Grand Plan, 5.10+, 3 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Grand Plan is home to one of the most iconic splitters, 120’ of tight hands that turns into an off width for another 110’, in all of southeastern Utah.  It is located on the north face of the Grand Point Overlook, a popular sunrise and sunset destination for Canyonlands National Park tourists.  So much so that there is a fully stocked retail NPS interpretive center on this remote road with park kiosks checking passes.  There are many scenic pullouts, but the overlook is the dead end of this paved road.  You start out hiking with the tourists along a cool rim trail from the dead-end parking area.  But the descent of the overlook down to the base of the walls that make up the point and subsequent contour around much of the point to the north face, make for more of a time-consuming approach than you might think.  With all beta in hand, maybe an hour and half.  If it is your first time, it will be longer.  This is a quote from the summit log on MP.com: “The approach is long, sunny, dangerous, easy to get lost on….”.  All that said it is only three pitches of climbing, so this makes for an ideal late fall or early spring adventure when the approach is not too hot nor is the north face too cold.  During those times, limited to no sun will ever hit the route.  Posters on MP.com take issue with the local guide regarding this being a west face vs north face, but it is definitely a north face route (the local guide is correct).  You circumvent the entire west face of the point before turning the corner to find the splitter.  It is not in view until the last five minutes of the approach. 

The first pitch is an amazing, mostly tight hands, splitter.  The 2^nd pitch is a 5.11 off-width at most desert destinations I have climbed, so it is a bit sandbagged.  I noticed one of the Faer’s called it 5.11 on one source.  It is very clean outside and inside making it awkward to protect as you climb it.  It does ease up  toward the end.  The 3^rd pitch is chossy as hell, even a bit scary here and there, but offers a much easier finish then the previous pitches.

Drive UT 313 to the split for Deadhorse and Grandview Point.  Continue straight for Grandview Point, passing a National Park kiosk and interpretive center and park at the dead end of the road on the point (restrooms here).  Hike the tourist trial, marked with massive steps and cairns, for approximately 15 minutes west.  There is a faint climbers trail that takes off left through light brush and leads to a steep and loose gully that descends back east.  After a short distance bactracking east in the gully, downclimb a short section south and proceed back west.  Visually you will be blind to the descent.  But in short order after you head west from that short downclimb, descend south and walk a small ramp west that leads to several 4th and/or 5th class ledges that will get you to the ground where there was a cairn in 2023.  There won't be many if any other cairns as the park does not want hikers to get in trouble, so you have to follow your nose.  Start circumventing the many walls to the west and then turn north.  Staying high is difficult because of the hard packed angled mud slopes.  It is safer to lose some elevation and regain it on a boulder strewn vegetated ridge as you aim for the Northwest corner of the point's island.  Continue to contour to the true north face and locate the obvious pitch one splitter.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 115’-5.10/ One of the best splitters on any multi pitch tower or wall near Moab.  I had five each of ones and twos and that seemed to work well.  You could justify taking more ones than twos.  A couple of threes are worthwhile, one for a pod and one for the hanging belay below the OW pitch. 

2^nd Pitch- 115’-5.10+/ A bit of a sandbag for 5.10+ OW.  Strenuous, awkward and dirty.  As an MP poster put it, “dream come true followed by a perfect nightmare”.  I would not go that far, but it is a tough lead.  I took doubles from #2 to #5, triples #4 and a single #6 and placed it all.  It starts out a flaring pod that soon gives up #2’s in the back.  There will be no feature help as the walls are clean inside and out.  The #4’s are critical near the end.  It was a burly lead. I I have climbed many 5.11 OW's that are easier.  You top out over a large stone and onto a comfortable ledge.  You can sling the stone for a belay.  I actually fixed a line off it for my 2nd since he had limited OW experience.

3^rd Pitch- 115’-5.9PG/ Continue straight up the hanging chimney above.  The right start is chossy and not protected, but easy.  Traverse left into the loose chimney and carefully tread to the top and a belay tree.  I placed a single from #.75 to #6.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

You will be able to see hikers from the belay tree atop pitch 3.  Continue to the top and hike out the well-marked tourist trail to the parking area you started from.

Essential Gear

70m rope will assist in retreating the route on your own gear and slings if necessary and some might be able to combine the 1^st and 2^nd pitches with a 70m, but I don’t advise it.  Single from #.75 to #6.  Doubles from #1 to #5.  Triples #1 to #4.  Four #2’s and six #1’s.  Route receives all day shade in September.  It is north facing versus several on MP.com trying to correct the guidebook (and FA’er) by saying it is west facing.  Bring a belay seat for the first hanging belay if your 2^nd is relatively new to crack climbing.