The Oracle (Fisher Towers)

The Oracle
Northwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation6,060 ft (1,847 m)[1]
Prominence120 ft (37 m)[1]
Parent peakThe Titan[1]
Isolation0.15 mi (0.24 km)[1]
Coordinates38°43′15″N 109°17′49″W / 38.72085°N 109.29684°W / 38.72085; -109.29684[2]
Geography
The Oracle is located in Utah
The Oracle
The Oracle
Location in Utah
The Oracle is located in the United States
The Oracle
The Oracle
The Oracle (the United States)
CountryUnited States
StateUtah
CountyGrand
Parent rangeColorado Plateau
Topo mapUSGS Fisher Towers
Geology
Mountain typePillar
Rock typeSandstone
Climbing
First ascent1970
Easiest routeclass 5.8

The Oracle is a 6,060-foot-elevation (1,847-meter) pillar in Grand County, Utah, United States.

Description

The Oracle is located 17 miles (27 km) northeast of Moab, Utah, in the Fisher Towers, on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 1,000 feet (305 meters) above surrounding terrain in 0.1 miles (0.16 km). Precipitation runoff from the tower drains to Onion Creek which empties into the Colorado River, approximately three miles to the west. Access is via Fisher Towers Road from Route 128 and hiking the Fisher Towers Trail.

Geology

The Oracle is set on a fin and is composed of two principal strata of sandstone and mudstone: Permian Cutler Formation capped by Early Triassic Moenkopi Formation. There is an unconformity between the Cutler and the Moenkopi layers.[3] The reddish coloration of the rock is a result of varying amounts of hematite.[4]

Climate

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit The Oracle. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone with cold winters and hot summers.[5] Summers highs rarely exceed 100 °F (38 °C). Summer nights are comfortably cool, and temperatures drop quickly after sunset. Winters are cold, but daytime highs are usually above freezing. Winter temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) are uncommon, though possible. This desert climate receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.

Climbing

The first ascent of the summit was made in 1970 by Harvey T. Carter Tom Merrill, Steve Kentz, and Mike Pokress via the class 5.10 Fantasia route on the south ridge.[6]

Other rock-climbing routes on The Oracle:[2]

  • Beaking In Tongues – class 5.8 – Steve Bartlett, Dave Levine – (1997)[7]
  • Beak to the Future – class 5.10 – Paul Gagner, Jeremy Aslaksen – (2012)[8]
  • Empire of Dirt – class 5.8 – Jeremy Aslaksen – (2019)
  • Curse the Gods – Jim Beyer – (2021)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "The Oracle - 6,060' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  2. ^ a b The Oracle Climbing, Mountain Project, Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  3. ^ Castle Valley Overview United States of America, Virtual 3D Geoscience, v3geo.com, Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  4. ^ GeoSights: Fisher Towers – The towering red rock sculptures of Grand County, Utah, Carl Ege, Utah Geological Survey, Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  5. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L. & McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11 (5): 1633–1644. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 1027-5606. S2CID 9654551.
  6. ^ First Ascent Timeline, deserttowersbook.com, Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  7. ^ Beaking in Tongues, Steve Bartlett, deserttowersbook.com, Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  8. ^ Fisher Towers, The Oracle, Beak to the Future, Paul Gagner, 2013, Americanalpineclub.org