Right Toilet Crack, 5.10-, 4 Pitches

Overview/Approach

 
The Toilet Cracks are good climbs to combine with Tourist Crack for a full day of noncommittal climbing in shady environs during the warmer months in Zion. The Right Toilet Crack is by far the best route of this group.   It runs up a continuous corner for four pitches to a flat pedestal summit, with some hands, fingers and even off-width involved.

The first and third pitches offer the crux climbing of the route with the first pitch being the most sustained and the third pitch having a short awkward section of off-width right off the belay. The second pitch is a pleasant hand jam corner (5.8) and the last pitch is a decent, but short 5.7 stem pitch up decent rock. The top of each pitch has a fixed anchor.

Simply take the bus to the end of the canyon (the Narrows) or drive to the end of it if off season for the buses. Hike up behind the bathrooms and angle left to the base of the northwest facing wall. The right Toilet Crack starts up the tall right facing corner with trees at the base and a ledge with trees about 30’ up. It is just as easy to start the first pitch from the ground than scrambling up to the ledge.

Route Description

 
Right Toilet Crack, 400’+/-, 5.10-

1st Pitch- 130’- 5.9+/ Brian has the route listed at 5.10- but has no pitch labeled 5.10 on the included topo is his guidebook. The first pitch is by far the most sustained of the four. We started at the very bottom. Run up the easy chimney to a large sandy ledge. Climb up to the roof and pull it with good pro and a jug plus hand jams. Follow the corner to the next ledge with a fixed belay. Sometimes it is fingers, sometimes hands.

2nd Pitch- 90’- 5.8/ A much easier pitch, but wider. I placed five cams, one C4#2, two #3’s and two #4’s. It is never sustained wide though. Other features show up on the left wall if you need them to help you stem up the corner as it widens near the top. Belay at a stance below the off-width above.

3rd-4th Pitches- 130’- 5.10-/ I have a hard time calling this short off-width 5.10- (versus 5.9) but I suspect there is where Brain came up with the 5.10- grade. Off the belay place a C4# 5 and squeeze through facing left. Once through the squeeze, you have a fun mini-roof hand jam pull. I found it easy to combine these pitches by slinging the chains at the mid station and kept going up the easy, but fun, chimney section. The rock is surprisingly good on this pitch. You top out on a huge ledge with another two bolt rap.

Descent

With a 70m rope, you can rap back to the top of the 2nd pitch. Then a short rap back to the top of the 1st pitch. Then a full 70m rap to the ground.

Essential Gear

Double rack C4#.3 to #4 and a single #5. I placed no micros, no off-sets and no wires and felt I sewed the route for the most part. Plenty of slings particularly if you want to combine those last two pitches. Helmets, typical loose Zion ledges. 70m rope for the rap. You could get by with a 60m rope and rap off of the tree on that first ledge by leaving some tat. Mostly a spring, fall or summer route, gets shade until mid-afternoon during June. This is a good one to combine with Left Toilet Crack and Tourist Crack for a nice moderate day out.

Images

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