Fisher Towers and Corkscrew distractions in Utah

Titans

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Ever been distracted by a corkscrew while hiking? That happened to us just outside of Moab in mid December 2017.
After many weeks of hiking, we felt the accumulated milage in our legs and we were looking for a short scenic hike on a cool and gorgeous winter day in Utah.
Our choice was Fisher Towers, 26 miles northeast of Moab along the super scenic Rt 128 between Moab and Cisco.

Fisher Towers - The Titan to the right.
The Titan and more-PC120137.jpg

The Fisher Tower trailhead is off Rt 128 and just a few miles in on a dirt road. The parking lot is very small, so we arrived early. The hike was short - just 4.5 miles out and back. I'm going to report this a little different and begin the story after the turn around point where you are looking back at the Titan Tower (we did hike out to the viewpoint and it's worth the trip).

Here we are on the way back from the viewpoint and the towers are immense! The Titan Tower to the right is supposedly 900 ft tall
Aase and the Titan-PC120283.jpg

A little bit further I take an iPhone Panorama.
See if you can spot the 3 guys on the trail at the bottom of the towers (bottom left, beginning of trail).
Tiny, tiny, tiny
!
3-guys-on-trail-IMG_7415.jpg

Later on Rick took a fun 360 sphere picture (small Samsung gear 360 camera) of the 3 guys and they wanted it uploaded on Google maps together with a bunch of other quick 360 pictures from this trail (sometimes Rick takes high quality multishot pictures that are stitched together later on).
We headed further and climbed up the famous ladder with the awkward grip/handle on the trail. It's a non-event, ladder and grip are well secured.
We continued back towards the car on the trail behind Rick (iPhone Vertorama).

Rick at ladder-IMG_7387.jpg

We continue back and suddenly I see a flash of yellow up high. Do you see it?
a flash of yellow-PC120451.jpg

Hold on...."that's the couple with the dog"! They passed us shortly after we started hiking in the morning.
It turns out, they were both climbers, now getting ready for the Corkscrew summit.
"Corkscrew" summit - one of several summits of the famous Ancient Art Tower climb (thanks @mike_offerman ).
He is ready to climb-PC120455.jpg

FUll perspective-his start-PC120499.jpg

His first move-PC120493.jpg

Him halfway-PC120543.jpg

Him on the top-PC120597.jpg

We are far away - here is the perspective from the ground: :eek:
he is to the top- full persceptive-PC120625.jpg

HOW ABOUT A JET FLY BY, WHEN YOU ARE ON TOP OF THE CORKSCREW? They are both looking at the jet.....
BW- cool- a jet flies by-PC120660.jpg

His fly by jet-PC120667.jpg

On his way back:
he is returning-PC120685.jpg

He is almost back-PC120695.jpg

his last step down-PC120709.jpg

He is almost back-PC120715.jpg

She starts the Corkscrew summit climb
Shat starts-PC120742.jpg

Her summit-PC120862.jpg

She's done it-PC120816.jpg

HOW ABOUT A SELFIE ? We watched her pull the phone out, take the selfie and store the phone again. Yeah! Well done :cool:
Her-selfie-PC120848.jpg


Pretty thrilling to watch, here is a different angle of the corkscrew, there is no straight line up :
corkscrew-PC120898.jpg

Here is a view towards Colorado River and the valley. Beautiful area.
view-towards-valley-IMG_7409.jpg

We watched the sun set and spent the evening reading up on Fisher Towers and the Ancient Art Tower climb & Corkscrew summit.
Now - if you dare - watch a climber's GoPro You Tube video of the final Corkscrew summit :eek: :
(
)

Below is the most important sign on the Fisher Towers trail..... Climbers left, Hikers right.
climbers-hikers-sign-PC120031.jpg

iPhone sunset picture - view from parking lot:
sunset-PC120940.jpg
 

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Last edited:
Looks like a great hike. I have always heard the formation they were climbing called Ancient Art. Looking it up seems like Ancient Art has 4 summits (North, Corkscrew, Middle and Kient). Learn something new everyday!
 
Looks like a great hike. I have always heard the formation they were climbing called Ancient Art. Looking it up seems like Ancient Art has 4 summits (North, Corkscrew, Middle and Kient). Learn something new everyday!

Thank you @mike_offerman - you are correct! The climb itself is called "Ancient Art" and the Corkscrew is a summit or one of them as you looked up.
I just edited the trip report to reflect that and inserted the scary GoPro video of a climber's view of the final approach to the Corkscrew summit. :eek:
It must be really scary when a climber yells back at his fellow climbers : "that was .... scary!"
Fascinating place and most of us have driven right by it, when you drive from Colorado and take the scenic back route to Moab.
 
You got me. Whenever I see pictures/videos/descriptions of climbers on this route, I click/watch/read. Can't help it.
 
Stunning area.
That summit looks...particularly frightening haha. Thanks for sharing!
 
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