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I've car camped just SW of it, below it's unranked sisters. If you still have those 9 inch nails Brian, they might be the ticket. I'll dig for a photo tonight although I may not have any closer than what's been posted already. I believe it is mostly mud.

dsunwall wrote:I've car camped just SW of it, below it's unranked sisters. If you still have those 9 inch nails Brian, they might be the ticket. I'll dig for a photo tonight although I may not have any closer than what's been posted already. I believe it is mostly mud.

I'd also guess it's mud or a mud/shale combo and if so nails would be the only real way to get up it. That gets scary fast though...

Ohhhh, it's a 8 inch nail and snow/mud picket sort of climb?

Winter8000m wrote:Ohhhh, it's a 8 inch nail and snow/mud picket sort of climb?

Noah - I really think we need to go and check this out. Anybody else out there in?????

Brian C wrote:

Winter8000m wrote:Ohhhh, it's a 8 inch nail and snow/mud picket sort of climb?

Noah - I really think we need to go and check this out. Anybody else out there in?????

You drive the nails in deep enough and I'll Via Ferrata.

Maybe you need to improve on the protection. I'm not certain they would screw in well.

dsunwall wrote:Maybe you need to improve on the protection. I'm not certain they would screw in well.

Hmmm....

Would they bend under body weight? I know the 12 inch nails don't.

Brian C wrote: Would they bend under body weight? I know the 12 inch nails don't.

I don't know. they would be harder to place, the rebar idea might be best, 18" or more?

I can see Brian C now...

I'm sure nails will do the trick? There pretty bomber when there driven in 8 inches, even in 100% mud. Maybe bring the bolt kit (drill or ice axe) to start the hole if it's more compact mud...If it's not compact, all the better! Drive those suckers in! Bonus points for a 3 nail hanging belay.

Scott - Do you know anybody who attempted it?

Talk of those kind of ascents mostly confined to rumors, gossip, and lies around the campfire. Late 1990's was last time I heard of someone attempting it (2nd hand info heard a few years ago), but I can't recall who. They didn't make it very far because of the rock. Think Fisher Towers, with the mud, but without the rock. Eric Bjornstad and Steve Allen would probably be good people to contact, though they might not know of specific attempts. I'll also ask Brian Cabe. He's done some first ascents in the canyon country and seems to be in the know a lot of times.

Goblin Valley State Park may know of any attempts, but before asking anything, make sure they know you will be climbing from the side outside the park (i.e. the north side)! They don't approve of rock climbing in the park.

Since it's a wild area, it's best to try and climb as clean as possible.

Also, there are actually reportedly unclimbed buttes all over the place down there, so Wild Horse Butte is not unique in this respect. Take a look at the Gilson Buttes and Mollies Castle as well. I have scouted out a few routes on the Gilson Buttes that don't look that hard, but the rock is pretty bad. Probably no worse that what you are used to though.

Mollys Castle:



Gilson Buttes:



Photo credits:

https://www.google.com/search?q=gilson+" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... B200%3B200

https://www.google.com/search?q=gilson+" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... B604%3B900

Molly's Castle looks awesome. By the pictures on google, the quality of rock looks quite a bit better then I thought it would be on it. Thanks for the info, Scott!