- Aaron: "So we craggin in Tuolumne Meadows?"
- Ivy: "How about something alpine?...Fishhook on Russell?"
- Aaron: "We need 3 days, I only got 2. How about East Face Whitney?"
- Ivy: "Naw, too long long of approach for too little climbing, how about Sun Ribbon Arete on Temple Crag?"
- Aaron: "That's a huge route. Again, we would need 3 days. How about Venusian Blind on Temple?"
- Ivy: "Sounds good!"
- Aaron: "101% chance of rain and thunderstorms for High Sierras, looks like VB on Temple is out of the question."
- Ivy: "Pretty much all of the Sierras are shut down. What about craggin at Whitney Portal?"
- Aaron: "Ehh, too far of a drive to just go craggin. How about The Needles. 25% of rain both days. I think that's the best we're going to get it.
- Ivy: "See you there. By the way, do you have a guidebook?"
Photo Credit: The Internet
The most comprehensive guidebooks going for the Southern Sierras are the 3 pictured above. However, they all 3 have been long out of print consequently becoming pricier and pricier. I own the "Sequoia/Kings Canyon" (left book) which now is valued USED online $100. To buy a USED copy of the Needles book is $150. That left us to the wealth of the Internet and what route info we could scourge up. Sources included: Mountain Project, Supertopo forums, and Summitpost write ups.
A little background on The Needles. These giant spires and domes rise out of nowhere on the western side of the enormous Kern Canyon.
Photo Credit: The Internet
Their location in the far southern Sierras means snow is usually melts out by late spring, opening climbing access earlier than the high alpine. However summer time heat can be oppressive even for their 8,000' elevation. The Needles USED to have a fire lookout until it burn downed a few years back (Kitchen Fire is what I heard).
Photo Credit: The Internet
Photo Credit: The Internet
The Plan:
- Day #1, Drive 3 hours to the Dome Rock (vicinity of the Needles) and climb.
- Day #2, climb the mega classic "White Punks on Dope" on the Voodoo Dome, drive home.
I stopped by my parents place in Springville for breakfast on my drive up to The Needles. The drive is 3 hours which makes it a little faster than going up to Tuolumne Meadows because of zero traffic. Highway 190 out of Springville is an extremely winding road but sees very little traffic. We rallied at Dome Rock which isn't part of The Needles per say. It's located a few miles south of the Needles proper.
First up, the classic super easy route "Tree Route 5.6 - 4 pitches". I lead the entire route in 2 long 70 meter pitches. FUN ROUTE!
Looking down from the first pitch of Tree Route. Ivy is seen here attempted to clean a fixed tri-cam.... AND SHE GETS IT!.
The view of the Kern Canyon are impressive. Rain showers can been seen moving in on us.
We finished up Tree Route quickly and felt warmed up for the main event of the day. "Anti-Jello Crack 5.10a - 4 pitches" featured a strenuous 5.9+ tight finger crack as well as a steep thin left facing dihedral rated 5.10a. However it began the rain when we were racking up. We found cover and sat out the short rain shower. Once the rock seemed dried, Ivy set off on lead.
The strenuous .9+ crack started as finger size but tapered to tips then nothing to a face traverse to the anchors. Good lead! I followed it cleanly but not without punishment.
The 2nd pitch was interesting indeed. Ivy had to back off of the lead and bypass the 5.10a techie lieback of the dihedral. Since I had the benefit of the top rope, I went for it getting it cleanly.
The remaining pitches were the slabby finishing pitches of Tree Route which we had already done. Fun day at my first time to Dome Rock! This place really reminded me of my home crag of Tollhouse - must be the slab!
The plan for the following day was to climb on the Voodoo Dome (Lowest of the Needles). However the approach to the dome was quickest from the lower Kern Canyon. This meant a 45 minute drive from Dome Rock. We spent the night at Lower Peppermint Campground. Being at 5,300'... it was a warm night for camping.
Tuesday July 29th:
Today was going to be dedicated solely to climbing White Punks on Dope 5.8+. The approach/climb (grade III)/Descent was going to take most of the day.
"Considered by many to be the best moderate route in Southern California" - Mountain Project
The weather had cleared from the previous days rain to SMOKEY!
The approach started a few miles past the campground and we actually found the start pretty quickly. In fact we weren't alone. A team from Montreal Canada were racking up at their car for the same climb. By 8:15 AM we were off hiking on the steep, buggy, and hot trail.
As we climbed the steep 1,300' the views opened up but more and more smoke arrived from a nearby fire.
90 hot minutes later we arrived at the base of the climb. The Canadian team beat us and were just launching off on pitch 1.
We settled in and waited for the team to climb and leave the belay for pitch 1. Once Ivy finished leading the first pitch I started up ... 11:00 AM. The first pitch involved a beautiful 5.7+ hand crack.
Views of the Needles were amazing. The Warlock Needle is the one closest on the right.
The second pitch involved the technical crux of the entire route. Even though the entire route is rated 5.8, most people agree the "roof move" is at least 5.9, I concur. The photo below is of the Canadian leader cruising the roof.
The Needles stick out in magazine/photos spreads with the yellow varnish. I concur!
Pitch 3 involved a "walk" through a chasm followed by a 30' 5.7 chimney.
Views of the Warlock get better and better.
OK, the money pitch so to speak. Pitch 4 is the endurance crux.
"One of the most memorable pitches you'll ever do." - Some dude.
This pitch goes on and on. Steep 5.7 liebacking that finishes with a gaping offwidth. Another solid lead for Ivy.
Not much for the feet. Tight fingers to lieback the corner.
With the technical and endurance crux's behind us, we were left with just the psychological crux. Pitch 5 involved 5.8+ slab with far spaced bolts. This route carried a a "PG13" rating since the a fall on this pitch was gonna suck. Not considered "run out" but most Internet comments were in regards to the spacing of the bolts on this pitch.
Ivy went on lead but once reaching the first bolt back down from lead. I could tell the 40' spacing between the next bolt was too much. I don't consider myself more skilled in one technique over another but Ivy knew that I could climb slab with a cool head. I came up to her at the first bolt and took over lead. After leading the rest of the pitch I felt the slab could easily by rated at 5.9 slab (Tuolumne standards).
Pitch 6 was short and involved a 5.6 flake and slab to the summit.
A little after 5 PM we topped out. Great but smokey views of the Needles and the Kern Canyon were had.
After a short 5 minute scramble to the summit we found the fixed rappel webbing. One 30 meter rappel got us on the ground on the north side of the dome.
The hike back around the dome was sketchy to say the least. Pine needles covered the rock and loose dirt. We both fell many time scraping the crap out of ourselves. Speaking of crap, I'd never seen so much bear crap in my life. Piles upon piles of it were everywhere. In fact, the previous day while driving to the campground I had a black bear run out in front of me but never saw one while hiking.
At 7:30 we arrived back at our car. A long day but well worth it on this classic moderate climb! Best moderate route in Socal?... Sure, why not. The climbing was extremely diverse. Hand/finger cracks, offwidth/chimney, liebacking, steaming, and slab. It covered most of the techniques and it was full value for the grade. I personally would grade it 5.9.
Stats:
- 11:15 car to car
- 60 meter rope
- Doubles from small to #3, one #4
- Lots of water.
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