The crux of this fantastic route will be quickly discovered at the end of the first pitch.  Slab climbing technique will be the only key to this route. Like the Ruckmans mention in their guidebook, one can not imagine doing this back in the day in hiking boots.  Hardmen from Yosemite would try themselves on this route when traveling to or through Salt Lake City.  To quote Wasatch Climbing North "One hopes this route will remain an inspiration for all climbers."  I would dare to add that you are not a true Wasatch Climber if you haven't sent this formation.

The Dorsal Fin

The Gills

The Ventral Fin

The Lateral Fin

Hook, Line and Sinker

The Fin Arete

Fins and Needles

Dark Horse

Start as you would for the Lateral Fin.

Pitch 1- Climb up the right facing corner through a 5.6 bulge and up to the bolted belay below the 11d buldge pitch on the Lateral Fin.  Continue right up an easy ramp/ledge with some easy 5th class climbing to a bolted belay, right of the base of Fins and Needles.  (5.6, 70 meters)

Pitch 2- Climb up a little then right on a small, steep ramp past a couple gear placements to the first bolt (which is about 30 feet right of the belay).  From there, technical face climbing leads up a right facing/right leaning corner passing 7 more bolts.  (5.12d)  After the last bolt, strenuous liebacking continues up the corner (5.11 with difficult protection) to an exit out left at the top of the corner.  Belay at a two bolt anchor to the left of the prominent bush, about 25 feet down and left of the belay for the Ventral Fin.  (5.12d, 35 meters)

Pitch 3- Climb up and mostly right following cracks around the corner.  A face traverse down and right leads to a crack with bushes.  Climb this crack to a stance and natural gear belay.  (5.9r, 35 meters)

Pitch 4- Continue route finding and following the weaknesses up and right to a natural gear belay at a stance and large block. (5.9r, 30 meters)

Pitch 5- Climb up and then right from the belay along a crack system.  Escape up and left from the main weakness to a very gritty and crumbly face.  Some serious and unprotected moves on this face will lead to a small stance and a two bolt belay just below the top.  (5.9R, 40 meters)

Continue up a short distance to the top.  Probably about 5.6 on very rotten rock.

To descend, scramble around to find the normal descent route for the other fin routes.  A rappel and some scrambling will lead down the west side of the Fin, passing the Intensive Care slab.

Note:  The Gills was established and bolted ground up.  The climb was completed to the summit in April of 2005.  At that time the crux pitch was not freed.  It was led and followed free on September 28th 2008.  It is a great pitch and is the main attraction of the climb.

Continuing on above the crux pitch entails adventure climbing at about a 5.9 level but with sections of serious climbing on rotten rock with very little or no protection.  Route finding skills will come in handy.  The descriptions of pitches 3,4 and 5 are vague, as it has been a few years since we climbed them.

To descend from the top of the crux pitch is difficult but doable.  Make sure you don't leave yourself dangling out in space.  A good way to get back to the belay would be to leave a trail line fixed to the belay to make sure you can pull back to the anchor.  It is possible to not use another rope, but some trickery is involved.

The cruxes to this route are following the second pitch and the lasso at the beginning of the fourth.  Each pitch is fairly short, yet have great features and moves.  The nailing is straightforward and cams appear every couple of placements.  The third pitch gets thin, with multiple tied off blades.  Every belay has new (2009) bolts along with every lead bolt.

Classic crack and face route on the fin.  5.12a/b or 5.10 C2/3

P1: Rope up at the base of the Dorsal Fin and traverse around and right on easy ground (5.6?) to a 2-bolt anchor.

P2: Three options - the first is to climb the steep bulge crack at .11d - tape up.  The second is aid climbing that crack which we did not do. Third, traverse 50 or so feet (5.easy)around right to a cool, juggy and blocky crack system (5.9?)up and then traverse left to a gear belay that takes a wide variety of gear.

P3:  5.10 or aid climbing a dihedral up to a roof with a spicy handjam mantle, step left and into a ramp system that moves up and right to a two bolt belay  (Formerly, this pitch ended at a stance with a piton and 2 buttonhead/rusty old leeper hanger belay that you could backup with small pro).  Thanks to Ben and Lance for replacing this belay.

