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Coordinates: 38°43′18″N 109°18′15″W / 38.7216516°N 109.3042827°W / 38.7216516; -109.3042827
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{{Short description|Mountain in Grand County, Utah, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox climbing area
{{Infobox climbing area
| name = Fisher Towers
| name = Fisher Towers
Line 8: Line 10:
| map_width =
| map_width =
| map_caption =
| map_caption =
| location =
| location =
| nearest_city = [[Moab,_Utah]]
| nearest_city = [[Moab, Utah]]
| coordinates = {{coord|38.7216516|-109.3042827|format=dms|region:US-UT_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}<ref name="gnis">{{cite gnis |id=1441094 |name=Fisher Towers |accessdate=2016-04-18}}</ref>
| lat_d =38 | lat_m =43 | lat_s =26.4 | lat_NS = N
| long_d = 109 | long_m =18 | long_s =29.88 | long_EW = W
| climbing_type = [[traditional climbing|trad]] and [[aid climbing]] of towers and faces
| climbing_type = [[traditional climbing|trad]] and [[aid climbing]] of towers and faces
| height = Titan: {{convert|900|ft|m}}; Ancient Art: {{convert|400|ft|m}}
| height = Titan: {{convert|900|ft|m}}; Ancient Art: {{convert|400|ft|m}}
| pitches = up to 7
| pitches = up to 7
| ratings = Apart from couple moderate routes all climbs hard up to A6
| ratings = Apart from couple moderate routes most climbs are at hard (up to A6)
| grades =
| grades = up to IV
| rock_type = [[Cutler Formation|Cutler]] sandstone capped with [[Moenkopi]] sandstone and caked with a stucco of red mud
| rock_type = [[Cutler Formation|Cutler]] sandstone capped with [[Moenkopi]] sandstone and caked with a stucco of red mud
| quantity =
| quantity = months worth
| development =
| development = developed
| aspect =
| aspect = south facing
| season = fall and spring
| season = fall and spring
| elevation =
| elevation =
| ownership =
| ownership = [[Bureau of Land Management]]
| camping = free
| camping = free
| classic_climbs =[[Stolen Chimney (Fisher Towers)|Stolen Chimney]] (5.10a A0) on Ancient Art <br/>
| classic_climbs =
*[[Stolen Chimney (Fisher Towers)|Stolen Chimney]] (5.10d or 5.8 A0) on Ancient Art
[[Finger of Fate (Fisher Towers)|Finger of Fate]] (A2+) on Titan <br/>
*[[Finger of Fate (Fisher Towers)|Finger of Fate]] (5.8 A3) on Titan
*The Colorado North East Ridge (A3) on Kingfisher
⚫
Phantom Sprint (5.12b or A2+) on Echo Tower<br/>
*West Side Story (A3) on Cottontail Tower
⚫
*Phantom Sprint (5.12b or A3) on Echo Tower
*Sundevil Chimney (5.8 A4) on Titan
| stars = 4
| stars = 4
}}
}}
⚫
'''Fisher Towers''' are a series of towers made of [[Cutler Formation|Cutler]] sandstone capped with [[Moenkopi]] sandstone and caked with a stucco of red mud located near [[Moab, Utah|Moab]], [[Utah]] ({{coord|38.7240|N|109.3083|W|type:mountain_region:US}}). The Towers are named for a miner who lived near them in the 1880s. The Towers are world-renowned as a subject for photography and for its classic [[rock climbing]] routes.<ref>{{cite book |title=Desert Rock III |first=Eric |last=Bjørnstad |publisher=Falcon |location=Helena, MO |year=1999 |isbn=1-56044-754-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Classic Desert Climbs |edition=2nd |first=Fred |last=Knapp |publisher=Sharp End Publishing |year=2002 |isbn=1-892540-17-7}}</ref>

[[File:Fisher Towers from distant north.jpg|400px|thumb|Fisher Towers viewed from the north. The tower most in the foreground is actually an emerging tower not part of the main formation; behind that there is the tall ''King Fisher'' on the left with the lower ''Ancient Arts'' towers to the right. behind these formation the ''Cottontail'' is visible. The other towers are hidden from this view, but in the distance the mountains of the [[La Sal Range]] are visible.]]

