Phantom Sprint

This route is simply superb. This is an obvious natural line - a rarity in the Fisher Towers. The route has a grand total of two fixed pieces, both of which are on the first pitch, and then the last short bolt ladder on the North Chimney route to gain the summit. The route gets no sun at all, so its best to do in late spring or even summer.

Hike up towards Ancient Art and the Kingfisher. After scrambling up a 4th class section, look for a climbers trail that contours around the back of the side canyon to the shoulder of Echo Tower furthest from Cottontail Tower. The route follows the obvious crack systems.

Pitch 1 - Scramble up an easy 5.4 chimney for 40 feet to the splitter where the tower gets steep. Aid up a continuous crack which is sometimes wide and very awkward in places. Uncomfortable belay at a small stance. 190' 5.4 C2 This can be done as two pitches with a belay on top of the chimney.

Pitch 2 - Make some dirty C2 moves into a wide crack, and then into an amazing clean crack which moves right and then back left before going up to a hanging belay. 100', mostly C1. This is the best pitch on the route.

Pitch 3 - Head straight up good C1 cracks above the belay, and trend right when necessary. A combination of aid moves and tension traversing brings you right into a wide crack. Tension traverse right to the hanging belay when possible. 100', C2.

Pitch 4 - Climb up through roofs above the belay - this is the crux climbing on the route and gets hard right off the belay. Don't fall - there is a lot to hit, but the hard climbing is pretty short. Free climb 5.9 offwidth and chimney to a good ledge - much you can french free but the last bit to the ledge is mandatory free. This is grunty but protects pretty well. 90', 5.9 CC.

Pitch 5 - Climb the 8 bolt ladder finish to the North Chimney. This was formerly really bad bolts and the psychological crux, but now has been rebolted by Sam Lightner - thanks! 45', C0.

From here you are on top of the summit ridge. The actual highpoint is a 30' poorly protected and precarious 5.6 scramble, which must be downclimbed. The summit ridge is spectacular.

The route was also freed at 5.12 by Stevie Haston. Good luck if you want to repeat that!

Make a double rope rap to the top of pitch 3, another to the top of pitch 1(be

very careful not to go too low before swinging right. might be a good idea to leave a rope fixed between 1-3 to ease getting into the anchors). One more double rope rap gets you to the ground. 60 meter ropes are a good idea - you will have to do a bit of downclimbing in the easy chimney without them.

Alternatively, rap down Iron Chef to avoid the swing to the P1 anchors.

3 sets cams from black alien through 3 camalot, doubles in the 4, 4.5, and 5 camalot size, extra 2.5" - 3.5 inch cams, 1 set of stoppers, large offset nuts, medium tricams, a few large lowe balls are nice, long slings to prevent rope drag, and all the guidebooks call for a large hook though we didn't use one. A belay seat is really nice.