This is definitely the most popular tower in the Fishers, and Stolen Chimney on the corkscrew summit is one of the most popular routes in the desert. Rarely enough for the serious and scary Fishers, Stolen Chimney is a cruise that protects very well.
Ancient Art is a complicated formation with several major summits. The corkscrew summit is the one reached 99% of the time, but the others appear to be good outings as well. This is a great tower for the moderately experienced trad climber looking to experience what the Fisher Towers have to offer.
Getting There
Ancient Art is the multi-summited tower below the Kingfisher. Walk along the good trail from the parking lot for about a mile until just past the tower. Turn left onto a very good climber's trail that heads up the gully between Ancient Art and Cottontail Tower. The trail is excellent all the way to the base of the tower-look sharp for cairns.
This is by far the most popular route in the Fisher Towers, and a moderate classic. The route goes at 5.9 A0 if yarding on bolts, or can be free climbed at well protected 5.10.Pitch 1. Climb easy 5.4 broken rock to a huge ledge. If you are free climbing the route, belay here to avoid rope drag. Climb a 4 bolt ladder to a big belay ledge at the base of a chimney. 5.10, 120 feet.Pitch 2. Climb a really fun and well protected 5.8 mud chimney fo...[more]
The three star rating is for the exposure rather than the rock quality. Yeah it isn't solid sandstone during the lower 2/3 of the climb, but the exposure is something you have to experience. The lower face before the chimney has four clips and goes around 10+. I think the book says the chimney goes at a 5.9. Technically, it was a little easier than 5.9, but I guess the dirt and sandy nature of this pitch increases the difficulty a bit. We soloed up the first part of the climb and then linked the 10+ face section and the chimney section into one longer pitch. (50M was fine). The face (protected by three clips) after the chimney just before reaching the bolts on the diving board/catwalk goes at 10 something also. Now you are ready to walk across (or scoot your bum across) to the camel's face. You can do the belly flop onto the top of the camel's face or traverse down and left to move up the corkscrew section. Then move up and right to attain the exposed summit. Double 60M rap from the ledge above the chimney pitch allows you to barely reach the ground. We rapped with a skinny 50M and a thick 60M which gets you to a spot where you then have to do two moves up a little slot and then two moves down on the other side in order to terra firma.
Jimmy Dunn is the King of this Tower. He climbs it (up and down) without a rope! As far as I know, however, the tower still awaits a naked free solo by a cancer survivor ...
Great climb. Do NOT miss the corkscrew pitch. Its not that hard 5-7/8 As Eddy Murphy says in "Bowfinger" "Keep it Together, Keep it Together" PS Left my camera in the parking lot with some great pic's if found please call. I'm in the phone book SLC. Cheers and have a Great Climb
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