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Dave Beedon | profile | all galleries >> Places >> Utah >> Moab (environs) >> Castle Valley: Castleton Tower tree view | thumbnails | slideshow | map

4922 Plateau | Arches National Park | Canyonlands National Park | Castle Valley (introduction) | Castle Valley: Round Mountain | Castle Valley: Castleton Tower | Corona Arch | Corona Arch Domes | Day Canyon | Dead Horse Point State Park | The Goose Neck | Ida Gulch | Jackson-Kane plateau | Jeep Arch | Monitor and Merrimac Buttes | Negro Bill Canyon ("NBC") | Other Moab Environs | Poison Spider Mesa: Loop Through the Fins | Poison Spider Mesa: Return to the Maw | Potash Area | Sand Flats | Shafer Trail | Tombstone Plateau | White Rim Trail | Moab: Tilted Hunter-Gatherer Plateau

Castle Valley: Castleton Tower

Castleton Tower (also known as Castle Rock) is a sandstone tower sitting atop a conical
base, on the edge of Castle Valley. It is a popular rock climb. It is also known as the
location of a Chevrolet commercial in the 1960s: a convertible (and a well-dressed woman)
were flown to the flat summit and photographed there from a helicopter. More recently,
Dan Dunn landed there in his anti-gravity Jeep when returning from Mars.

My fear of heights precluded my climbing this beautiful formation. I was content to
scramble up the primitive "trail" to the ridge behind the tower and enjoy the view. Several
climbers clung to the sheer walls far above me---it made me dizzy to look at them.

Castleton Tower appears at the center of this WikiMapia aerial view.
.
Castleton Tower (Castle Rock) from the trailhead access road
Castleton Tower (Castle Rock) from the trailhead access road		 Castle Valley Road at the trailhead
Castle Valley Road at the trailhead		 Round Mountain stands silently in the valley
Round Mountain stands silently in the valley		 Thank-you plaque
Thank-you plaque		 Plaque, close up
Plaque, close up
Rectory (main mass) and Priest and Nuns (towers), just north of Castleton Tower
Rectory (main mass) and Priest and Nuns (towers), just north of Castleton Tower		 Castleton Tower from the trail
Castleton Tower from the trail		 Climbers' trail goes through these rocks
Climbers' trail goes through these rocks		 Priest and Nuns (towers at left) and the Rectory
Priest and Nuns (towers at left) and the Rectory		 White lines point to climbers on the Rectory (click on original below to see details)
White lines point to climbers on the Rectory (click on "original" below to see details)
Trailside bush
Trailside bush		 Not handicapped-accessible
Not handicapped-accessible		 The tower---again (but not the last time)
The tower---again (but not the last time)		 Parriott Mesa
Parriott Mesa		 Bottom of the tower's conical base
Bottom of the tower's conical base
First view of the tower from its conical base
First view of the tower from its conical base		 Round Mountain in the distance
Round Mountain in the distance		 Fisrt view of the breach in the wall
Fisrt view of the breach in the wall		 Climbers' path and the trailhead
Climbers' path and the trailhead		 The breach: a scramble
The breach: a scramble
The breach from above
The breach from above		 Rocky tower
Rocky tower		 Mormon tea
Mormon tea		 Guess what feature this is?
Guess what feature this is?		 Trailhead and route through the low hills
Trailhead and route through the low hills
Rest break below Castleton Tower
Rest break below Castleton Tower		 Stone steps
Stone steps		 Ida Gulch
Ida Gulch		 Scraggly bush
Scraggly bush		 Sister Superior
Sister Superior
Rock texture
Rock texture		 Tower and jet
Tower and jet		 Close to the ridge at the tower's base
Close to the ridge at the tower's base		 North face of Castleton Tower---can you see the four climbers?
North face of Castleton Tower---can you see the four climbers?		 Almost at the ridge: climbers to the right of the white dots
Almost at the ridge: climbers to the right of the white dots
Clockwise ridge panorama #1: base of Castleton Tower's north side
Clockwise ridge "panorama" #1: base of Castleton Tower's north side		 Clockwise ridge panorama #2: climbers heading for the south face
Clockwise ridge "panorama" #2: climbers heading for the south face		 Clockwise ridge panorama #3: Porcupine Rim, Castle Valley, and Parriott Mesa
Clockwise ridge "panorama" #3: Porcupine Rim, Castle Valley, and Parriott Mesa		 Clockwise ridge panorama #4: lunch break and towers
Clockwise ridge "panorama" #4: lunch break and towers		 Clockwise ridge panorama #5: bump on the ridge
Clockwise ridge "panorama" #5: bump on the ridge
Clockwise ridge panorama #6a: the bump and well-hidden FisherTowers
Clockwise ridge "panorama" #6a: the bump and well-hidden FisherTowers		 Clockwise ridge panorama #6b: Fisher Towers, magnified
Clockwise ridge "panorama" #6b: Fisher Towers, magnified		 Clockwise ridge panorama #7: Adobe Mesa, La Sal Mountains, and upper Castle Valley
Clockwise ridge "panorama" #7: Adobe Mesa, La Sal Mountains, and upper Castle Valley		 Ridge photo: five climbers in a world of their own
Ridge photo: five climbers in a world of their own		 Ridge photo: climbers on the monolith
Ridge photo: climbers on the monolith
The Rectory, from the south
The Rectory, from the south		 South end of the Rectory: nine climbers are visible (click on original below to see them)
South end of the Rectory: nine climbers are visible (click on "original" below to see them)		 Canine climbing companion checking me out
Canine climbing companion checking me out		 Climbers and passengers (click on original below to see details)
Climbers and passengers (click on "original" below to see details)		 Note the weird position of the left rear leg
Note the weird position of the left rear leg
Far removed from everything
Far removed from everything		 Three climbers rapelling on the Rectory
Three climbers rapelling on the Rectory		 Helping me watch the climbers
Helping me watch the climbers		 One of many lizards seen on the trail
One of many lizards seen on the trail		 Rare bit of color
Rare bit of color
Climber heading for a climb of the south face
Climber heading for a climb of the south face		 Round Mountain in Castle Valley
Round Mountain in Castle Valley		 Coming and going
Coming and going		 Slices of sandstone
Slices of sandstone		 Trailhead parking lot
Trailhead parking lot

comment | share
Guest 15-Nov-2006 21:01
Your rock shots Rock Dave
1moremile19-Sep-2006 13:10
Another great collection, Dave.
Lee G19-Sep-2006 02:13
Another interesting tour Dave. It will soon be cool enough for you to take us abother travel tour!
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