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The Rectory, Fine Jade (5.11, 4-5p)

The Rectory

Route:

Fine Jade

5.11, 4-5p

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

Region: Utah

Elev: 6,565 ft

Rock type: Wingate sandstone

Type:

Date(s): May 12, 2024 (Sun)

Partner(s): Linn Kelley

Related trip reports:

The Rectory, Where Have All the Wind Things Gone? (5.11, 3p)

Route Overlays

CLICK TO ENLARGE

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.

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.