20/02/2023
A CLIMBING HISTORY OF CASTLETON TOWER
Ingalls was especially enthralled with Castleton and Fisher Towers, but he lacked the partner to climb them with. In 1959, he met Layton Kor. “There was an immediate rapport between us, and the next day we climbed the Bastille Crack in Eldorado Canyon,” Ingalls wrote in 1989. “I was amazed, even shocked by his ability. Here was the man for Castleton Tower.”
In, 1961 they explored the base of Castleton Tower. After finding a good line on the southeast face, later known as the Kor- Ingalls Route, Kor was off leading the pitches. The rock turned out to be delightfully solid, composed of Wingate Sandstone. The climb went smoothly until a storm gathered on the descent. Kor rappelled to the ground safely, but Ingalls was struck by a lightning ground shock through the rope. He was shaken, but unhurt.
Such storms can be fairly common on Castleton, but amazingly, after thousand of ascents, the only fatality on Castleton occurred from a lightning strike in 2005.
Typical of the style of many first ascents in the desert of Utah, the endeavor was a bold and dangerous undertaking, rife with adventure. Not to mention obscurity.
Besides Kor and Ingalls, there were several other climbers making a name for themselves in the desert. One of them was Harvey Carter, a skilled climber from Colorado Springs. He had an affinity for sandstone, especially since Garden of the Gods was his home stomping grounds. Credited with climbing 40 new towers, including the Priest in 1962 with Kor and Fred Beckey, Carter climbed several first ascents with Kor and Ingalls. But he missed out on Castleton, as well as Standing Rock.
excerpt from many recounting a, readings, and magazines, and googling.
Photo Credit: + you should go share an adventure with him on one of these fantastic routes !
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