Tom Grundy's Oak Creek Spire Climb Page

Oak Creek Spire, also known as the Rabbit Ears is a tall split sandstone tower east of the village of Oak Creek. It is visible from I-17 as you start down the long hill from Flagstaff and also from the summit of the Mace. I have wanted to climb it ever since I saw it from the Mace and I finally got my chance this week. ( I had to wait until Dawn learned to trad lead). On May 19th, 2010, Dawn and I drove down and hiked in to the base of the climb. We followed the directions here: link to Steel Monkey Oak Creek Spire Page. The approach took about an hour. Then I got stung by a bee on my hand when I took off my hat. (at the base of my left middle finger). ouch. Dawn had some allergy medication that I took that might have helped keep the swelling down. Then a few minutes later another (or the same bee sans stinger since it got stuck in my finger) tried to sting my eye... I managed to rip off my glasses and bat it away w/o a sting. Since africanized bees (killer bees) are probably in the area (I later found out that pretty much all wild bees in Arizona should be assumed to be africanized), we decided to leave for a bit. I think because it was so windy the bees weren't able to home in and swarm us. If they did swarm us it would have been really hard to run down the steep gravelly hill with prickers and cactus all over. Anyway, we went back 20 minutes later and did the North Face - West Crack climb.

Oak Creek Spire from the west

Oak Creek Spire from the Southwest

Dawn got the first pitch and got a bit stuck where she couldn't get a jam (she had a piece in the one place narrow enough for her hand). Then we scrambled up to the base of the second pitch. Dawn liked the look of that a lot more. I grunted through the first part of this (overhanging too thin hands) and then up a long runout flaring chimney (a bigger cam than my metolius #10 would have been handy). Then I set a belay and Dawn led the remainder of way to the top of the north tower. We went up to the north tower summit for some posing, then moved the belay for the infamous jump across.

Dawn likes the thinner cracks better

Dawn takes the gear for a waltz up a chimney

Posing on the N tower summmit

Dawn on the N tower summmit

The Jump across was about a 6 foot jump to a 4 inch ledge for your feet and big holds for your hands at about waist level. It went from the North Tower to the side of the South Tower over a gap that was maybe 100 feet deep. It wasn't actually hard, but took some psyching up to actually do it. Falling would NOT be a good idea. I managed to kick one of my toes into the rock pretty hard though. Then we ascended up to the summit complete with a mailbox register. The raps down went well until our rope got stuck when it fell from the second anchors (thanks for the rap anchors JJ and Seth). Luckily we were able to pull them sideways enough to pop them free and continue on down to the ground. We got back to the car around sunset.

The jump across

It is a bit over 6 ft from "start" to "feet"
the mace is visible above the start

Dawn and the mailbox summit register

summit shot

The next few days my left hand was somewhat swollen and itched like mad. Since no super powers have manifested themselves I am assuming the bee was not radioactive.

view from the N tower summmit (note shadow in lower right)

view of Oak Creek Spire from the summit of the Mace

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