The Trident
Rock Climbing
Total Time: 3:30
Distance: 0.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 400′
Crux: 5.9
Pitches: 3
Companion: Colin Pickles
Trailhead: Queen Creek, no services
Queen Creek is the premier sport climbing area in Central Arizona. Hundreds of routes are spread across multiple crags, characterized by unusual volcanic pockets and steep face climbing. Most of the climbs are single pitch, with a handful of multipitch adventures on some of the larger walls and spires in the area. Although I tended to be more drawn to trad climbing, The Trident in Atlantis intrigued me, in part because Colin talked about doing it for at least a year. So when I finally let him pick the climbing choice of the day, it was one of the first options he named. With temperatures finally allowing enjoyable Phoenix area climbing, we were in no rush to get there too early, pulling in to the turn out above Atlantis at around 9 AM.
The Access Fund had recently reworked the steep approach trail down into Queen Creek Canyon, and we scrambled down the broken shelves and talus to the creek below, the Trident directly across the canyon with one group already on route. A handline was left in place for the steepest part of the approach, ending at the rusted hull of a car that crashed off the cliff long ago.
After some recent big storms, Queen Creek was flowing strong and half the climbs in Atlantis would require some stream fording to access and would essentially be off limits for the day. But the Trident was nice and dry, and we geared up beneath a tree nearby. The twosome above us was just starting up the second pitch, so to give them some time we warmed up on the pitch immediately to the right. MP has it listed as Unknown 5.6, and we both thought it felt it bit harder. Looking into it more after the fact, I think the route was actually G-String 5.7+, which felt a bit more true to the rating.
With the route clear above us, Colin started up the first pitch while I belayed, climbing past the anchors on Mondo Freako to a small belay ledge near a tree. I quickly climbed up to join him, finding the first pitch easy and straightforward face-climbing.
It was my turn to lead the second pitch, a long 100+ feet with a mix of bolts and pitons as well as one or two spots where a supplemental cam is recommended. After two easy bolts low down I came to the first piton, which look ancient and like it wouldn’t hold much. A second piton was missing and I placed a cam, honestly feeling more solid than the rusty piton below. I encountered a final piton just above this with bolts the rest of the pitch. The crux of the pitch came about 2/3s of the way up above a nice ledge, which provided a good rest before pulling a small bulge that wound up being easier than it looked. The top of the pitch was a huge chain anchor wrapped around a boulder, and I built my own cordalette anchor to bring up Colin.
He joined me at the top just as the two-some above us was rapping down the final third pitch- perfect timing. We extended the anchor to scramble off the exposed boulder, than moved the belay to the start of the third and final crux pitch. Colin had the honors given the risk of decking potential and my bum ankle, and we stick clipped up before he started up the pumpy, slightly overhanging crack to the summit. The pitch eased off above the second bolt and he cruised to the summit chains from there.
Once he had me on belay I liebacked my way up, having an easier time than Colin who partially faced climbed the lower pitch. From the chains, we scrambled to the summit to take in the views up and down Queen Creek and spot the various other climbs nearby, including the higher tower Poseidon above us.
Surprisingly, no other parties were behind us despite quite a few groups on the single pitch routes below, and we rapped off the summit back to the base with three single rope rappels. We had hoped to climb Pole Dancing Dragons- 2 pitches of 5.8. But there were 5 people on the route and it looked like a complete cluster fuck with the upper team rapping to the hanging belay that already had two people on it. So we stuck with single pitch the rest of the day, climbing Micky Mouse 5.8, Ali Cat 5.7 and Hide and Seek 5.7.
Everything else within our abilities was either being climbed or underwater, so we started the hike out at about 4 PM. The Marty Guide showed some routes near the old highway tunnel nearby, and we decided to check out the area before leaving. The old road left the same parking area heading west (not the steep use trail that drops into the canyon). We passed a few extremely difficult looking polished routes before an old tunnel and site of the old highway before the new Queen Creek Tunnel was built.
There were actually some impressive overhanging sport routes in the tunnel itself, I’m sure at least in the 5.13 range. On the far side we found the bulk of the routes but found the rock extremely chossy. I led a 5.5 but thought it a bit loose and scary, and we decided to save the others for another, braver time.
It’s a shame the routes don’t clean up a bit more, as the approach was probably the easiest of any crag I’ve come across in AZ. With the sun setting, we headed back to the car and drove back to Phoenix for a late dinner.
