Stellar route with sweet views, exposure, and mostly clean rock.

See the description for finding the route to decide which start you want to do. I'll start with P4, but this could be P2 from the traversing start.

P4: 130' r-facing corner (5.8+/5.9) belay below the obvious rightward traverse along a small ledge to the next crack system.

P5: Traverse right about 10ft. then follow a 5.8 crack that angles back to the left. 160' 5.8

P6: Another small traverse right leads to broken rock and a L-facing corner. Keep going until you are at a ledge below the large R-facing dihedral.

P7-8: One of the best pitches of dihedral climbing. Combine this with P8 to make a long, stellar pitch if you have the gear to stretch it. 5.9 long

P9: Starts with a chimney that leads to double cracks (see hex master photo). Belay on a nice ledge. 5.8

P10: Continue angling right to a large ledge. 5.7

P11-12: easier climbing to the top.

Minor Dihedral

Pitch off

Major Dihedral

Railroad Tracks

Infinity Slab

Grassy Goat Route

Labor Day

Flash Flood

Central Corner

North Gully

North Face

Pika Alliteration

Lowe-Spark

Grassy Crack

Deep Lake Cirque Traverse

Southern Wall Left

Seams Thin

The Rapture

Caught in the Act

A Road to Nowhere

The route goes at solid 5.9 with one clean aid move over a difficult V4ish roof problem that far exceeds 10c (book rating). Totally free, in reality, the route probably goes around 5.11. All said this is a great route that isn't all that scary (R rating included).

Pitch 1: ~80'. Face climb up into left facing corner then pull through it to the right to a belay on the bushy ledge. 5.6.

Pitch 2: ~100'. Face climb left of the ledge under the roof then pull through it (5.9) about 20 left of the belay ledge. Continue up and right through steep rock to another roof (V4 strenuous crux). Step slightly right then up through it (can be clean aided through with a couple mid sized cams) to a left facing flake and small corner above. Continue to the second ledge about 40' above the roof. 5.11.

Pitch 3: ~120'. Traverse right and down off the belay ledge 25' then up unprotected slab above to a small ledge (5.8+ R). This is not a particularly hard move but one of high consequence of a large swinging whipper into the corner below and left. Don't fall. Continue up arching easy left facing corner and seam to small grassy stance 10' right of right facing corner to the left.

Pitch 4: ~140'. The 'R' pitch in the Bechtel book. Traverse left to the right facing corner and climb up it and then the left trending seam above (5.9 PG-13). Before the end of the seam traverse left to large ledge and belay at far left side of it. Really, a great pitch!

Pitch 5: ~ 110'. Traverse left around the corner to a another defined left facing corner system. Climb through some great moves then a thin right leaning crack section high before belaying on a good upper ledge (there is one small one below I believe). 5.9-.

Pitch 6: ~110'. Climb the right facing corner on the left of the belay then send steeper ground on the grassy crack above which angles straight to the major, right facing dihedral above. The grassy crack would be a lot easier if defoliated. 5.9+. Pass loose flakes above and belay at a small but good perch like ledge.

Pitch 7: ~110'. Climb the corner to the top of a defined pedestal. 5.8.

Pitch 8: ~180'. Climb through stout moves above the belay passing a pin (5.9) to an easier roof. Climb through the roof and press on to a large ledge on the left in a break in the corner.

Pitch 9: ~180'. Keep climbing the corner and belay where comfortable. 5.7-

Pitch 10: ~190'. Climb the corner through another easy roof and a bulge above to easier ground above and where the corner peters out. 5.7

Pitch 11: ~200'. 4th class slabs and cracks to the top of the buttress.

This route has some challenging and aesthetic upper pitches but a few lower easier pitches must be dealt with before you get to them. It is a nice half day route on the south end of Haystack Mountain. I named it pitch off because 14 years after the first ascent I went back and led it again (we had rated it 5.9) and took a HUGE fall off the 4th pitch.