⚫
'''Fisher Towers''' are a series of towers made of [[Cutler Formation|Cutler]] sandstone capped with [[Moenkopi]] sandstone and caked with a stucco of red mud located near [[Moab,_Utah|Moab]], [[Utah]] ({{coord|38.7240|N|109.3083|W|type:mountain_region:US|display=inline,title}}). The Towers are named for a miner who lived near them in the 1880s. The Tower is world renowned as a subject for photography and for its classic [[rock climbing]] routes.<ref>{{cite book |title=Desert Rock III |first=Eric |last=Bjørnstad |publisher=Falcon |location=Helena, MO |year=1999 |isbn=1-56044-754-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Classic Desert Climbs |edition=2nd |first=Fred |last=Knapp |publisher=Sharp End Publishing |year=2002 |isbn=1-892540-17-7}}</ref>


== Location ==
== Location ==
The nearest town is [[Moab,_Utah|Moab]], [[Utah]] about {{convert|16|mi|km}} to the southwest. The area is generally accessed from Fisher Towers Road off of [[Utah State Route 128|Route 128]] which runs along the [[Colorado River]] between [[Interstate 70 in Utah|I-70]] and [[U.S. Route 191 in Utah|Route 191]]. [[Castleton Tower]] is visible approximately {{convert|6|mi|km}} to the southwest from different parts of the Fisher Tower's area.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}
The nearest town is [[Moab, Utah|Moab]], [[Utah]] about {{convert|16|mi|km}} to the southwest. The area is generally accessed from Fisher Towers Road off of [[Utah State Route 128|Route 128]] which runs along the [[Colorado River]] between [[Interstate 70 in Utah|I-70]] and [[U.S. Route 191 in Utah|Route 191]]. [[Castleton Tower]] is visible approximately {{convert|6|mi|km}} to the southwest from different parts of the Fisher Tower's area.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}


The Towers lie just south of a larger [[mesa]] which they are emerging from on a [[geological time scale]]. {{convert|1000|ft|m}} north of the main formation there is a tower which has only partway emerged from the mesa. The Towers are composed of three major fins of rock that run from the northeast closer to the mesa out to the southwest and into a desert valley. The fins are between {{convert|1000|and|2000|ft|m}} long and separated from each other by about {{convert|1000|ft|m}}. Each fin contains multiple towers, a number of which have been named.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}
The Towers lie just south of a larger [[mesa]] which they are emerging from on a [[geological time scale]]. {{convert|1000|ft|m}} north of the main formation there is a tower which has only partway emerged from the mesa. The Towers are composed of three major fins of rock that run from the northeast closer to the mesa out to the southwest and into a desert valley. The fins are between {{convert|1000|and|2000|ft|m}} long and separated from each other by about {{convert|1000|ft|m}}. Each fin contains multiple towers, a number of which have been named.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}


Since the Fisher Towers are most often seen and approached from the north it's fitting to describe them from north to south. The eastern most section of the northern most fin is dominated by a tower known as the ''King Fisher''. The ridge line of the fin drops considerable before reaching the western formation called ''Ancient Arts''. The ''Ancient Arts'' is composed of four separate summits the most striking of which is the ''cork screw summit''. The Middle fin is split into two very distinct towers known as ''Echo Tower'' in the east and ''Cottontail'' in the west. The southern most fin is best known for containing the Fisher Towers with the greatest elevation and prominence, a structure named [[The Titan (Fisher Towers)|The Titan]]. The eastern portion of the southern fin is the less well known ''Oracle'' which physically connects back to the mesa.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}
The easternmost section of the northernmost fin is dominated by a tower known as the ''[[Kingfisher Tower (Utah)|King Fisher]]''. The ridge line of the fin drops considerable before reaching the western formation called ''[[Ancient Art (Fisher Towers)|Ancient Art]]''. ''Ancient Art'' is composed of four separate summits the most striking of which is the ''cork screw summit.'' The Middle fin is split into two very distinct towers known as ''[[Echo Tower]]'' in the east and ''[[Cottontail Tower|Cottontail]]'' in the west. The southernmost fin is best known for containing the Fisher Towers with the greatest elevation and prominence, a structure named [[Titan Tower (Fisher Towers)|Titan Tower]]. The eastern portion of the southern fin is the less well known ''[[The Oracle (Fisher Towers)|Oracle]]'' which physically connects back to the mesa.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}


