Rock Climbing with Rob Pizem

Rob Pizem was a roommate and long time climbing partner from college that just so happened to have spring block break from teaching. We climbed the five-pitch Fine Jade on the Rectory next to Castleton Tower on my Birthday. We also met up with Andrew Burr, Pete, and Alex Honnold for a photo shoot and showdown between Alex and a couple of 5.13 cracks in the North Wash near Hite, UT. As expected, Alex crushed both complete with liking a 5.12 and a 5.13 into one monster pitch, pretty impressive to watch. To keep ourselves busy we also put up a new route, Josetto 5.11+. We collected ourselves again and headed out for a day of adventure to summit both the Monitor and Merrimac Buttes near Canyonlands UT.

The summit of the Rectory looking north toward Mother Superior and the Nuns Pitch 5, Bolted Final Headwall

Top of Pitch 4 looking toward Castleton Tower

Pitch 4

Pitch 1 of Fine Jade, Rectory, Castle Valley, UT

Andy scoping Alex scoping routes in bustling Utah

The Production

Alex onsighting No Way Jose, 5.13

Pete Sending Josetto, 5.11+

Epic work carving a plaque for our new route

Another First Ascent

Giant Mud Crack Trace Fossil

Petrified Wood in the North Wash

Climbing Merrimac with Monitor in the backdrop

Wedge Belay

Running the knife edge

You know a route is 'dirty' when your shoes are full of sand at the base

Interesting, iced-over potholes on the summit of Monitor

Climbing Monitor

Monitor and Merrimac Buttes near Canyonlands NP