New Route in Fisher Towers

New Route in Fisher Towers

9/29/11 - Jeremy Aslaksen and Paul Gagner have climbed a new route on the west side of Cottontail—their fourth new route in the Fisher Towers of Utah in the last three years. The eight-pitch line, Trick of the Tail (V 5.10+ A3), took four days to establish.

The two climbers had previously climbed full-length new routes on three Fisher Tower formations: the King Fisher, Titan, and Echo Tower. The Titan route, Gimp Warfare (5.9 A3, 8 pitches), was completed over six months because both Gagner and Aslaksen broke their feet after the first attempt; Gagner fell off fourth-class terrain while packing out from the tower in April 2010, and Aslaksen broke three toes in an accident at home a month later. The two returned in late August, only partially healed, to complete the line.

Gagner said their goal is to complete new routes on the five major formations of the Fisher Towers, a cluster of otherworldly sandstone and mud formations east of Moab. The remaining tower of the quintet is the Oracle, "and yes, we have a route scoped," Gagner said.

See the full trip report and many photos at supertopo.com.

Dates of Ascent: September 9–12, 2011

Sources: Paul Gagner, Climbing.com, supertopo.com