Trip Report
Intermediate Alpine Climb - North Early Winter Spire/South Face
Short approach to a rock route with exposed scrambling and two pitches of climbing.
Diana Yuen
- Sun, Jul 31, 2016
- Intermediate Alpine Climb - North Early Winter Spire/South Face
- North Early Winter Spire/South Face
- Climbing
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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Route is in great shape. Rocks are of good to questionable quality. Delicate handling is required to avoid breaking off holds or kicking kitty litter down. Snow finger exists in gully under upper chockstone (SuperTopo pitch 2 to pitch 3), but does not affect the climbing.
Trail is well-trodden and easy to find and follow. Mosquitoes and goats out in full force.
Route itself is mostly class 2-4 scrambling with a lot of exposure, some loose rock, and some kitty litter. For greatest efficiency, I suggest only very skilled scramblers do this route to avoid pitching out runout sections with little to no pro.
We only climbed two pitches - first pitch (crux) and last pitch ("chimney"). Used virtually no gear -single rack of #0.4-1 was sufficient, though if you are inexperienced, would recommend more. Clipped a lot of fixed pins and pitons on P1. Crux move was unprotectable "sloppy ledge" leading to belay station.
Three raps off newly bolted (very awesome robust bolts!) will get you back to the top of the chockstone gully. Scramble the gully and make two more raps to the bottom. Alternative rap line suggested to us by nearby climbers starts in the same place but takes route down Labor Pains / W Face all the way to the trail.