I thought about going up there first way back in 2013, but didn't end up making it back to the Uintas. I'll have to go there now! Nice work and congrats on finishing the highest 100 in Utah! I finished the highest 100 in WA last year, and should finish the CO 100 highest real soon too. How many interesting peaks are on the Utah highest 100?
Awesome and very detailed trip report. Fun read. Thank you!!! Can't wait to go up there and climb RC this summer. Open the floodgates....? Maybe not here! :)
From the first time I encountered your Subaru parked way below the Henry's Fork trailhead while you were 'just' soloing up to Gilberts Peak in early 2011, I have often thought of you while on my own trips into the Uintas. Last year we were skunked on anything except getting up Hayden Peak, the year before to the base of Lovenia. So awesome to know that the rugged crag of Red Castle, my maiden trip into the hills behind our house way back in about 1979 with my Grandma Angwin leading the trek, will have another amazing woman to recall. Wonderful story that 'peaks' my interest even more in being able to add it to my list.
Thank you for your kind words! It was fun finding your note on the Subaru. I probably still have it some place. There are some smaller peaks 9000-1000 footers in the eastern part of the Uintas that I haven't done. I hope to get to some of them this year.
I remember seeing a picture of Red Castle in a hiking guidebook almost 20 years ago, reading that it might be unclimbed, and pondering giving it a try. I never did.
Curious-- in the pictures showing Todd, I don't think I saw any protection placed. Was he able to find any meaningful pro on that rock, or was he basically soloing and then building anchors?
As for meaningful pro, Todd placed only a couple of pieces of gear total. Some pitches he did with no gear. All of the rappel anchors we used had been set up by the Knezeks, the party that did it 3 years before us. However, some of them needed attention/backup as the webbing was deteriorating. If my memory is correct, Todd never used a 5 and definitely not a 6. You might be interested in the trip report from the first party that did it, Darren and Jenny Knezek, so here it is.
"My wife and I climbed this from the east side. It has a big, steep talus approach up a couloir on the right side of the east face. We climbed it in 6 pitches. We used an 80 meter rope. The first 4 pitches are all 40 meters long each ending on nice belay ledges. The 5th pitch was 50 feet. From there we traversed on a ledge to the west face and climbed a 60 foot pitch to the summit. It didn't look like anyone had climbed it before to us. We built a cairn on top with a summit register. It now has 6 belay/rappel anchors consisting of fixed pitons or fixed nuts all equalized with 1" webbing and steel rap rings. It seemed harder than Granite Peak and Upper Exum Ridge, but easier than say South Face of Pingora.
I would bring 1 set of cams from 1/2" to 5". I used the 4". 4.5" and 5" cam on almost every single pitch. (I never needed a 6" cam.) A set of nuts as well. Either a 80 meter rope or 2 60 meters. If you do use an 80 meter, you will need to watch the ends of your rope on the last rappel (1st pitch) and down climb about 10 feet of easy terrain.
A super fun route that seemed like the easiest/safest way up the east face."
ZeeJay - Jun 19, 2019 2:46 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Congrats!Thanks!
Matt Lemke - Jun 23, 2019 2:36 pm - Hasn't voted
Been on my mind for years...I thought about going up there first way back in 2013, but didn't end up making it back to the Uintas. I'll have to go there now! Nice work and congrats on finishing the highest 100 in Utah! I finished the highest 100 in WA last year, and should finish the CO 100 highest real soon too. How many interesting peaks are on the Utah highest 100?
ZeeJay - Jun 23, 2019 7:59 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Been on my mind for years...Thanks! Congrats on WA and good luck on CO! As to interesting UT 100 highest peaks, all of the others are no more than class 3-4ish.
anthbmarra - Mar 8, 2020 6:54 pm - Hasn't voted
EpicAwesome and very detailed trip report. Fun read. Thank you!!! Can't wait to go up there and climb RC this summer. Open the floodgates....? Maybe not here! :)
ZeeJay - Mar 8, 2020 9:17 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: EpicThanks!
DaveBlack - Apr 13, 2020 2:49 am - Hasn't voted
So much respect!From the first time I encountered your Subaru parked way below the Henry's Fork trailhead while you were 'just' soloing up to Gilberts Peak in early 2011, I have often thought of you while on my own trips into the Uintas. Last year we were skunked on anything except getting up Hayden Peak, the year before to the base of Lovenia. So awesome to know that the rugged crag of Red Castle, my maiden trip into the hills behind our house way back in about 1979 with my Grandma Angwin leading the trek, will have another amazing woman to recall. Wonderful story that 'peaks' my interest even more in being able to add it to my list.
ZeeJay - Apr 13, 2020 8:49 am - Hasn't voted
Re: So much respect!Thank you for your kind words! It was fun finding your note on the Subaru. I probably still have it some place. There are some smaller peaks 9000-1000 footers in the eastern part of the Uintas that I haven't done. I hope to get to some of them this year.
Bob Sihler - May 10, 2020 11:01 am - Voted 10/10
NiceI remember seeing a picture of Red Castle in a hiking guidebook almost 20 years ago, reading that it might be unclimbed, and pondering giving it a try. I never did.
Curious-- in the pictures showing Todd, I don't think I saw any protection placed. Was he able to find any meaningful pro on that rock, or was he basically soloing and then building anchors?
ZeeJay - May 10, 2020 3:53 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: NiceAs for meaningful pro, Todd placed only a couple of pieces of gear total. Some pitches he did with no gear. All of the rappel anchors we used had been set up by the Knezeks, the party that did it 3 years before us. However, some of them needed attention/backup as the webbing was deteriorating. If my memory is correct, Todd never used a 5 and definitely not a 6. You might be interested in the trip report from the first party that did it, Darren and Jenny Knezek, so here it is.
"My wife and I climbed this from the east side. It has a big, steep talus approach up a couloir on the right side of the east face. We climbed it in 6 pitches. We used an 80 meter rope. The first 4 pitches are all 40 meters long each ending on nice belay ledges. The 5th pitch was 50 feet. From there we traversed on a ledge to the west face and climbed a 60 foot pitch to the summit. It didn't look like anyone had climbed it before to us. We built a cairn on top with a summit register. It now has 6 belay/rappel anchors consisting of fixed pitons or fixed nuts all equalized with 1" webbing and steel rap rings. It seemed harder than Granite Peak and Upper Exum Ridge, but easier than say South Face of Pingora.
I would bring 1 set of cams from 1/2" to 5". I used the 4". 4.5" and 5" cam on almost every single pitch. (I never needed a 6" cam.) A set of nuts as well. Either a 80 meter rope or 2 60 meters. If you do use an 80 meter, you will need to watch the ends of your rope on the last rappel (1st pitch) and down climb about 10 feet of easy terrain.
A super fun route that seemed like the easiest/safest way up the east face."