Peak Climbed: "Putterman's Pile"

Peak Height: 4,860'

Route: Beyond the Valley of the Putterman

Difficulty: 5.8 C0 R

Location: Fisher Towers, Utah

Trailhead: Fisher Tower lot

Mileage & Gain: 1 mi & 300 ft RT

Date Climbed: April 16, 2019

Putterman's Pile is a minor formation in the Fisher Towers, nestled inconspicuously among more dramatic neighbors. Despite its lowly stature, it is an interestung pile of mud with a scenic approach and great views from the top. It caught my eye years ago when Noah and I passed by en route to climb Rocky Top. I filed it away on the ever growing mental to do list.

The only beta I had for the Pile was a terse description from Bjornstad's Desert Rock III: "Climb the southeast ridge to a subsidiary summit (5.8), then lower into the notch between the subsidiary summit and the true summit. Continue (A1) past three bolts to the higher summit." Recommended gear included an angle piton and some lost arrows. Lacking a hammer, we went with a single rack to #4 camalot and hoped it would suffice.

The climb up the southeast ridge to the subsidiary summit is pretty exciting, the crux being a couple of 5.8 moves on questionable rock/mud with no gear anywhere in the vicinity. A fall would send the leader on a huge pendulum ride along the side of the tower, likely endng in a groundfall. This part could possibly be protected by some hammering. Past the crux there is a steep bit with a good pin that we used for aiding, and then an old quarter inch bolt protruding from the rock farther than one might like helps in pulling onto the subsidiary summit.

The sub-summit has a good pin which, along with the less inspiring old bolt, makes for a reasonable belay. We used the pin (with leaver biner) to lower/rappel into the small notch between the sub-summit and the true summit. An anchor can be constructed in the notch from hand sized cams.

The final bit consists of aiding past two bolts and a pin to a good two bolt anchor just below the summit. The first bolt is an old quarter incher and hangerless. The pin above it is in pretty good shape and the final bolt is bomber. A single rope rappel gets you down from here. Reaching the tippy top requires a short, dirty scramble above the top anchor.