Page, Arizona: King of Wings, South Coyote Buttes, White Pocket, Red Top, Sidestep, Castle Rock (April 11–20, 2026)

The King of Wings, south of Farmington, New Mexico.

Personnel: Stan Wagon and JoAn Hutchinson, Bob Portmann and Jeanmarie Mendesh, Jonathan Kriegel, Joe Buhler, Adam Chalcraft, Dan Gordon, Dave and Diane Perkinson.

Saturday: Drive to Farmington, NM. Rainy.

Sunday: King of Wings, 3 miles, 500 feet climb. About an hour south of Farmington. This feature is sometimes known as “Momo’s King of Wings”. AI reports that it was discovered by a local explorer and microbiologist known as Momo, who found it by flying low over the badlands. Its location was a secret for a long time. This is likely Momchilo (Momo) Vuyisich. The wing is formed out of the upper Fruitland and lower Kirtland formations.

Monday: South Coyote Buttes loop, in a rented jeep: 5 miles. Bob, Adam, Jonathan, JM. Others went to the Wahweap Hoodoos.

Tuesday: White Pocket, Bob, Adam, Jonathan, Jeanmarie, Joe, Dan, Dave and Dianne.

Wednesday: Red Top from Paria River. Joe, Jonathan, Adam, Bob, and I went to the summit. Joe and I used a belay on the 5.1 pitch.

Thursday: Sidestep. Aaargh; I used the old entrance (too far east), having made an error with my tracks. The entrance was simple and we toured and crossed the canyon and exited, after some dead ends, on the other side. Then we walked the flat ground to the amazing Twisted Hoodoo and out via the camel and Chimney Rock. Saw a big white bird: cattle egret, we think. We also saw a horned toad, my first such sighting in Utah. 8.5 miles.

Friday: Castle Rock summit with Bob and Adam (rest went to Spencer Trail at Lee’s Ferry). We used Stav’s waypoint, but it gave different points on Adam’s and Bob’s GAIA. Odd. Met a guy from Dillon, Colorado, who was descending. Climbed the dryfall at the start; 5.5; Adam led with no rope. Then the crux by the steep dike; 5.2. Then at the summit area we climbed to the potential summit that had a cairn at its top; 5.2 (roped; Adam led) to a tree. Then a 5.7 six-foot move to gain the summit block. The level on Bob’s phone indicated that our old summit was higher. So we went there (easy). Numbers on GAIA were inconclusive. Bottom line is that these two summits (and there is a third to the east) are all within about three feet of each other. On descent we took the slab route at the crux rather than the dike. Then climbed the 5.2 rock to avoid the dryfall (my 30-meter rope was not long enough to rappel the pouroff). Very pleasant weather (cool) and a beautiful day on Navajo sandstone.

Saturday: JM, BP, JPH, SW to Cottonwood Narrows, 1.7 miles. Uphill direction.

Sunday: Drive home, with stop to visit Mike and Ellyn Johnson in Moab.

Flowers IDed on the trip: Humboldt Mountains milkweed, Gorkeys gilia, Cross flower, Utah penstemon, Coral gilia, Frosted mint, Prince’s plume, Red-stem stork’s-bill.

Wildlife: Cattle egret, Horned lizard.

The King of Wings, overhanging about 12 feet.
The terrain on approach is moon-like.
The protruding wing is about 12 feet long.
Ascending the valley west of South Coyote Buttes.
Half and half.
South Coyote Buttes.
The amazing raptor footprint in South Coyote Buttes.
South Coyote Buttes.
Rainbow Cove.
The Witch’s Hat.
Frosted mint.
White Pocket tiling.
The Swan at White Pocket.
White Pocket Ponderosa pine.
Ponderosa pine.
Some nice stonework remains at the old Paria townsite.
The ramp leading to Red Top.
Red top at right. Approach slab at left.
Adam Chalcraft.
The pitch to the summit of Red Top.
The view north towards Yellow Rock.
Red Top summit at right. Entrance red slap at far left.
Coral gilia, found in Sidestep Canyon.
The entrance to the intimidating, but passable, Blue Wonder slot canyon.
Entrada finger.
Sand verbena
Dave and Diane Perkinson.
Entrada family.
A horned lizard, aka horned toad, aka horny toad. When attacked it sprays poisonous blood out of its eye! I had never seen one in Colorado.
The amazing Twisted Hoodoo.
Castle Rock from across the valley in 2022. The climbing route starts at right and is basically a walk up the middle.
The initial pour off. It is easily passed on the right, but it is also fun to climb (5.5).
Bob climbing the initial pouroff.
Bob descending the slab that is the crux of the normal route (class 3+).
The crux section of the normal route up Castle Rock. One can use the dike on the right (5.1) or the smoother slabs on the left (easier).
Castle Rock Arch, just below the true summit.
A roped pitch to just below the cairned summit; Bob Portmann.
The teeny arch near the true summit.
Bob, JoAn, and Jeanmarie in Cottonwood Narrows.