's Castle consists of three peaks. The middle peak is the highest by a couple of feet and contains the summit register. The middle peak is often skipped by many as the route that circumvents it is easier. There is no technical climbing on the route, but there are many places were a fall would be deadly.

[Iceaxe]

And for anyone interested here is the beta for this scramble.

Devil's Castle
http://climb-utah.com/WM/devilscastle.htm

This is one of the best scrambles in the Wasatch that I know of and should be on everyone's must-do list.

http://climb-utah.com/WM/Files/devilscastle1.jpg

[jman]

And for anyone interested here is the beta for this scramble.

Devil's Castle
http://climb-utah.com/WM/devilscastle.htm

This is one of the best scrambles in the Wasatch that I know of and should be on everyone's must-do list.

http://climb-utah.com/WM/Files/devilscastle1.jpg

It's on the hitlist already for this year.

It looks fun.

[Iceaxe]

I plan to do both Devil's Castle and Superior Ridge this summer as they are probably the two best scrambles in the Wasatch and I haven't done either for a couple of years.

Superior Ridge Scramble
http://climb-utah.com/WM/superior.htm

[Brian in SLC]

I have been told that the true summit of Devils Castle is actually usually bypassed on the traverse and that it requires one class 5 move. Can anyone confirm or deny this? I have done the traverse and would really like to know if I reached the true summit, since it has been so long ago.

You'd know if you got there...its a memorable location. And, so is the summit register. Its easy to figure out if someone has really been there or not...

No technical climbing? Yeah...uhhh...I dunno. Its fairly high angle and loose in a couple of spots. A hold pulling loose and a loss of balance in a spot or two might be fatal. Its 3rd or 4th class, most likely. Also, the route is a bit circuitous. From the west, traverse past the summit on ledges until past, then up to the west to the summit, seems to be easiest way.

Its one of my favorite traverses in the Wasatch, either east-to-west or west-to-east. I think west-to-east is a much easier "on sight". There's a much more necky section past the summit, IMHO. Exposed and high angle and...I'd probably give it easy fifth class but the rock quality is fairly ok in that spot.

Funny...I think the last time I did it was two summers ago. A friend who was a fairly good climber and I made plans to do it. For some reason, their head wasn't into it and I soloed up and down while they waited on the ledge below. Was funny but sometimes that kinda thing just isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Something a bit more fun, and, a great way to summit, is to do one of the routes on the steep north face. My route's the easiest (ha ha). Portable Darkness. 5.9ish, climbs fast, gobs of bolts where you need 'em. The old classic Black Streak is great, as are all the other routes in their own ways. I've always said, no need to drive all the way to Canada for crappy limestone! Won't come into condition for a bit...mid summer-ish.

Take care!

[Scott P]

You'd know if you got there...its a memorable location. And, so is the summit register. Its easy to figure out if someone has really been there or not...

I've done that traverse a few times, but don't remember bypassing the summit; just a bunch of scrambling. Last ascent was probably in 1989. I remember Devils Castle pretty well, but I don't remember bypassing the summit (I usually don't bypass summits).

After looking through online photos, I definitely remember the summit and am 100% sure that we got there. (Actually, we may have bypassed it on a WMC trip-don't remember, but I know that I have been to the summit). I don't remember the summit register though (it was ~27 years ago and I have done nearly 2000 peaks since then).

Anyway, the difficulty rating came up recently on a discussion of Utah 5th class peaks and whether or not Devils Castle meets the criteria. I submitted it because I was recently told that the true summit has one 5th class move, but others disagree.

Here is part of my latest message:

I have actually done the traverse several times and never used a rope (actually almost no one uses a rope). I recently was told that the traverse actually bypasses the true summit rock and that there is one 5.5 move required to reach it, and that most people bypass it. Since it has been several years since I've done the traverse, I don't know what is being referred to.

This may be a good question to ask in the forum. Certainly several people have done it more recently and can comment. I'll start a thread in the forum on LOJ and on Bogley.

Certainly, someone out there will know, especially since it is near Salt Lake City.

For older sources, see also here:http://www.summitpost.org/devil-s-castle/151269

And here for rebuttals on the class 5 rating:

http://www.summitpost.org/devil-s-castle/climbers-log/151269/p3

Do you guys agree that it should be 4th class to the true summit? Or is there really one class 5 move required to reach the summit?

Anyway, Devils Castle is one of the neatest mountains in the Wasatch.

I think the hardest summer peaks I have done in the Wasatch (the hardest winter ascent I did was the Hounds Tooth Ridge to Broads Fork Twins) are Triangle Peak (kind of a summit), 10,910, and North Thunder. Devils Castle is the probably the most exposed peak I've done by its easiest route, but I have never actually used a rope to get to the top of any Wasatch summit via its easiest route, and I've done a lot of them.

I wouldn't mind doing Devils Castle again next time I'm in SLC.


I've always said, no need to drive all the way to Canada for crappy limestone!

Yes, plenty of that on Timpanogos as well!