Scramble up the south gully until it is possible to traverse right into a large black section of rock.  Climb to its top left edge and belay at the base of an S shaped crack.

Pitch 1:  Climb the S shaped crack to a smaller black section of rock.  Climb up cracks on its right side, then step right to a ledge at the bottom of a shallow right facing corner.  5.6  150 feet.

Pitch 2:  Climb the shallow corner past two pointed roofs and continue up left on a ledge system.  5.4   160 feet.

Pitch 3:  Climb slightly further left on the ledges, then up a crack that arches right and intersects a small roof.  Undercling out left under the roof and pull over it at its left end.  Belay on the ledge in the corner.  5.7   120 feet.

Pitch 4:  Lieback/undercling the strenuous left leaning/left facing corner above, continue up it to a right facing flake.  Climb this to a large ledge below two thin cracks.  5.10  100 feet.

Pitch 5:  Climb the left crack/seam system then up face and over right side of a large roof.  5.9  150 feet.

P1. From near the bottom of the Grassy Goat Trail, scramble up low-angle rock near a single crack to the parallel cracks, then climb left to small tree. 5.4 at best. We simul-climbed this pitch.

P2. Step right to a pair of facing corners and surmount an overhang. 5.8

P3. Follow a right-facing corner for 1 pitch (5.6-5.8)

P4. Follow a corner to above two large blocks. Twenty feet higher, the parallel cracks become difficult. Take the left crack. 5.8

P5-? Easy scrambling to ridge of Haystack Mt.

To descend, walk north along a wide-sweeping ridge. There were a few cairns to mark the start of the Grassy Goat Trail.

A classic tundra and slab hike leading directly to the north summit. A great rest day scramble or kids, short rope climb. To the right of the North Tower and The Dihedrals is a tundra ramp system that rises up and slightly left. Mostly a narrow trail through hummocks, a short rock slab at 1/3 height is the only 4th class. This very short, 3m black, low angled slab to the left side of a solid block can be climbed easily with out hands when dry. Above the block the passages become even more classic leading up a left to the huge talus that make up the nice summit.

This route climbs the center of the west face to the left of the major dihedral and ends just left of an obvious red corner high on the face.  Chris and I have put up 10 or 15 routes in the Wind River Range in the last 2 decades and this is by far our favorite - sustained, committing and aesthetic. If you can climb the grade comfortably with some areas of run out face and small RP's at thin cruxes its not to be missed.

Access:  Begin at the grassy ledges used to access the minor dihedral.

Pitch 1:  Traverse down and left across easy but loose terrain.  Stop at a corner just before the climbing becomes 5th class.  4th class 100 feet.

Pitch 2:  Traverse across 5th class terrain to a pair of small right facing corner/flakes.  Climb to the top of the second and belay.  5.8  200 feet.

Pitch 3:  Climb a small roof directly above then climb thin cracks to the left end of a curving roof.  Traverse 15 feet left and belay below a thin flake.  5.9  150 feet.

Pitch 4:  Climb up the thin flake then the left facing corner pitch of the major dihedral route.  Climb it to a small roof.  Face climb left (5.10) to a large flake.  Climb the flake to a belay.  5.10  180 feet.

Pitch 5:  Continue up the flake until it ends.  Climb straight up the face to a roof.  Under cling out right then down.  Belay on a small ledge.  5.10a  90 feet.

Pitch 6:  Climb the corner above on beautiful water worn chicken heads to a white sloping face.  Clip the bolt and face climb up/left.  Belay on a small ledge.  5.10  130 feet.

Pitch 7:  Climb up the open book corner to the left until underneath the large right facing corner.  Very thin finger tip liebacks lead to a finger crack and finally a roof into the corner.  Under cling the roof, climb the corner and belay where the crack widens.  5.10d  160 feet.

Pitch 8:  Continue up the corner to a ledge, lieback the corner above until it becomes a seam that heads out right toward the red corner.  At this point step out of the corner to a flake on the left and climb it to a belay in blocks. 5.10a  160 feet.

