Kinesava: The Moody Spirit

This mountain is seldom climbed via a non-technical way. In fact, there's most likely only one Class 4 route up to the top; all the other ways involve hard Class 5 or Aid climbing. I received the beta on how to get to the top from a nice Zion part time park ranger. He was an old timer and he seemed to know the nuances and less popular routes around Zion. The mountain looks perfectly vertical from all sides. The climb started basically right off the highway in Springdale and ascends a buttress of sorts that goes up two major bands of rock. If it weren't for some serious landslides of the past, this route wouldn't be possible. At the first steep ascension of a rock band, there's an old hand line installed. To get up the second vertical band of rock, you traverse up and to the right gaining the top plateau in an impossible looking notch. Maureen and I were about half way up when it started to rain and we experienced a pretty springtime thundershower. We took shelter under an overhang for about 1 hour and then continued on. When you reach the top plateau, there's still a small dome to ascend. There are petroglyphs in this area and very interesting looking rock. Looking down from the summit onto a neighboring peak, it's striking how the large rocks on the summit are in a circular pattern. Our legs took a beating from all the prickly vegetation, and we were very thirsty when we reached the bottom. This was one of the most interesting desert climbs/scrambles I've ever done. I sensed that ancient man probably visited the summit and practiced some type of ritual.