Zoroaster Temple Trip Report, 10/2/07
There’s some kind of magic in the Canyon. Especially, if you get below the rim and start wandering around. You’ve got to come back. Hermit Creek, Horseshoe Mesa, Osiris Temple, Whotan’s Throne. The names of the features are from some fantasy novel. Looking out from the south rim one summit stands out. Zoroaster Temple. With huge Brahma Temple always lurking behind like a body guard.
Wendy and I took a backpack to Clear Creek one year. On the way down the South Kaibab Trail we met a man coming up with a climbing rope on his pack. He’d climber Zoroaster. When I asked him about the various pitches his reply was, “Forget all that. When you get to the base of the climb you’ve already done the crux”. I smelled adventure! When I got back from that trip, half my photos were of Zoroaster, which we’d seen from three sides. About that time I bought the Grand Canyon Summit Select guidebook. On the cover is one of the Tomasi brothers sitting on the “pitch four horn”. He’s having the time of his life and it looks incredibly exposed. I wanted to be there.
I asked Bob if he wanted to go and of course he did. We wanted a third for safety. It’s a long way out there if something goes wrong you need the options another person provides. I asked my friend Scott if he wanted to go. Scott’s not a climber but he’s hiked both sides of the canyon below the rim. Thirty years and over thirty trips. He was the one who got us started backpacking there when he called with an extra permit for a family of four to Monument Creek. Many trips followed with kids and without. He’s a fine athelete too. With the motivation of getting to the top of Zoroaster before him I figured he’d work extra hard to learn how to follow 5.9 in the four months until the trip. He accepted the invitation right away. The training at the gym and on real rock went well. The mysteries of the 5.8 hand jamb proved difficult but were sufficiently overcome at last. Never the less, it was clear he would be in for a huge adventure.
The plan was to hike down the South Kaibab Trail and camp at Bight Angel Campground at the river on day one. 7.5 miles or so. Day two we would do the climb and return to camp. 11 miles and 4,600 feet of gain and then loss. Day three we would hike out the Bright Angle Trail. 9.5 miles or so. Other TRs seemed to either do the climb in a day from the rim or establish a base camp somewhere above the Redwall. I knew I couldn’t do it from the rim in a day. My canyon experience carrying heavy packs with gallons of water and gear over third and fourth class, which would be required to get above the Redwall, made this option seem like just to much hard work. No, we would start in the dark with daypacks and probably finish in the dark as well.
Here’s a picture of us at the trailhead.
Of course a steady, at times pounding, rain had started on the shuttle ride to the trailhead.

In the rain the trail at times it felt like we were in China or Tibet.

Traversing along the ridge toward O’Neil Butte it felt like we would be blown off by the howling wind.

By the look of the trees this may be common. I saw no skeletons at the bottom of the ridge though. After a few hours the rain turned into a drizzle and we got our first views of Zoroaster.

The changing weather made for strange cloud jewelry on the peaks and buttes.

Scott with Zoroaster

Just before the rain stopped and we got a rainbow.

Here’s a picture of our camp. I’m airing out my feet and hoping and pretending that my one pair of socks will dry out.

The next morning we left camp at 4:30. The first couple of miles are on a good trail and were easy to do in the dark. We climbed through the first cliff bands and were on the Tonto platform as dawn started.

Dawn with Cowboy Hat

After leaving the trail and starting to move up Sumner Wash towards the Redwall break, Scott had to turn back. He had tweaked his hip on the hike down the day before. It had gotten worse over night and then really bad as soon as we began scrambling up the wash. It was hard accepting this news. I think for all of us. Scott really wanted this summit. It was going to be such a great addition to his Grand Canyon adventures. Bob and I didn’t want it to be either. We kept thinking there’s got to be something to do. Split the weight of his pack between us maybe? Eventually, we bowed to reality.

Here’s a picture Scott took of us moving up the wash towards the Redwall break.

Right after this Bob told me to turn around and I took this picture. Beautiful.

We soon reached the most dangerous few feet of the trip for me. The topos say you bypass the first steep point by climbing to the right, fourth class. We got sucked in too far by the presence of a fixed rope. We should have climbed out right earlier. Bob went one way and then said don’t come this way. I ended up on a steep face looking at a thirty footer. The rope was close but I had no idea how it was anchored. Fortunately, Bob got to the top and the anchor point was good. I tied a small loop for a hand hold belay and traversed off to the left. All was well again.

Here’s Bob getting out a snack above the Redwall.

The rest of the way to the climb is classic canyon climbing. Short steep chimneys followed by long traverses on ridges or below cliff bands, looking for the next break.

The final fourth class bands to the base of Zoro have fixed ropes in the tricky sections.

Soon we were looking up at the climb. It was 10:30.
Rick Booth let me use this photo when mine didn't turn out well.
The route goes from the fresh rock scar at the bottom, up either side, to the chimney/ramp for three short pitches, then a long chimney/corner pitch, followed by a traverse and then a final corner crack to the top of the roped climbing. We decided I would link the first two pitches, which would give Bob the crux sandy face on the third pitch.
Here’s a picture looking down from halfway up P2.


I was on a good ledge and starting to set up a belay when Bob yelled up, asking if I was at the bolts. I moved up farther looking for these bolts, which are on the topo. Pretty soon I was well into the third pitch! Bob had to simul some third class to get me the rope I needed. This crux is rated somewhere between 5.7 and 5.9 depending on the Topo you read. I moved up and down about three times trying to string together the sequence. Eventually, with three good pieces in, I went for it. Fortunately, the “secret” handhold appeared and I was through. As usual, with it now behind me I started to wonder what all the fuss had been about. This 10 or 15 feet is the crux of the climb. I think there are no bolts.

Here is Bob on the fourth pitch
This pitch is cool old school climbing. I faced the wrong way in one chimney and had a few fun moments. Here’s a picture looking down from somewhere on the pitch.
When I got to the top there was Bob on the “pitch four horn”! One of the belay bolts still has it’s hanger. The other is still set well but needs to be slung with a stopper. The next pitch traverses on an easy ledge with exposure to a funky bolt with one of those crappy bent flat bar hangers. Right after the bolt you step into an exposed bomb bay chimney with a super cool but wild move. You move up the chimney and belly flop, I mean mantle, onto a big ledge.
Here’s a picture looking back from this ledge at Bob on the pitch four horn.

I looked up at the last pitch and yelled over to Bob, “We’re Yosemite climbers. We’ve got this one in the bag”! Overconfidence? No way! I’m experienced student of the Ed and Gary school of offwidth climbing. First they have you loose skin on the Sunol wood OW. Then they take you to flail and then fail on Secret Storm, Left Side Of The Cookie and Doggie Do. Finally finishing your training with the sharp crystals of Vedauwoo. I cruised this pitch.
Here’s Bob on the lead.

The roped climbing is over but the summit block awaits.

Summit shot with Wotan’s Throne behind us and Angel’s Gate to the right.

Here’s a picture of the rack.
Note the plastic pro ordered from Australia just for this climb. Sweet. We used twin 8.1 ropes.

Here’s a picture of the first rappell.
We got to the bottom and I looked at my watch, “Hey, it’s only 2:20”. Bob, “look again”. Damn, it was 4:10.

Here’s a picture looking back at the Big Guy.

Dusk with Cowboy
I stumbled to the trail just as the final light faded. We did make it to the canteen at Phantom Ranch by 8:30. Just in time for a beer. Nice.

The next day I took this picture on the hike out.

Until next time, Canyon, until next time.
Zander