Pitch 9:  Climb through the blocks, then climb thin liebacks and face to a roof under a right facing corner. Pull the roof into a very clean finger crack/corner and climb it to its end.  Traverse right to a large roof, turn it on the left and climb a left facing corner to the top.  5.10  200 feet.

Pitch 10:  Traverse left, pull a small roof and head for the top.  5.7

A grassy/slabby initial pitch or two leads to three or so pitches of nice 5.8/9 climbing.

P1 and P2: An easy Simo if you choose to. Trend left up on grassy flakes and slabs to a big slopey ledge left of the dihedral, a couple moves shy of the obvious roof.

P3 (crux 5.9): Move up and through the roof, passing a welcomed (old) bolt. A few steep moves turn into a bulgey crack (we took the right one), to a belay ledge just below a steep corner, that can take bigger gear if you traverse slightly right.

P4 and P5 (5.8): Can combine with a 70m. Climb the good corner, with one kind of weird offwidthey, tight move about midway. Belay on 4th class terrain above, scramble to the ridge. This will stretch a 70m if you choose to combine them.

Descend left, back to clear lake, or go ahead and climb the North Face, since you are already at the start!

5 pitches of good climbing on clean rock, with the 2nd pitch being the crux.  Scramble up the slabs to the obvious corner.  Last ptich is mostly easy scrambling  If you are camping on the slabs across from Haystack; there are great views of this climb.  Descend via the goat track.

An enjoyable scramble if you are unprepared to climb one of the more technical routes on this mountain. It is also the closest descent route to the North Face. There is some loose rock in this gully, and there may in season also be snow, ice, and water; much more secure and pleasant climbing can often be found on the slabs immediately to climber's left. Exit the top of the gully, gain the ridge, and continue to the summit. This route is for the most part an easy solo and down-solo; the riskiest down-climbing can be avoided by rappelling the last 100 feet. The 5.2 rating is from Steve Bechtel's guidebook; Joe Kelsey's book rates it 5.1.

A clean, moderate route on the North Face, seen in profile from Clear Lake. A nice warmup climb or for those wanting an easy day.

The first three and a half pitches are the best with clean rock and continuous moderate climbing. The first pitch is a hand crack in a left facing corner which leads to an obvious ramp leading up and left. The second pitch is a thin crack in a right facing dihedral, which leads to a small overhang - which can be climbed directly via the thin crack (5.7 variation) which peters out (and is hard to protect). The easiest way is to traverse around to the right until a crack and hand traverse leads back to the left and connects with the 5.7 variation. Above here, there is a hand crack, and the angle starts to diminish, so there are many options for the last pitch and a half.

Can be extremely windy even if there isn't a hint of wind down at the lakes.

There is a ledge system with trees 1/3 of the way up this route.  Start below and left of this ledge system at a clump of trees high on the base of the north shoulder.

P.1 climb over some blocks, angling left up to a slab and then to a corner where one can set a semi-hanging belay off of TCUs and tricams.  This provides a protected belay spot from the corner above (90)

P.2 climb the left facing corner above for about 183, passing the treed ledge system on the right and through a small bulge in the corner (5.6ish)  Belay above bulge where angle lessens, or in my case, when you run out of rope.  Some small grassy patches on this pitch (183)

P.3 Climb right up ramps and cracks and slabs to a giant ledge below and right of large, blocky, steep but short corner system (183)

P.4  Move left, up cracks to a steep left facing, hand/fist corner.  Belay at top of corner (70 5.8 ish)

Fourth class terrain for 40 feet takes you to the top of the shoulder.

The Lowe-Spark is a free var of an old Jeff Lowe aid line. This route has it all from steep roofs to super thin face climbing. By far one of the best alpine rock routes in the US!! This thing needs to get some traffic. FFA Team -- Justin Griffin, Hayden Kennedy and Kyle Dempster September 2013

P1: 5.6R corner to slab climbing with not much gear to a good ledge.