The area has many other named structures, such as the ''Cobra'' and the ''Sundial'', both found in between King Fisher and Echo Tower. Each consists of balanced rocks perched above smaller supports. Another example is the ''Lizard Rock'', a {{convert|60|ft|m|adj=on}} tower near the parking lot.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}
The area has many other named structures, such as the ''Cobra'' (which collapsed, presumably due to a lightning strike, sometime in the final week of July 2014)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/nature/post/iconic-rock-formation-cobra-crumbles/ |title=Iconic rock formation, The Cobra, crumbles |publisher=GrindTV.com |date= |accessdate=2014-08-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Dobner |first=Jennifer |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-utah-rock-idUSKBN0G52JH20140805?feedType=RSS |title=Popular, snakelike 'Cobra' rock formation beheaded in Utah |publisher=Reuters |date=2014-08-05 |accessdate=2014-08-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allproudamericans.com/The-Cobra-Rock-Formation-Has-Crumbled.html |title=The Cobra Rock Formation Has Crumbled |publisher=Allproudamericans.com |date=2014-08-06 |accessdate=2014-08-11}}</ref> and the ''Sundial'', both found in between King Fisher and Echo Tower. Each consists of balanced rocks perched above smaller supports. Another example is the ''Lizard Rock'', a {{convert|60|ft|m|adj=on}} tower near the parking lot.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}


== Rock Climbing ==
== Rock climbing ==
⚫
Development of Fisher Towers as climbing areas start in the early 1960s. The first notable technical climb was a route called the ''[[Finger of Fate (Fisher Towers)|Finger of Fate]]'', which summits Titan Tower and was later featured in ''[[Fifty Classic Climbs of North America]]''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Fifty Favorite Climbs: The Ultimate North American Tick List |first=Mark |last=Kroese |publisher=The Mountaineers Books |year=2001 |isbn=0-89886-728-2}}</ref> The Towers are also very well known for the cork screw summit of the Ancient Arts tower, most commonly accessed by the ''[[Stolen Chimney (Fisher Towers)|Stolen Chimney]]'' route.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105717310/stolen-chimney |title=Stolen Chimney |publisher=Mountainproject.com |date= |accessdate=2020-05-13}}</ref> Photographs of the unusual cork screw summit have been extensively published in many settings including mainstream advertisements.<ref>{{cite video |title=Citibank ThankYou Card Commercial |date=21 Nov 2011 |url=http://vimeo.com/33818062 |accessdate=14 Oct 2012}} Alex Honnold and [[Katie Brown (Rock Climber)|Katie Brown]] climbing the ''Ancient Arts'' tower.</ref>
⚫
[[File:Climber on the Corkscrew.jpg|250px|thumb|Climber ascends the ''corkscrew'', Ancient Arts tower.]]
⚫
Development of the Towers as climbing areas start in the early 1960s. The first notable technical climb was a route called the [[Finger of Fate (Fisher Towers)|Finger of Fate]], which summits [[The Titan (Fisher Towers)|The Titan]] and was later featured in [[Fifty Classic Climbs of North America]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Fifty Favorite Climbs: The Ultimate North American Tick List |first=Mark |last=Kroese |publisher=The Mountaineers Books |year=2001 |isbn=0-89886-728-2}}</ref> The Towers are also very well known for the ''cork screw summit'' of the ''Ancient Arts'' tower, most commonly accessed by the [[Stolen Chimney (Fisher Towers)|Stolen Chimney]] Route. Photographs of the unusual ''cork screw summit'' have been extensively published in many settings including mainstream advertisements.<ref>{{cite video |title=Citibank ThankYou Card Commercial |date=21 Nov 2011 |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE4bcq8Plzk |accessdate=14 Oct 2012}} Alex Honnold and [[Katie Brown (Rock Climber)|Katie Brown]] climbing the ''Ancient Arts'' tower.</ref>


== In film ==
== In film ==
The Fisher Towers were featured in the opening scene of ''[[Austin Powers in Goldmember]]''.
The Fisher Towers were featured in the opening scene of ''[[Austin Powers in Goldmember]]''. The scene was a self-parody of the Austin Powers series, a [[story within a story|film within the film]]. Austin Powers is featured in a [[bio-pic]] called ''Austinpussy'' (a parody of the [[James Bond]] film ''[[Octopussy]]'') directed by [[Steven Spielberg]] and starring [[Tom Cruise]] as Austin Powers, [[Gwyneth Paltrow]] as Dixie Normous, [[Kevin Spacey]] as Dr. Evil, [[Danny DeVito]] as Mini-Me, and [[John Travolta]] as Goldmember.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}


