Earth Angel via Kicked Out of Heaven

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November 8, 2025
Earth Angel is one of the largest free standing towers in the greater Sedona area, nestled deep within Mormon Canyon. There are no easy ways up to its summit, with all routes involving climbing. Kicked Out of Heaven is one of these routes, and many have called it one of the highest quality routes in Sedona. Despite this technically being a trad route, most of the moves, including all of the moves more difficult than 5.10, were very sporty and bouldery, so sport climbers shouldn't hesitate to get on it. 

Routes climbed:

Name	Grade	# Pitches	Quality (1-5)	Type
Kicked Out of Heaven	5.12	5	5	trad

Peaks/Towers climbed

Peak	Elevation	Topographic Prominence	Summit Coordinates (lat/lon)
Earth Angel	5,900 ft	200 ft	34.90551, -111.76590

Gear

- 70m rope

- tagline (optional, but made raps easier)

- cams: doubles 0.2-75, singles 1, 2

- 7 quickdraws, 7 alpine draws

Total Stats

4 miles

1,600 ft gain/loss

Kevin and I got a late start, leaving the trailhead well after 9am. The approach was pretty mellow, rock hopping NNE up a dry riverbed for 1.7 miles before veering south up a steep gully with a use-trail directly towards the tower. Once at the northern base of the tower, we turned left and continued up faint trails to the base of the obvious arete that contained Kicked Out of Heaven. In all, the approach took about 1.5 hours.

view from the trailhead

Route viewed below from the northeast

The following pitch descriptions (in blue) are taken directly from Mountain Project, with my remarks below each one. 

Pitch 1 (5.10+)
Climb up and right over easy terrain, stem though the roof on the right at about 50 feet, at a stance above, move left past a bolt up the steep wall over a roof to the huge ledge on the arete with a 1 bolt and small crack belay. Note the rap anchor 10 feet left around the corner.

The pitch started at a large ledge that jutted out right. I clipped a single bolt here, stepped right, and climbed up about 30 ft of easy terrain. Above me were two roofs. The one to the left was an open flare and then the one to the right was a wider stem box. I took the right one, doing some really cool moves to get over the lip. I then trended left, clipping a bolt or two, then did a slightly puckery runout hand traverse to the left for about 20 ft before climbing up on easier terrain to the bolted anchor.

Pitch 2 (5.12)

Step up to the pillar, tip toe to the bolt on the left, then slap the blunt arete through the crux and a nice stance above. (Note: A bolt has been added here to create an alternate belay. This belay is recommended to avoid a hanging belay a bit higher that was used on some early ascents. The FFA linked the entirety of P2 into P3 for an amazing mega pitch. Highly recommend! Otherwise from this alternate belay, one can finish this pitch and continue by linking into P3.) From here, crank patina over left to the architectural arete and follow it up past bolts, just below the anchor a .4 in a horizontal may calm your nerves.  Belay at crappy stance on the exposed arete.

The arete was really cool, with crimps on the right and blunt arete slapping on the left. These moves were well protected, and I took a few small whips figuring them out. I ended the pitch at the alternate belay.

looking up pitch 2

Kevin following the crux moves

Pitch 3 (5.12-)

Crimp madly up cool patina and dishes, trying not to ass sandwich your belayer. Move left to the even more exposed arete and enjoy the view, while trying not to look down.  Belay at the 'Hallelujah ledge'

This was my favorite pitch of the route, consisting of awesome airy arete climbing on good holds. There was only one thin section above the original pitch 2 anchor, but it was short lived. I would recommend ending pitch 2 at the alternate anchor and linking into all of pitch 3 as we did in order to prevent the ass sandwich potential at the start of pitch 3, since the crux moves are right above the original anchor. 

looking up from the pitch 2 alternate belay towards the second half of pitch 2 as well as pitch 3

looking down pitch 3

shadow of Earth Angel

Pitch 4 (5.11-)

Climb the anti splitter above the belay until the gear become wack and move left on patina past bolts to the most exposed position of the route.  A couple horizontals at the end of the pitch will take gear. Save a .3 and a .5/.75 for these. Belay on small ledge with a bolt and any piece of gear you have left.

Another very fun pitch. A fun section of crack (with a bat inside that angrily chirped at me) led to more fun arete pulling. The rock was noticeably softer up here.

looking down pitch 4

Pitch 5 (5.11)

Move straight up past 2 bolts to a long thin move then step right over the gargoyle and ramble up easy terrain with horizontal gear to a mini headwall below the anchor.

A slopey balancy start led to a crimpy crux which was short lived, then an easy romp up to the summit. There was a bolted anchor with rap rings right below the true summit.

looking up pitch 5

views from the summit

Descent

6 total raps with one 70m. From the summit anchors, one rap straight down past a tree, then a second rap to a hanging anchor. Third rap to the ledge on top of pitch 3. Fourth rap to the top of pitch 2. Walk 20 ft left on the giant ledge to the next rap anchors. Fifth rap is short to a hanging anchor. 6th rap put us directly at our packs at the start of the route.