Full Day Climbing Trip – The Priest
The Priest is a favorite tower within Castle Valley, standing alone just to the left of the Rectory and from many angles, resembling a Priest. An advanced tower, the route “The Honeymoon Chimney” goes at 5.11a. This is a full-day trip sure to satisfy your crack climbing cravings!
The first pitch goes at 5.9 and is a squeezy offwidth (knee pads supplied and required!). The second pitch is a large chimney requiring various forms of stemming. The third pitch, the crux, starts off with stemming and transitions into a transfer from one side of the tower to the other onto some 5.11a sport moves. The final pitch is a 5.8 hand crack to the summit, supplying views of Castleton Tower and the LaSal Mountains.
This is a fabulous tower for experienced climbers who want to up their game and have a widely varied tower experience.
Trip Overview
- Duration: 9 hours
- Drive from Moab: 30 minutes
- Season: all year
- Max. guide to client ratio: 1:2
- Technical: 5.8 to 5.11a, advanced climbing, very airy exposure with 4 pitches of climbing
What you can expect to learn
- Review of basic climbing equipment-use and techniques
- Anchoring for multi-pitch climbs
- Following and cleaning gear
- Anchoring, knots and rope management
- Handling the height and exposure of a multi-pitch route
- Rappelling
Skill & Fitness Level
- Moderate/Advanced fitness required
- Must be able to climb at 5.11a sport-climbing level outdoors
- Must enjoy the challenge of being in a high and airy place
What to Bring
- 3-4 liters of water
- Sun screen
- Lip balm
- Brimmed hat
- Light long-sleeve shirt (for sun protection)
- Sun glasses
- Light rain gear
- Camera
- Extra snacks if you get really hungry, are a growing teenager, or have dietary restrictions or allergies
We provide
- Snacks
- Transportaion from our office to the Priest and back
- All of the high quality technical gear you will need for climbing*
*If you do have and would prefer to use your own climbing harness, shoes, and/or chalk bag, please do so. Otherwise, we provide these items for you.
What you should wear
- For the approach, shoes with a soft, flexible sole, such as running shoes or lightweight hiking shoes
- No open-toed sandals, please
- Clothes that are light-weight and loose fitting to allow you flexibility and freedom of movement
- Clothes that are suitable for the season
Departure Times
All trips depart from our office at 253 North Main, Moab, UT. See location on Google map
5:00am – 6:00am -Departure times for this trip vary with the season, but usually begin quite early in the morning. Call to arrange details: 435-259-3317 or 1-877-641-5271.