Television commercials, advertisements, and even scenes from famous movies have been filmed in the area of [[Moab, Utah]] (where the Fisher Towers are located).{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}
Television commercials, advertisements, and even scenes from famous movies have been filmed in the area of [[Moab, Utah]] (where the Fisher Towers are located).{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode=packed>
File:Fisher Towers from distant north.jpg|View from the north with the [[La Sal Range]] in the distance
File:The Titan.jpg|The ''Titan''
⚫
File:Climber on the Corkscrew.jpg|Climber ascends the ''Corkscrew'' pitch on ''[[Stolen Chimney]]''
File:A281, Fisher Towers, Utah, USA, 2008.JPG|View from the northwest, [[Kingfisher Tower (Utah)|Kingfisher]] to left
File:Fisher Towers area, near Moab, Utah…note climber near peak of highest pinnacle (6294500244).jpg|[[Ancient Art (Fisher Towers)|Ancient Art]]
</gallery>

==Guidebooks==
*{{cite book |title=Rock climbing desert rock III : Moab to Colorado National Monument|first=Eric |last=Bjørnstad |publisher=Falcon |location=Helena, MO |year=1999 |isbn=1-56044-754-0}}
*{{cite book |title=Classic Desert Climbs |edition=2nd |first=Fred |last=Knapp |publisher=Sharp End Publishing |year=2002 |isbn=1-892540-17-7}}
*{{cite book|last=Green|first=Stewart M.|title=Rock climbing Utah|year=1998|publisher=Falcon|location=Helena, Mont.|isbn=1560445947}}


==References==
==References==
Line 57: Line 72:


== External links ==
== External links ==
⚫
{{commons category|Fisher Towers}}
* [http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/recreation/hiking_trails/fisher_towers_trail.html Fishers Towers Trail] - [[Bureau of Land Management]]
* {{cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/recreation/hiking_trails/fisher_towers_trail.html |title=Fishers Towers Trail |publisher=Bureau of Land Management |access-date=2011-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828215712/http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/recreation/hiking_trails/fisher_towers_trail.html |archive-date=2012-08-28 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.mountainproject.com/v/utah/moab_area/fisher_towers/105716787 |title=Fisher Towers |publisher=Mountain Project |accessdate=2011-05-15}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.mountainproject.com/v/utah/moab_area/fisher_towers/105716787 |title=Fisher Towers |publisher=Mountain Project |accessdate=2011-05-15}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/Utah/Moab/Fisher_Towers/ |title=Fisher Towers |publisher=rockclimbing.com |accessdate=2011-05-15}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/Utah/Moab/Fisher_Towers/ |title=Fisher Towers |publisher=rockclimbing.com |accessdate=2011-05-15}}
* {{cite summitpost |id=153062 |name=Fisher Towers/Onion Creek Towers|accessdate=2011-05-15}}
* {{cite summitpost |id=153062 |name=Fisher Towers/Onion Creek Towers|accessdate=2011-05-15}}


{{authority control}}
⚫
{{commons category|Fisher Towers}}

[[Category:Mountains of Utah]]
[[Category:Mountains of Utah]]
[[Category:Climbing areas of the United States]]
[[Category:Geology of Utah]]
[[Category:Climbing areas of Utah]]
[[Category:Rock formations of Utah]]
[[Category:Landforms of Grand County, Utah]]
[[Category:Landforms of Grand County, Utah]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Grand County, Utah]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Grand County, Utah]]

Latest revision as of 10:24, 5 January 2025

Fisher Towers
The Fisher Towers viewed from the west at sundown
Map showing the location of Fisher Towers
Map showing the location of Fisher Towers
Nearest cityMoab, Utah
Coordinates38°43′18″N 109°18′15″W / 38.7216516°N 109.3042827°W / 38.7216516; -109.3042827[1]
Climbing typetrad and aid climbing of towers and faces
HeightTitan: 900 feet (270 m); Ancient Art: 400 feet (120 m)
Pitchesup to 7
RatingsApart from couple moderate routes most climbs are at hard (up to A6)
Gradesup to IV
Rock typeCutler sandstone capped with Moenkopi sandstone and caked with a stucco of red mud
Quantity of rockmonths worth
Developmentdeveloped
Cliff aspectsouth facing
Seasonfall and spring
OwnershipBureau of Land Management
Campingfree
Classic climbs
  • Stolen Chimney (5.10d or 5.8 A0) on Ancient Art
  • Finger of Fate (5.8 A3) on Titan
  • The Colorado North East Ridge (A3) on Kingfisher
  • West Side Story (A3) on Cottontail Tower
  • Phantom Sprint (5.12b or A3) on Echo Tower
  • Sundevil Chimney (5.8 A4) on Titan
Stars

