Carson's Tower

Overview

Carson's Tower is a nice little tower located near Fisher Towers Area. It is one of the easier climbs in the area. The tower is 60 feet tall and is perched north of the Fisher Towers.  It stands a little bit away from the main Fisher Towers, and it is visible from the road when one drives to Fisher Towers. The approach is pretty short (~ 20 min), there is no established trail. 

Quad: Fisher Towers

Class: 5.7

Fisher Towers are series of towers made of Cuttle sandstone capped with Moenkopi sandstone and caked with a stucco or red mud located near popular tourist destination Moab. The towers are named for a miner who lived near them in the 1880s. Rock climbing started to get developed in the early 1960s. The first notable climb was a route called the Finger of Fate, which summits Titan Tower and is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. The Fisher Towers are also very well known for the cork screw summit of the Ancient Arts tower (the route Stolen Chimney). 

Getting There

From Highway 128 turn onto Fisher Towers road - a dirt road, but passable for regular cars. Drive about 1.6 miles up and look for a small pull out parking lot of 2 cars, park there. You should be able to see Carson's Tower on the north side of the road. There is sort of a trail here and there, try to stay high. You will cross a few washes. Avoid cryptobiotic soil on your hike. 

It is about 22 miles from Moab. 

Route

The Original Route = Carson's Chimney - starts on the east side. 

Start by stemming an easy chimney to a wide section. The chimney is initially easy, but there is no protection until higher up. The first good placement is where the two summits bulge out and chimney widens. Place Camalot # 3 (some people find placement for #5) with a long sling, you could even tie off a horn on the right side (we did not), then move up and clip a couple of drilled pitons. Step across the gap and pull (crux) onto the main tower. There is a good left hand hold around the arete. Finish up easy rock to a 2 bolt anchor below the summit. Scramble onto the summit and enjoy the view. The summit is unprotected but easy to reach. 

Descent: rappel to the base, 1 60 m rope sufficient. 

* For many people the 5.7 move may seem much harder, and it is exposed and committing. 

Red Tape

Hiking, parking and climbing are free. No permits are needed. There is cryptobiotic soil on approach - try to avoid it. 

While Fisher Towers area is very popular with hikers, photographers and climbers, Carson's Tower offers solitude. 

When to Climb

Year round - summer can be hot so start early am or evening for sunset. Late autumn and spring are excellent in the desert. Winter - as long as the rock is dry. 

Camping

There is a campground at Fisher Towers area. It is only for tents, no RVs. Moab area has a lot of camping opportunities. 

Guide to Moab camping - click here. 

External Links

• Carson's Tower on Mountain Project
• Carson's Tower on the Crag - great description
• Great YouTube video description
• Carson's Tower on List of John 
• Fisher Towers Trail
• Fishers Towers on Hiking Project

Images

View Carson's Tower Image Gallery - 7 Images