P2: 5.9R face climbing. From the belay ledge trend left until a thin crack leads back right -- some Jeff Lowe pitons are on this pitch, cool history for sure!!

P3: 5.10R face climbing strait up from the belay -- there are some old bolts to the right, do not follow them. Belay is on 2 bolts just underneath the huge roof

P4: 5.13 A0 1st crux pitch -- start off with wild 5.12 climbing off the belay protected by bolts to a left leaning traverse with cams. Long slings help with the drag -- climb strait up to a 4 bolt 5.13 traverse just above the lip of the roof. This pitch still hasn't been fully free climbed -- all the moves have been done but not linked. Belay on 2 bolts at a small stance. MEGA PITCH!!

P5: Unreal 5.12 climbing with bolts and gear with two amazing crux sections. After the second crux follow the left trending crack to the slung block belay.

P6: A short 5.9 pitch that gains a nice ledge just bellow the second crux pitch. Belay on 2 bolts on a good stance.

P7: 5.13 second crux -- this pitch is as technical as it gets! Natural gear just off the belay to 5.12 face climbing with bolts. Wild mantle moves and steaming leads to the crux -- desperate boulder problem on the edge of an arete to a hard mantle finish. Thin 5.11 slab climbing to a pumpy roof with #3/#4 Cams. Truly amazing climbing!! Belay on a great ledge with 2 bolts

P8: 5.10+ crack climbing up twin cracks. Natural gear anchor on a ramp.

P9: 5.10+ face/crack climbing to a strange flare section. Belay on small ledge with natural gear.

P10: Burly 5.11 wide climbing right out of the gate to a small roof and then amazing 5.11+ fingers in a corner. Belay on slung blocks.

P11/12: Easy 5.8 and easier terrain to the summit.

You can walk off Haystack or rappel the route with two 70 meter ropes

Grassy Crack is a visually striking, deep crack system that runs more than 1,000 feet up the central portion of Haystack's west face. This is likely its best attribute as the climbing is just so-so. Regardless, it is a fun adventure that offers a bunch of mileage without feeling too committing.

From near the base of the Grassy Goat Trail, scramble up a bit of class 4+ slab to a grassy ledge on the right. This is the same starting point as for Central Corner. The climb can be done in six pitches (all 180 - 200 ft). Two slabby pitches up discontinuous, grassy cracks lead to the bottom of a large chimney. Climb the chimney system for four more pitches until scrambling terrain is reached, sometimes opting for more pleasant rock on the sides. Near the top where the chimney envelopes you, climb through the overhang to easier ground above.

To descend, scramble upwards for a few hundred feet and then traverse left to the top of the Grassy Goat Trail.

Deep Lake Cirque Traverse

This is an enchainment of all of the major summits in the deep lake area, starting on Haystack and circling all the way around to Schiestler Peak. To connect it all, Jack Cramer and I added one new pitch to top out East Temple Peak from its notch with Lost Temple Spire. It's possible this enchainment has been done before, but we couldn’t find any record of a previous ascent and there weren't signs of recent passage.

Although it’s much less committing than the Cirque of the Towers Traverse, this enchainment still provides plenty of technical challenges (18+ guidebook pitches, 12 raps, tons of 4th class). The actual route distance per Google Earth is 8.5 miles with 6,200 ft of gain/loss after leaving the Black Joe Trail to the return to Big Sandy Lake. Add in the approach, and it totals roughly 20 miles with 8,000’ of elevation change from the car.

Route

Haystack:

we climbed the North Face (5.6, 5 pitches) as a single simul pitch and continued across the summit and down the South Ridge (low 5th) with a couple raps off of existing anchors. Continue on the ridge proper to...

Steeple Peak:

climb the North Ridge (5.8, 5 pitches) and rap the South Ridge. We deviated from the final rap to stay on the ridge proper, some low 5th downclimbing to the notch at Lost Temple Spire. We found a snow patch here to melt water and bivied just to the south on a grassy ledge.

