Arm and Hammer

Middle Bell tower is about three miles from my house as the crow flies. Despite this, I’ve never hiked up Bells Canyon and done the ultra-class line Arm and Hammer. Jen, Scott, and I did give it a go years ago, but we botched the approach really bad and ended up behind a slow party, so we kept going up the Ellsworth-McQuarrie instead. That route is, let’s say, not so classic.

But, on Sunday I teamed up with Hunter and finally ticked it. And let me say, this thing definitely lives up to the hype. After the two entry pitches (which can be linked), the next two pitches are simply amazing. Even if you’re doing the tension traverses (like we did) instead of the 5.11c slabs, the climbing is simply amazing.

As for the Zion Curtain pitch. It’s just as thin and hollow as people say. There’s a lot of talk on Mountain Project about bringing three or four #1 Camalots for this pitch. Do not do this! Just skip all the gear and climb like you can’t fall, because nothing behind that flake would hold any kind of whip.

Arm and Hammer (5.10c A0) as seen from the approach.
It’s a little wintery up here.
Hunter on the second pitch, which we linked with the first.
Heading out the lower tension traverse.
All smiles, all the time.
Me on the curtain. #nogeardontfall
Coming up to the nest of gear when the curtain ends and the slab starts.
Slab moves to finish and amazing pitch.
Hunter heading up.
Classic alpine rap anchor.
On November 11, 2019   /   Blog, Rock  

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