Honeymoon Chimney

It must have been 5 or 6 years ago that Honeymoon Chimney came onto my short list of desert towers to do. I had done most of the other super classics in Castle Valley, though there are an endless supply up there. I dragged Annie up to the Priest armed with a #4 big bro I had specifically bought for this climb, in addition to the ear pitch on Primrose Dihedrals when a few of the bolts went missing(didn't end up fitting). Unfortunately, we got to the base and I just chickened out, plain and simple. I thought I had the guts, but the first pitch is a doozy from below. Very intimidating. Two bolts is all that protects what people of widely varying claims state is between 20-90 feet of OW/squeeze chimney. I heard horror stories of people vomiting, thrutching, getting stuck. People said is was extremely runout unless you had 2 big bros. Solid climbers I knew and respected warned of the dangers. This all played out in my mind, and got the best of me. We retreated, and I felt embarrassed as I'd bailed on climbs before, just not without ever leaving the ground first. I sold the big bro without ever placing it.

Years went by, but Honeymoon lingered in the back of mind. I knew I wanted to do it, I just didn't know if I could or if I would physically harm myself in the process as the climb seemed quite burly and runout. I'd never actually heard of anyone dying, but I prefer not to be the first one. Ironically, I noticed a trend on the comments section of MP where like-minded climbers had expected this horrible, OW nightmare and had actually been surprised by how tame it was, as compared to their expectations. They agreed it was a classic climb, but shouldn't be avoided for fear of unprotected OW. This gave me hope.

Steve and Court showed up this last weekend with the intent to climb Castleton with their wives, but agreed to accompany me on Honeymoon after that with the agreement I was going to lead everything. This sounded good to me. Now I all I had to do was sack up. Armed with no big bro's and only my personal pep talk, I set off.

Pitch one turned out to be not nearly as bad as expected. The crux was definitely between the two bolts, which was spicy but not horrible. However the really worrisome part, the supposedly horrible, runout, "90 foot" section of unprotected OW was a tame 10 feet before good small gear appeared, and tunneling inside to security shortly thereafter. I liebacked 100% of it which was definitely the way to do it. Clipping slung chockstones after entering the chimney seemed unnecessary. Vertical spelunking ensued for another 60 feet to a nice sunny chockstone belay.

Transitioning from liebacking to clip the drilled angle on Pitch 1

Court about to start the liebacking section just after then drilled angle

Squeeze chimney! Steve is wearing a girls helmet 

Pitch 2 was a fun chimney that was definitely runout, but secure and easy.

Looking down at the boys from midway up the 2nd pitch 

Back on one wall, feet on the other. Up you go. 

Pitch 3 was a hopeful free attempt pitch that quickly became A0 when I couldn't grab any crimps for the step across move.

Great shot by Steve of my on Pitch 3 step across move 

Same place only Steve from above 

Pitch 4 was uneventful and fun.

Pitch 4 finger crack. Short and sweet 

Windy but great views! 

Glad to have this checked off the list! Plenty more towers to climb. Always fun to get out with the boys.