Lost Temple Spire:

We climbed the Southwest Arete (5.10b, 8 pitches), but you could make the traverse more direct by climbing Separation Anxiety or one of the other routes on the north/west face. Given how far we were walking, packing the extra gear that’s suggested for these routes didn't seem fun. To descend we scrambled down 100' to the south of the summit and rapped directly into the notch between the spire and East Temple Peak (2x 30M raps to the notch off slings and nuts).

East Temple Peak:

This was the mystery of the enchainment because the only published routes were a single grade VI and grade V on the NE and NW faces, respectively. Fortunately, we found an easy way to avoid these committing routes. From the notch walk and butt scoot along the grassy catwalk approx. 300' west to a right arching overlap. Climb this arch at 5.7 to a hand crack in a corned/block visible from the ledge This pitch was quite wet when we climbed it but the gear was good where you needed it. A little simul-climbing with a 60m rope got us to the summit plateau in one pitch.

Temple Peak:

Drop across the valley and chose your route to ascend the highest peak in the southern Winds. There was good water in the saddle separating these peaks when we were here. Stop and fill up if possible. We climbed the obvious slanting gully on the left side of this face (class 3/4). Then up the talus pile on the southwest slopes to the summit. The Northeast Chutes (II 5.7) would be a prouder choice, but few parties are likely to have the energy at this point.

To descend head north trying not to get too low. There is a large notch in the ridge here that required 3 raps to get reach. To find our anchors drop approximately 100M west from the ridge and look for a car sized boulder sitting on a slab just above the notch. The first anchor is bright yellow cord around a horn 40M downhill from here. Rap trending skiers right to a slung pinch and down the corner below to a 2 stopper anchor. All were equipped yellow/black cord.

From the bottom of the notch scramble up the grassy gully to a 4th class exit left. Try to get an eye on this escape from the other side while rapping...

We bivied under an overhanging rock 500' off the ridge and were able to find running water from dirty snowfield.

A Cheval Peak

Continue along the ridge another cliffy notch. A short section of loose 4th class with engaging routefinding will get you to a short rap off fixed slings. In general stay close to the ridge in this section. After the passing the notch, hike up grassy slopes (class 2) to a cool summit rock

Schiestler Peak:

Continue along the grassy plateau and weave your way up the east side of Scheistler Peak, passing several false summits (4th/ low 5th), to reach a saddle where a casual scramble leads to the higher south summit.

Time:

We completed this enchainment in 2.5 casual days (car to car). If you are fast and willing to suffer 2 days is definitely possible, and I'm sure there's someone out there who could do it in a day (this would likely require real free soloing and the routefinding in the dark could be tough at numerous points...)

Looking at the numbers it doesn't seem that much bigger than the popular Cirque of the Towers Traverse. However, the rock climbing cruxes are harder. Future parties might find it more enjoyable to camp in the Deep Lake cirque and then climb the aesthetic ridge from Haystack to East Temple Peak in a day. Most climbers won’t find the walking/scrambling after that particularly classic (from Temple Peak to Scheistler).

8-9 Pitches of quality climbing.  High quality rock and aesthetic movement make this a quality route worth the hike.  Lots of slabby corners and a challenging crux pitch.

To reach the base of the climb approach as shown in the picture. Scrambling through the trees and some boulder fields will get you to the cliff.  Scramble up to the big red/orange spot and belay at its bottom.

P1 Climb up and right to a ledge below two shallow right facing dihedrals and belay.  100'

P2 Climb up the right most dihedral, curving right at its top and finally slab traversing right to a left facing corner and belay.

P3 Climb up, left around a flake and up left facing corners to sizeable ledge.

P4 Climb more left facing corners to a large, sloping ledge at the base of a large crease/open book.

P5 Ascend cracks up crease (5.8ish) moving left then back right before climbing a shallow overlap to a small stance about 10-15' below a bulging right facing corner.

P6 The crux.  Climb through bulging right facing corner, ascending a ramp with a thin crack to a steep thin crack and up to the right side of a large sloping ledge.

