Tooth Fairy, 5.10, 4 Pitches

Overview/Approach

In May of 2021, I ventured into a new trad climbing destination (for me) in North America.  For someone who had been climbing full time for several decades, it is not always an easy task to find something new and stimulating.  I had the fortune of climbing three days straight with a local who insisted every morning that few folks would or could climb three days straight in the Organ Mountain Range.  The approaches do require a certain amount of energy and enthusiasm, no doubt.  Perhaps the most iconic looking features in the Organs are the Tooth and the Wedge.  The Tooth resembling more of a mini tooth in the foreground of a much larger one (the Wedge).

The routes on the Tooth are not long.  Tooth Fairy can easily be done in three pitches versus the four as listed at MP.com or five listed in the old Falcon guide and takes you to the left side shoulder summit of the southwest face.  The first two leads offer stellar trad climbing, not just by Organ standards, but by any North American standard.  The 1^st and 2^nd pitches combined lands you at a comfortable treed ledge that is also the jumping off point for Tooth Extraction, which is essentially a two-pitch variation that offers the most sustained moderate lead on the Tooth via its long dihedral pitch that leads to the same top rap anchor as the Fairy.

The 1^st-2^nd pitch combo of Tooth Fairy starts up an easy crack to a traverse right under a roof to an airy arete with a hand crack in it that leads to the beforementioned ledge.  The crux 3^rd pitch involves an exposed slab move through a fixed bolt that gets you into a beautiful finger splitter.  It can be challenging for the grade depending on your skill set (5.10- on MP.com or 5.10 in the Falcon Guide).  The final pitch(s) meanders up the wall quite some distance to the fixed rap.

This is one of the easier approaches in the Organs but still takes approximately 2 hours for a fit team.  Approach from the campground by hiking up the main road (vehicle access denied as of 2021).  You leave the road at a well-marked cairn on the left.  This single-track trail crosses a drainage and then switchbacks right up to trees that offer plenty of shade directly below the Tooth.  The route starts at the far-left end of the southwest face. 

Route Descripton

1^st/2^nd Pitches- 180’-5.9/ A fun and enjoyable pitch with varied climbing.  Start up a short 5^th class crack heading for the obvious crack above.  Traverse right well below the roof.  Pull out the right upper arete into airy climbing.  Hand jam up the arete and trend up and right to a fixed rap.  Either extend your pro or don’t combine these first two pitches.

3^rd Pitch- 150’-5.10/ MP.com has this pitch at 5.10- and the published Falcon Guide has it at 5.10.  Unique pitch that starts out steep slab up and through a bolt (MP.com mentions two bolts, but on lead I only clipped one, there are pro bolts lined up to another route but I felt only one was appropriate to clip in keeping with this line) to reach the vegetated finger splitter.  Making the balanced traverse left to the crack is the crux of the route.  The crack is shallow and/or flaring at times making for thoughtful gear placement. You are rewarded with a much easier steep crack corner finish through the short headwall above.  MP.com mentioned the exit of this corner as “awkward” but I did not feel that.   Move left at the tree (2021) to a fixed rap. 

4^th Pitch- 150’-5.9/ Continue up intermittent cracks passing an array of old pitons (2021).  Climb through a massive sotol bush (2021) on its left side trending right up to a short wide section, nothing overly technical about this pitch.  The Falcon guide has this pitch publised as two, but I do not see the need for breaking it up.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

We made five raps with a 70m single rope.  However, we climbed Tooth Extraction in between raps which makes sense.  From the top, one rap down to near the bush you climbed through.  Another short rap down to the top of pitch 3.  A 3^rd rap to the top of pitch 2 (ledge).  Two more single rope raps to the ground. Hardware is modern as of 2021.

Essential Gear

Single rack to #3.  Double on finger sizes.  Plenty of wires and/or off sets to serve as a triple finger sized rack for the crux pitch.  Shoulder length slings, particulary if you want to combine the first two pitches.  Route receives a significant amount of sun but at this elevation is easily doable as late as May.