Sentinel Spire

Sentinel Spire is a 5,500-foot-elevation (1,700-meter) sandstone pillar located in Colorado National Monument, in Mesa County of western Colorado, United States.[3] This 200-foot freestanding tower is situated in Wedding Canyon, one-half mile east of the monument's visitor center, and 9 miles (14 km) west of the community of Grand Junction.[5] It is also immediately south of Window Rock, and north of another climbing destination, Pipe Organ, both of which can be seen from viewpoints along Rim Rock Drive. The first ascent of the summit was made May 3, 1960, by Layton Kor, Harvey Carter, and John Auld via the class 5.10 route, Fast Draw.[6][7] This was the day before the climbers also made the first ascent of nearby Kissing Couple. The first solo ascent was made by Ron Olevsky in March 1976, and the first free ascent was made by Andy Petefish and John Christenson in 1978.[8] Some climbers refer to Sentinel Spire as Watusi Spear.[9]

Sentinel Spire
Southwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation5,500 ft (1,700 m)[1]
Prominence180 ft (55 m)[1]
Parent peakThe Island[2]
Isolation0.48 mi (0.77 km)[2]
Coordinates39°06′11″N 108°43′34″W[3]
Geography
Sentinel Spire is located in Colorado
Sentinel Spire
Sentinel Spire
Location in Colorado
Sentinel Spire is located in the United States
Sentinel Spire
Sentinel Spire
Sentinel Spire (the United States)
LocationColorado National Monument
Mesa County, Colorado, U.S.
Parent rangeColorado Plateau
Uncompahgre Plateau[1]
Topo mapUSGS Colorado National Monument
Geology
Age of rockLate Triassic to Early Jurassic[4]
Type of rockWingate Sandstone
Climbing
First ascentMay 3, 1960
Easiest routeclass 5.10+ climbing[2]

Geology

This tower is composed primarily of cliff-forming Wingate Sandstone, which consists of wind-borne, cross-bedded quartzose sandstones deposited as ancient sand dunes approximately 200 million years ago in the Late Triassic. The slope around the base of Sentinel Spire is Chinle Formation.[10] The floor of the canyon is Precambrian basement rock consisting of gneiss, schist, and granites. Precipitation runoff from this geographical feature drains to the Colorado River, approximately 1.5 miles to the northeast.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Sentinel Spire is located in a semi-arid climate zone.[11] Summers are hot and dry, while winters are cold with some snow. Temperatures reach 100 °F (38 °C) on 5.3 days, 90 °F (32 °C) on 57 days, and remain at or below freezing on 13 days annually. The months April through October offer the most favorable weather to visit.

Climbing

Established rock climbing routes at Sentinel Spire:

  • Fast Draw[12] – class 5.10c – 2 pitches – First ascent 1960
  • Medicine Man[13] – class 5.12c – 4 pitches
  • Vision Quest[14] – class 5.11+ – 2 pitches

See also

References
  1. "Sentinel Spire, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  2. "Sentinel Spire - 5,410' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  3. "Sentinel Spire". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  4. Geologic Formations, National Park Service
  5. Stewart M. Green, 2019, Rock Climbing Colorado A Guide to More Than 1,800 Routes, Falcon Guides, ISBN 9781493037353, page 442.
  6. First Ascent Timeline, deserttowersbook.com
  7. Jeff Achey, 2002, Climb! The History of Rock Climbing in Colorado, The Mountaineers Books, page 124.
  8. Cameron Burns, Selected Climbs in the Desert Southwest: Colorado and Utah, 1999, Mountaineers Books, ISBN 9780898866575, page 29.
  9. First Ascent Timeline, deserttowersbook.com
  10. Stanley William Lohman, The Geologic Story of Colorado National Monument, Geological Survey Bulletin 1508, pages 28-30.
  11. Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN 1027-5606.
  12. Stewart M. Green, 2019, Rock Climbing Colorado A Guide to More Than 1,800 Routes, Falcon Guides, ISBN 9781493037353, page 444.
  13. Stewart M. Green, 2019, Rock Climbing Colorado A Guide to More Than 1,800 Routes, Falcon Guides, ISBN 9781493037353, page 444.
  14. Sentinel Spire Rock Climbing, Mountain Project
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