Fisher Towers are a series of towers made of Cutler sandstone capped with Moenkopi sandstone and caked with a stucco of red mud located near Moab, Utah (38°43′26″N 109°18′30″W / 38.7240°N 109.3083°W / 38.7240; -109.3083). The Towers are named for a miner who lived near them in the 1880s. The Towers are world-renowned as a subject for photography and for its classic rock climbing routes.[2][3]

Location

[edit]

The nearest town is Moab, Utah about 16 miles (26 km) to the southwest. The area is generally accessed from Fisher Towers Road off of Route 128 which runs along the Colorado River between I-70 and Route 191. Castleton Tower is visible approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) to the southwest from different parts of the Fisher Tower's area.[citation needed]

The Towers lie just south of a larger mesa which they are emerging from on a geological time scale. 1,000 feet (300 m) north of the main formation there is a tower which has only partway emerged from the mesa. The Towers are composed of three major fins of rock that run from the northeast closer to the mesa out to the southwest and into a desert valley. The fins are between 1,000 and 2,000 feet (300 and 610 m) long and separated from each other by about 1,000 feet (300 m). Each fin contains multiple towers, a number of which have been named.[citation needed]

The easternmost section of the northernmost fin is dominated by a tower known as the King Fisher. The ridge line of the fin drops considerable before reaching the western formation called Ancient Art. Ancient Art is composed of four separate summits the most striking of which is the cork screw summit. The Middle fin is split into two very distinct towers known as Echo Tower in the east and Cottontail in the west. The southernmost fin is best known for containing the Fisher Towers with the greatest elevation and prominence, a structure named Titan Tower. The eastern portion of the southern fin is the less well known Oracle which physically connects back to the mesa.[citation needed]

The area has many other named structures, such as the Cobra (which collapsed, presumably due to a lightning strike, sometime in the final week of July 2014)[4][5][6] and the Sundial, both found in between King Fisher and Echo Tower. Each consists of balanced rocks perched above smaller supports. Another example is the Lizard Rock, a 60-foot (18 m) tower near the parking lot.[citation needed]

Rock climbing

[edit]

Development of Fisher Towers as climbing areas start in the early 1960s. The first notable technical climb was a route called the Finger of Fate, which summits Titan Tower and was later featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.[7] The Towers are also very well known for the cork screw summit of the Ancient Arts tower, most commonly accessed by the Stolen Chimney route.[8] Photographs of the unusual cork screw summit have been extensively published in many settings including mainstream advertisements.[9]

In film

[edit]

The Fisher Towers were featured in the opening scene of Austin Powers in Goldmember.

Television commercials, advertisements, and even scenes from famous movies have been filmed in the area of Moab, Utah (where the Fisher Towers are located).[citation needed]

[edit]

Guidebooks

[edit]
  • Bjørnstad, Eric (1999). Rock climbing desert rock III : Moab to Colorado National Monument. Helena, MO: Falcon. ISBN 1-56044-754-0.
  • Knapp, Fred (2002). Classic Desert Climbs (2nd ed.). Sharp End Publishing. ISBN 1-892540-17-7.
  • Green, Stewart M. (1998). Rock climbing Utah. Helena, Mont.: Falcon. ISBN 1560445947.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Fisher Towers". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  2. ^ Bjørnstad, Eric (1999). Desert Rock III. Helena, MO: Falcon. ISBN 1-56044-754-0.
  3. ^ Knapp, Fred (2002). Classic Desert Climbs (2nd ed.). Sharp End Publishing. ISBN 1-892540-17-7.
  4. ^ "Iconic rock formation, The Cobra, crumbles". GrindTV.com. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  5. ^ Dobner, Jennifer (August 5, 2014). "Popular, snakelike 'Cobra' rock formation beheaded in Utah". Reuters. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  6. ^ "The Cobra Rock Formation Has Crumbled". Allproudamericans.com. August 6, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  7. ^ Kroese, Mark (2001). Fifty Favorite Climbs: The Ultimate North American Tick List. The Mountaineers Books. ISBN 0-89886-728-2.
  8. ^ "Stolen Chimney". Mountainproject.com. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  9. ^ Citibank ThankYou Card Commercial. November 21, 2011. Retrieved October 14, 2012. Alex Honnold and Katie Brown climbing the Ancient Arts tower.
[edit]
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