P4:  C2/3, R It helps to bring a small rack of pins with a selection of angles, baby angles kb's and LA's.  Step up and right of the belay over to a piton that can be supplemented with gear, then straight up into a dihedral.  Historical note, my partner says when he first did this (um... 30 years ago) there was a drilled hole that took a hook for the next move.  The broken copperhead was cleaned and hole filled by a subsequent party.  There is a fixed nut hammered into the crack then two brand spanking new bolts (used to be 30-year-old buttonhead bolts) with aid between and above each.

P5:  There used to be a hanging belay at a tree that has since disappeared.  We just kept going, but the climbing changes from aid to a really great .10 finger and hand crack.  Imagine Green A only its vertical and with sinker fingers instead of tips.  Its pretty cool.  This pitch ends up at a gear belay in some small trees and a #2 camalot is very useful.

We ended up running the last two pitches together like the topo in the guidebook.  However that topo is inaccurate in several ways so be ready.  If you have the time, it would be cool to rig a way for the second to jug and clean the aid and then TR the final crack

Descent:  Traverse left (5.4) 30 feet and then down to the desecent anchors for the Dorsal Fin/Fin Arete.  Its exposed but easy.

This newish addition to the Fin is a great intro to Fin climbing. The first 3 pitches can be escaped from and rappelled to the base of harder south facing Fin routes, perhaps providing a warm up for those of us who need it.

P1- From the start of the scramble of the Fin there is a diorite face to the left (north). A pin and a few bolts will lead up to a dihedral. Ramble up this to a large shelf with a 2 bolt belay above. 9+/10a

P2- Slab up the wonderful scoop clipping bolts to a featured chimney, step right at the top to a 2 bolt belay and GREAT belay stance. 5.9

P3- Pad up perfect granite clipping a lone bolt to the anchor. 5.5 (from this anchor shuffle out right (up canyon) to a stance and a two bolt belay. You can run this together, but its a bit of route finding that may elude you on your first round.

P4- Slab up the impeccable Fin rock making a few committing moves and step left to the anchor and a nice shelf. 5.10b (it is possible to escape to the Fin Arete at bolt 2)

Alt- Climb up from belay and clip bolt out right and regain the Fin Arete

P5- Slab up passing a pin in the dihedral. Near the top you'll encounter featured rock and a bolt or two. Ramble up the low angle dihedral aiming for a 2 bolt belay and another great stance

P6- Climb up a thin crack to beautiful rock and wonderful movement. This pitch spits you out on the namesake of the feature of the entire formation. Don't forget to find a small TCU up on the arete, your second will thank you.

Descent: Standard Fin gully descent if topping out. It is possible to rap back to the base using two ropes from the 4th pitch.

The Fin Arete

is a beautiful slab climb, with many good-sized runouts. At the base of

The Fin

,

The Fin Arete

starts on the left side.  Scramble up a broken ramp to find a suitable belay stance.

P1

(5.10b) Climb through six bolts of rather runout friction climbing. A small leftward traverse is found at the fourth bolt, and is also the crux of the climb. Belay at a fixed anchor, bolts.

P2

(5.9) There are two ways to go on this pitch.  We did the

Dark Horse

variation, so I can't vouch for the original route.

Dark Horse

is awesomehighly recommended. To do it, climb slightly right from the belay to a bolt. Another bolt is usable to the left a ways, and then do a big runout up through a small roof. One more bolt leads to an intermediate anchor. Continue up the exciting prow (one bolt, runout) to another bolt anchor in a dish.

Original route: Climb straight up from the anchor to a hard-to-see bolt a bit below the left side of the roof. Get over the left side of the roof into a leftward-trending flared crack. Follow this crack until it ends, and then follow another, rightward-trending flared crack that starts up and right a bit from the end of the previous crack. After the crack ends, spy a rusty bolt up and to the right a bit (1/4" with Leeper hanger). Climb past the bolt and up to an excellent stance with a single-bolt plus chickenhead belay.

P3

(5.7) Continue up the prow: thin and runout. Pass one bolt, then the climbing eases to 5.5 for a long run up to the anchors (this pitch is almost 200 feet). The anchors are to the left of the arete, and a bit hidden.

Overhanging finger and hand crack in a narrowing dihedral.  There are no individual hard moves, but it's very steep and sustained the whole way.  This is a great route with good rock, but it needs to be climbed a few more times to clean up a little.  Pumpy!  Note:  FFA was done with pre-placed gear - this route still awaits a pure, ground up ascent while placing the gear.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Upper Fin