The Big Corner Complete - 5.7  and three moves of A-1 (free at 5.8?)  (route description re-written 2014 from 1971 notes) Katahdins North Basin    FA / As Climbed By:   R. Hall & D. Byers, Sept. 1971 (The lower part of the route had been climbed previously, the upper may be the same as Wexler's 1946 Headwall Route.) Obviously, with todays longer ropes fewer pitches would be needed.    START: Very close to the lowest point of the North Basin, left of a vegetated ledge. See Photo.  Scramble up to a thin crack that leads to a squeeze chimney. 

  P1) Climb the thin crack and chimney. At the chimneys top, climb a ramp leading LEFT to the Grand Traverse Ledge.  130 ft,  5.4-5.5 

  P2) Climb up into the huge corner system and up on a friction face approx. 25-30 feet left of the corner itself. Above the friction climb a jamcrack to a belay in a black dike of rock.  90 feet,  5.6-5.7 

  P3) Move RIGHT 20 feet (+/-) stepping out to an airy, but not difficult, move.  Then up easily 25 feet to an inside corner.  (See NOTE.) Step LEFT back into the main corner. An awkward, off-balance 5.6-5.7 layback leads to an obvious belay on the left on some flat slabs. 90 feet,  5.6-5.7      NOTE: A resident piton ( 1971) protects a 1-inch layback crack and another A-1 piton (1971) is under a roof which leads RIGHT out of the Big Corner system.  (This leads to another route the "Zig Zag Letdown", also climbed by RH & DB in 1971.  The "letdown" of the route, whose goal was the "Z-cracks" in the high slab of the face, was the the slab had leaned back so far the cracks were just Class 3-4.) 

  P4) [Alternate?]  Move back DOWN on black rock in a corner and cross RIGHT up to a small rock-strewn ledge.  Step LEFT and up a perfect A-1 crack for three moves ( 2 nuts) then easily to a wide, flat belay on the right.  25 feet,  5.5 A-1, but probably would go free at 5.7-5.8, and could be combined with P3.   [P4 Alternate? From the slab belay at the end of P3 it may be possible to climb a flaring chimney crack and then cross to the corner mentioned as the start if P5.] 

  P5) Up the big corner easily on blocks and flakes for 30-40 feet  to where one can move LEFT out of the corner, make one step DOWN, then along a rising ramp to a poor belay in the middle of some slabs.  110 feet,  5.6-5.6. 

  P6) Move LEFT to a crack system running up the slabs.  Up this ( 5.5-5.6) to where not-difficult underhanded laybacking leads RIGHT a few feet.  Move up on left (key hold on left once committed) and then easily along a ramp 20 feet to a belay. 120 feet,  5.6 

  P7) Up left along an easy ramp and slabs.  100 feet,  5.2 

  P8) Directly up, climbing an inside corner or two. 150 feet,  5.2-5.3 

  P9) Up, slightly on the LEFT to the top of the Serpents Head  150 feet,  5.2-5.3 

  Ps 10, 11, 12, 13  Starting on the left climb up to the crest of the ridge forming the top of the cliff.  600 feet +/-  Class 4 to 5.4 depending on where you go.  This last section is probably part of Wexlers North Basin Headwall route.

the Big Corner Complete

North Basin Headwall Route

Elbow Balcony

"S" Crack (mid-cliff start)

Bill's Crack

TAKE RATING of 5.4-5.5 WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, IT MAY BE VERY "Old School"!    A very old route that climbs the large corner (see Photo ) which is hidden from view from Blueberry Knoll. Climb the large corner on mostly clean rock, after 4-6 pitches ('modern length pitches') the "Serpent's Head will be reached. (i.e. the large flat area on the "nose". Here best to climb up directly on a ridge (rib) ending on some beautiful Class 4 climbing.    Intercept the Howe Peaks Trail for descent.