Anyway, maybe you guys would also be interested in expanding the below list. I submitted many peaks that I know of that are 5th class (some of the ones such towers in the Maze haven't been updated yet)

http://listsofjohn.com/class5/class5.php?sort=e&state=UT

[Iceaxe]

The Devil's Castle route is 4th class for sure, but differentiating between 4th class and say 5.2 is really splitting hairs in my book. All I know for certain is you don't want to fall on the route.

As for the summit register the first time I did Devil's Castle about 20 years ago it had names and dates from at least the 50's in it. It also had some famous and legendary names in it from the climbing and mountaineering world. I thought the register was very memorable. Last time I visited the register had been replaced with a new one.

[Scott P]

The Devil's Castle route is 4th class for sure, but differentiating between 4th class and say 5.2 is really splitting hairs in my book

I agree, but if it was 5.5, there is a big difference between that and 4th class. It sounds like its best to call it 4th class.


As for the summit register the first time I did Devil's Castle about 20 years ago it had names and dates from at least the 50's in it. It also had some famous and legendary names in it from the climbing and mountaineering world. I thought the register was very memorable.

I don't doubt that, but I still can't say that I remember it (I was 15 years old at the time). I wouldn't have known who famous climbers were back then anyway and I've seen lots of registers dating back to the 50's and farther (1910 is the oldest summit register I have found). I (vaguely) remember signing many registers, but don't remember which ones are which that far back. The only register I remember specifically from the 1980's was the one on Baker Peak (Nevada) and only because it was in an old tobacco can. That was in 1987.I remember dates, years, and peak names better than registers (sometimes un-named peaks are harder to remember-I recently tried to compile a list of all the un-named peaks I have climbed in the San Rafael Swell and I came up with question marks on several of the peaks) .

I do remember several registers in the 1990's because that's when I started placing them myself. Priord Peak in the Uintas (July 1990) was the first register I placed (other than one on Ensign Peak when I was a kid that didn't last long). Unless the mountain is extremely popular (i.e. the Colorado 14ers), or the pen ink is frozen or register buried on winter ascents, I almost always sign them. I like reading the ones on remote peaks and seeing how few signatures there are and how many years or decades there are between them.


Last time I visited the register had been replaced with a new one.

Bummer. The same thing happened to Elephant Butte. It used to have a lot of signatures dating far back and from famous climbers.

PS, does anyone know where the old register ended up for Devils Castle? I'd really like to read it.

[Brian in SLC]

I agree, but if it was 5.5, there is a big difference between that and 4th class. It sounds like its best to call it 4th class.

Its a tough thing to rate. One move? I dunno. Folks commonly do it in their approach shoes only. And, its not hard, per se. I'd still call if 3rd or 4th class. Trouble is, most folks couldn't rate a route in the low grades anyhow, and, when compared to sport climbing in the gym or one of the many crags in the local canyons...the move (or series of moves on the little shelf you climb up) won't feel to most folks much different than, say, a 5.5 or easier on a rope. Big holds, fairly secure feet. Loose rock.

Really hard thing to rate, per se. You almost need someone who's been around for a ton of years and climbed a variety of locations, and, still, with grade creep and local climbing ratings, still would be hard to rate.

Question would be, do most folks respect the 3rd or 4th class rating? Easy to get in over your head, but, at least with Devil's Castle, its not super easy until the hard part...its fairly head's up terrain for a long ways.


PS, does anyone know where the old register ended up for Devils Castle? I'd really like to read it.

The register is still there, its the notebook that's probably been replaced. My bet (and hope) is that the Wasatch Mountain Club has it. Its their register. Placed in the early 60's I dimly recall.

[Scott P]

You almost need someone who's been around for a ton of years and climbed a variety of locations

Isn't that you? :wink:

[Iceaxe]

The register is still there, its the notebook that's probably been replaced.

^^^THIS^^^

Yeah, it's the same old register but the notebook was replaced about 2005 or so.

[Taylor]

Great question Scott and a good discussion on low 5th class vs 4th class ratings. From the original Sierra Club yds rating system:

4th class - steeper scrambling on small holds, ropes are needed for most people, but an experienced climber would normally climb an entire rope length without intermediate protection, then set an anchor and belay other climbers up. Inexperienced people may not be skilled enough to ascend even when belayed from above.
5th class - steep rock climbing where the leader must place intermediate protection, and in case of a fall, the intermediate protection would catch the leader (who will fall twice as far as the distance above the last piece of protection)

I did the Devils Castle traverse last October and stood on each of the 3 sub peaks without using gear so I would rate it 4th class. It's a great hike/scramble with good exposure to keep one focused.

I would put Superior south ridge in the same category. The West Slabs are also right there in the 4th vs 5th class discussion. A few of us ran up the slabs on Friday. Took a rope only to rap the descent gully. So while I would rate the Slabs as a scramble, some will call it a multi pitch 5.easy climb.

Certainly it comes down to comfort level and confidence in skill.

[Taylor]

Just for fun, a photo of the Castle from yesterday: 83533

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