P7 Climb a finger crack through a small overlap/roof up and right.  Follow this to a ledge.  Descend ledge right until somewhere below the second right facing dihedral and belay.

P8 Climb challenging slab to right facing corner and up corner. Traverse left on chicken heads/knobs before top of corner, ascending to a roof and doing a hand traverse left, continuing for 15 meters or so until reaching a good stance/ledge below a right facing corner.

P9 Ascend right facing and low angle corner up and past steep move up and to the left about 5-7 meters off the belay.  Follow low angle crack to large ledge and traverse up and right to obvious corner cracks.  Climb up and through cracks, belaying when you run out of rope.

Scramble to ridge crest.

Descent: Follow ridge crest north and then continue north until above the grassy goat trail.  This is about a 15-20 minute stroll from the top.  Lots of boulder hopping.  It is easiest to stay high on the mountain (to the east) and then drop back down and to the grassy goat trail in a NE to SW direction.  Cairns are fairly easy to spot.  Descend with caution as there are exposed areas.

This route is a nice addition to the crowded minor and major dihedral options on the North Tower of Haystack Mountain.

Be aware that it has one very run out thin slab climbing (smears) pitch that is considerably more difficult than the rest of the route.

Begin at the left side of the grassy point that can be used to access the minor dihedral route.

Pitch 1:  Climb to the red stained notch in the dihedral immediately above the far left point of grass.  4th class

Pitch 2:  Climb the dihedral and left hand flake at its end.  Step right (5.8) to a right facing overlap, then up to 2 very old 1/4 inch bolts.  From there traverse left into the corner of a right facing dihedral.  5.8  150 ft.

Pitch 3:  Avoid the obvious corner above, instead traverse right then face climb up to a thin right facing flake/undercling system.  Follow it until it ends in a small roof with a thin crack above.  Belay just below this ( a #4 friend is helpful for the belay).  5.8  100 ft.

Pitch 4:  Climb the thin crack which becomes a seam. Face climb with protection in the seam (RP's or steel nuts are useful), then pick up a right facing wide corner and take it to a ledge system.  5.10d  150 ft.

Pitch 5:  Move the belay 50 feet to the right to large blocks.  Face climb off these blocks into a long right facing/right leaning corner system ( a white flake marks the first part of the corner about 15 feet above the blocks).  Follow this corner until a large roof can be seen intersecting the corner system to the left.  A good hold 20 feet below this roof allows you to pull out of the initial dihedral and into the adjacent main system on the left.  5.9  120 feet.

Pitch 6:  Follow the large dihedral to its end.  5.9  120 feet.

Pitch 7:  Climb out the steep wall to the left passing the roof on its left side.  Angle up left through some good then bad red rock and end up in clean granite at the start of a large left leaning, left facing dihedral.  5.9  160 ft.

Pitch 8:  Climb 20 feet up the dihedral, then hand traverse a crack out right to a second left facing/ left leaning dihedral.  Climb it 50 to 60 feet, again hand traverse a crack to the right and arrive in 4th class terrain.  5.9  160 feet.

This route ascends the weakness of Haystack's North Shoulder between Pika Alliteration and Flash Flood, providing another moderate outing for half-day adventures in the Deep Lake area (or some approach pitches to the North Face). It begins with a fun, ledgy L-facing corner which leads to three pitches of slabby R-facing corner climbing through several large ledge systems ( continually trending up and left). From the upper ledge, a high-quality 5.7 face and slab pitch (with good gear found throughout) leads an alcove belay below Pitch 5. From this alcove, there are two options: straight up a SPLITTER 5.9 crack through a small roof, or step right on a small ledge (approx. 15ft) to an obtuse L-facing corner that requires small gear and careful footwork. Both of these options lead to yet another large ledge, with a left-slanting finger crack slicing through the final slab to the top of the shoulder. Belay off boulders on the shoulder and walk off!

While the first three pitches are not high-quality (somewhat loose here and there), they can easily be simuled to get to the last three pitches, which provide good rock, fun movement, and a cool position.