In the 1970-80's E. Richards sent me a personal note with the full description, but I have lost the last 4 pitches.  Nevertheless, once one gets high on this crag the angle backs off and climbing becomes relatively easier, so it should not be a problem to "top out".Elbow Balcony generally follows the line of Elbow Gully (FA A. Wexler, et. al. 1946) at a level about a pitch above Elbow Gully. START- At the center of the main face a grassy gully rises up leftward [?] (NOTE: I THINK he meant to say "rightward" ! ? ) and follows the right hand edge of the face to the top. This is Elbow Gully.  Elbow Balcony starts near the start of this gully. 1) Jam and chimney a large left-facing inside corner to a ledge at its top, then climb up and right to a small face and belay.  60 ft  (packs were hauled) 2) Up the small face moving staright up over easy, broken rock and faces to a large overhanging block.  Step up (on the) right side of the block following a crack to another block with a smooth slab underneath and to (its ?) left. 100 ft3) Continue up the crack, layback over bulge at small inside riught-facing corner. Move up the broken rock and slabs to the very left end of the rotten ceiling.  120 ft4) Traverse right under the ceiling over broken rocks, hand traverse around flakes to a small pinnacle and down-climb its right side.  Move across garden and up blocks to a small ramp below a corner, keeping under the ceiling. 100 ft 5 , 6, 7, 8 ?  I would presume that one would eventually "turn" the ceiling at its right end and continue more or less straight up.

This alternate ending to Bill’s Crack has some fine climbing, somewhat resembling Snowpatch Std. in the Bugaboos.  It starts by continuing left on P3 of Bill’s Crack.  Climb P1 and P2 of Bill’s Crack.  (As mentioned, these two pitches probably(?) can be combined with today’s longer ropes.)  P3 – Climb the red gulley as for Bill’s route, but from its top traverse a “full rope length” ( 100 - 130 +/- ft) left on slabs (moving below, and farther left of the bottom-most of the triple overhangings.)  Climb a 20 ft corner, “jamming a crack (height dependent) to a small belay on the right, or move 10 ft higher on left and belay on top of a little buttress”.   P4 – Climb up to a short pinnacle on the right and enter the 4-inch wide “S-Crack” (which makes a reverse “S”). At its top, move left to belay.  140 ft  5.5-5.6  P5 – Scramble through bushes 60 ft to “lunch spot” just below where large, sloping blocks end the very easy scrambling.  P6 – Up blocks ( only 5.2 +/-) then continue up a ramp to a large grassy stance.  150 ft  5.2 P7 – Back right, then up a shallow corner (5.3 ) then along a ramp system (resident pin placed 1971) to a corner below a difficult-looking inside corner.  150- ft 5.4   P8 – Move left 20-30 ft around the corner, then up easily to the level of the top of the Serpent’s Head.  150 ft 5.2  This pitch is probably part of the N.B. Headwall route. P9,10,11 – Climb the ribs and ridges (part of NB Headwall route) 

START – At almost the lowest part of the cliff, at the apex of the “V” vegetation. P1 – Climb a buttress to its top  5.4-5.5   2021 NOTE: The telephoto photo shows two possibilities for this buttress and associated "crack". My guess is the left one...but only a guess. Hey, you wanted an adventure!

 P2 – Climb up a crack, reach important.  This is “Bill’s Crack”.  5.6 or so depending on height. 2021 NOTE – Pitch lengths were not given for P1 & P2, but I would guess that with modern ropes the pitches might be combined. Ratings are also probably "old school".  P3 – Up the wide, red gully and then move left to an area of slabs. There are few cracks in the gulley (very compact rock) and this lead, although easy ( 5.3 – 5.4) is quite unprotected.  From the talus looking up at the cliff this gulley looks very rotten; it is one of the pleasant surprises on this route.  140 ft  5.3 – 5.4  P4 – Easily up low level slabs to the base of huge triple overhanging buttresses.  70 ft  Class 4  P5 – Up to the right of the buttresses.  130 ft or so,  5.6  P6 -  Up for another pitch   (2021 NOTE – just guessing, but probably less than 130 ft )  P7 -  Move left, then back right (2021 NOTE- Hey, waddya want for 1971 ?) Eventually a line of vegetation running horizontally with the top of the “Serpent’s Head” will be reached.   P8,9 ..- The line then goes directly to the top, but the FA party reports that they should have moved over left to the Serpent’s Head” and finished on North Basin Headwall, as they encountered much poor rock, although the climbing was not difficult.  See also “The S-Crack”. 

North Basin is located about 1 mile north of Chimney Pond, to the north of the Hamlin Ridge.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in 02. North Basin