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| Hike & Climb | 1.00 Miles |
1 AEG |
| | Hike & Climb | 1.00 Miles | 2 Days | | |
| 1 ft AEG | | | | |
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| Onsight II G • Trad • 5.6 Granite Excellent • 600 Feet 5 Pitches | | |
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| no partners | | | Pro: standard alpine rack | A year ago when we backpacked into the cirque, I told Katie I would be climbing there next summer. She joked, “I’ll take your pictures.” I said something to the extent of or you will be right next to me climbing. Nearly a year from that moment and we have completed our first of what I hope to be many more climbs in the Winds. We did not get into the cirque, but we climbed and equally aesthetic and fulfilling granite behemoth, Haystack Mountain, 11,979 feet. Or more appropriately the north tower of Haystack Mountain.
Day 1:
Day one was an easy stroll to the inlet of Clear Creek. The trails were immaculate and the hiking generally easy. However, the weight of our packs led to frequent breaks and a slower pace. I carried the rack and Katie carried the rope. We brought a double rack from .1- BD #3 and a single four, along with 11 alpine draws, plus harness, shoes and helmet. Katie carried a 70m rope along with her personal climbing equipment.
After reaching camp and a long nap, we made the scramble up Haystack’s left shoulder to recon the route on the north face. The recon was successful, but truthfully I left with some trepidation. The route was steep, formidable looking and it’s location served as a bit of a natural wind tunnel.
Day 2:
We crawled out of our tent to a chilly morning around 5:30 and were off on the approach by six. There are a few climber trails that take you to the slabs that lead to the base of the climb, but even if you don’t hit one, just head for the obvious weakness in Haystack’s left shoulder.
The Climb:
We did not waste much time when we reached the base, as the goal was to finish the climb before the wind picked up. The guidebook states that if it’s windy anywhere in the world, it will be windy on the north face of Haystack, so the wind was definitely on our minds. We started the climb to a light breeze and in the shade. Pitch one yielded the usual first climb jitters. It only goes 5.4, but it was a little awkward, the granite felt slick and I was cold. However, shortly in I was feeling strong and confident. I had visions of combining the first into a rope stretching 200 plus foot pitch, but came up just short of a nice ledge and had to build an awkward belay stance. Bomber but awkward. Once I got Katie up to me, I led the final little portion to the ledge and built us a much more comfortable belay station. The following pitch offered some of the nicest climbing of the route. It was varied climbing and fun; highlighted by a semi heady traverse with great hands. I got a little off route on the fourth pitch, but Katie was steady on belay, as I had to down-climb a bit and make a traverse to get back on route. The rest of the pitch went more smoothly. We went right at the roof and then I brought Katie up for the final technical pitch. I stayed on belay for the start of the 5th pitch, but I quickly realized we were done climbing and now scrambling. We backpacked the rope and made the scramble to the top of the north tower.
The north tower summit was pretty spectacular and the views were incredible. We did not stay long due to the high winds and cold, but we did take a minute to sign the register and snap a few pics. We descended the prominent north gully, which is also a 5.2 route to the summit. We down climbed a bit and then rapped the rest off some old slung tat.
In order to make time for a backpack into the Titcomb area, we determined if we had enough energy after the climb, we would hike out the second day. That proved to be a good idea as the mosquitoes woke up the moment we reached camp. The wind had kept them down the previous day, but they came back with a vengeance and were relentless at times on the hike out. No amount of deet or permethrin works when the sky is blackened with them. The mosquitoes and heavy packs made the hike out drag a bit. We were both a little fatigued from the long day and happy to finally reach the trailhead.
Final Notes:
This climb was a such a fulfilling experience on so many levels for myself and Katie and we left with a great sense of accomplishment that is hard to articulate. Climbing above 11k feet is a truly memorable experience and literally a little breathtaking. There was not a single bolt on the route and the lack of a detailed topo added to the adventurous feel of the climb. Its nice to see some of my hard work pay off and Katie is proving to be a steady belay and great partner. I can´t wait to get back to the Winds after another year of work |
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