The REctory

Other climbs of The Rectory:

Fine Jade (5.11, 4-5p) • Where Have All the Wind Things Gone? (5.11, 3p)

Category: Utah Summit Elev: 6,565 ft Rock Type: Wingate sandstone
Date: May 12, 2024 (Sun)Trip Report #: 692Partner: Linn Kelley

Route: Fine Jade (5.11, 4-5p)

Perhaps the best desert tower route I've climbed to date.

Intro

The initial plan of this long weekend climbing trip was to go to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. But an unsettled weather forecast forced us to pivot. We decided to go to Moab and climb a few classic routes. On Saturday, we climbed two routes on Castleton Tower: Kor Ingalls (5.9+, 4p) and North Chimney (5.9, 4p) (click links for trip reports).

On Sunday morning we climbed Fine Jade (5.11, 5p) on The Rectory, just across from Castleton Tower. This route had been on my to-climb list for a long time. It is one of Moab's best climbs, with lots of challenging and varied crack climbing. We swung leads, with Linn (who had climbed the route before and is a stronger leader than I) led the crux pitches. When we got to the top, we were sad it was over. It was a perfect bluebird day, sunny but not too hot. Despite the perfect weather, we had the popular climb to ourselves.

What a great weekend of tower climbing.

This page gives a route overlay and pitch-by-pitch photos from the climb.

Route Overlay

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Hike up the Castleton trail t o the base of The Rectory.

Approaching The Rectory in the morning light. Shade is still on the route (in fact, we only had oblique sun the entire climb, which was perfect since it would have been a tad warm in the direct sun).

A view back at Castleton, which we had climbed twice the previous day.

Pitch 1

5.10+ (physical crux)

Jam an off-width/fist crack up and over a bulge. A strenuous thin hand crack up and right leads to a small roof. Pull past the roof to a short wide section. Finish up a hand crack to a final finger crack. Belay from bolts on a ledge.

Linn heading up Pitch 1. This is probably the physical crux of the route. Nice lead Linn!

Cracks on the upper part of Pitch 1.

Pitch 2

5.10

Jam over a bulge to a finger crack, then step right to a wide sction. Jam a hand then finger crack to a ledge with a 3-bolt anchor. This pitch can be linked with the previous pitch.

Looking up Pitch 2. This is a short pitch that can be linked with the previous pitch, but it was nice to break it up into two leads to get warmed up.

Linn following Pitch 2.

Pitch 3

5.11 (techincal crux)

Step right and jam thin cracks to a horizontal break. Jam a sustained finger crack to a pod. Jam the finger and hand crack up left over a couple bulges to a 2-bolt anchor on a ledge.

Linn starting up Pitch 3. The 5.11 crux section just ahead.

0.5 size....not an easy size.

Pitch 4

5.9

Climb corner and ledges up right on slightly sandy rock, then back left to a good ledge with a 2-bolt anchor.

Looking up Pitch 4.

Linn nearing the end of Pitch 4. Note the protection bolt to protect the follower.

Pitch 5

5.9+ or 5.11

Two ways to go. For the regular finish (5.9+), climb a short corner and hand traverse left to an off-width crack in a dihedral. Climb the crack, then traverse left under a roof to the summit. Place lots of slings to avoid rope drag, or break into two pitches. The direct finish (5.11a) climbs the corner, then face climbs past four bolts to the summit. We finished via the left finish, but toproped the right finish on descent.