First off, we are hesitant to call this a new route because it seems likely that pitches of this climb have been done before (for instance the huge L-facing dihedral on the NW Face has bolts leading up to it from Flash Flood, which is undocumented except for a one-sentence mention in the Kelsey guide (such is the nature of the Winds!)), however, we feel that this particular route links up some quality pitches and provides a long day of adventurous climbing that is worth documenting. If anyone has information concerning prior ascents, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment below. We are posting this route simply because we want it to be climbed and enjoyed by others.

Pitches 1 and 2 share the same rock as "Caught in the Act", and then the route diverges up and right towards the base of the North Face.

P1: Romp up a slab to a ledgy L-facing corner, pull over the top and continue up slabby R-facing corners overcoming a bouldery chest-high overlap (5.7) and continuing up R-facing corners to a large grassy belay ledge. (5.7, 190')

P2: Continue up the corner system on moderate terrain to a huge grassy ledge and belay at the base of a wide crack in a R-facing corner. (5.6, 150')

P3: Off the grass, climb straight up on a slab aiming for a small R-facing overlap, plug some gear and then move up on slab moves to easier terrain. Scramble over broken terrain to another R-facing corner which leads to a few juggy moves to gain a big sloping ledge. Belay at the top of the ledge below the roof (look for a fixed pin below the lip of the roof). (5.7, 210')

P4: Climb straight up to the lip of the roof, clip the pin, reach high over the top for good holds and pull over to another slab. From here, look up and right to see low-angle grassy cracks leading right towards the North Face. Climb up and right on good cracks and belay where the cracks turns vertical towards the top of the shoulder (5.10, 200')

P5: Climb straight up the splitter crack to a L-facing dihedral, which you follow to reach the top of the shoulder (5.8, 200')

From here, parties can easily scramble up to the grassy shoulder and descend OR walk up and right to start the next pitch on a large ledge directly above the top of Flash Flood.

P6: Traverse up and right, placing gear when you can, to a ledge and dinner-plate sized chickenhead. Sling the chickenhead and then quest out on unprotectable 5.6 slab, aiming for a ledge system directly to the right. Gain the ledge system and continue along it, working right towards the huge L-facing corner. Eventually the ledge peters out and become a spicy but protectable hand traverse to a belay stance in the big corner. (5.9, 220').

P7&8: Climb straight up the dihedral on flaring jams until you can step right onto a big ledge. Then climb featured face climbing to a stance below the main corner (5.9, 50'). We belayed here because we ran out of gear, but a better equiped party could link this into the next pitch. From the stance, climb straight up the amazing L-facing corner, which features every size of jamming and takes finger to hand sized pieces. This pitch features A LOT of licheny smears on the face which add to the adventure. Belay in a vertical crack below a roof. (5.11, 70')

P9: After investigating several different ways to pull the roof (looks hard but protectable), we traversed way out left along a finger rail below the roof, turning the roof at the first obvious break. Pull the roof on finger and hand jams and then make a traverse back right to gain a nice belay ledge below an arching R-facing corner. (5.10, 80')

P10: Climb straight up the R-facing corner as it arches over into a roof. Undercling straight right along the roof with feet on small smears (crux) and turn the corner into the vertical crack. Follow this to a highly-featured pinnacle (with a nice little chickenhead) and belay. (5.10+, 90')

P11: Make some difficult-to-protect moves right off the belay (5.9) up and right, then straight right to a nice vertical crack. Go up this crack and then pull some layback moves up and right when the crack splits into a Y. Follow this crack all the way to the top of the ridge and belay off some boulders. (5.9 PG-13, 140').

From here, you can scramble/simul-climb up low 5th class rock to the summit of Haystack. To reach the North Gully descent, traverse hard left directly across the face for several rope-lengths. Otherwise, go up and over the summit of Haystack's North Tower to reach the large bowl above the Grassy Goat Trail and descend.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Haystack Mountain