Needles -- a photo TR

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Ghost

climber

A long way from where I started

Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 22, 2008 - 03:55pm PT

In one of the current “You’re an stupid a$$hole” “No you are a stupid a$$hole” threads, Ed Hartouni made the radical
suggestion that we should “just move on to discussing other topics. A starting topic suggestion: climbing.”

So, here’s my attempt. Not much story, just a bunch of photos from my first-ever trip to the Needles last month.
It was Mari’s gift to me for my 60th birthday, but I got so sick the week before while on a business trip to Miami
that I could barely climb. She must have felt like she was climbing with a piano tied to her harness.

Started with a stay at a B&B a little north of Kernville, where we met this guy

Here’s the Needles, seen from Dome Rock (I think that’s what it’s called) a few miles south.

Our beautiful campsite

Hiking in

First objective was Fancy Free. A 3-pitch 10b on the Charlatan

Top of the Charlatan features the weirdest summit block I’ve ever seen.

Next up was Igor Unchained, on the Witch. It runs more or less up the center of this face,
and I’m sure it’s a great climb, but after I just about died on the first pitch we called it a day.

A rest day gave me back limited functionality, and we spent Thursday on the Sorcerer. Thin Ice is an amazing
climb, but I left my camera back at the campsite, so no pics. Friday we got on Imaginary Voyage on the East
Face of the Warlock.

And finally, a few random shots from our stay:

A fellow traveller

The obligatory Lookout Tower shot

A late-afternoon shot of the campsite that I should sell to MSR

And the décor in our room at the B&B

Edited to reflect Clint's route-name corrections.

handsome B

Gym climber

SL,UT

Oct 22, 2008 - 03:59pm PT

looks like a great 'hang'

thanks for the TR!

survival

Big Wall climber

A Token of My Extreme

Oct 22, 2008 - 04:01pm PT

Well done ghost,

hurray for climbing threads!!

Needles someplace!

More Needles!

Ahem....Needles!

There's your strange summit block! Cozmic Banditos blocking the view.

Crimpergirl

Social climber

Boulder, Colorado!

Oct 22, 2008 - 04:02pm PT

Most excellent! Thanks.

survival

Big Wall climber

A Token of My Extreme

Oct 22, 2008 - 04:08pm PT

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Oct 22, 2008 - 04:13pm PT

I like that summit block too.
The Lifeboat:

Igor Unchained:

East Face of The Warlock:

bluering

Trad climber

Santa Clara, Ca.

Oct 22, 2008 - 04:16pm PT

pretty cool, Ghost, to bad you were illin'. At least you got some climbing in.

I have yet to visit the Needles. Fabulous looking stone though.

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Oct 22, 2008 - 04:17pm PT

" ...I have yet to visit the Needles... "

Bluering, you have an appointment with The Rock!

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Oct 22, 2008 - 04:30pm PT

[edited to remove dup photos / route name suggestions]

What happened on Igor Unchained p1? Unexpected whipper down low, when you didn't have enough gear in yet?

Ghost

climber

A long way from where I started

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 22, 2008 - 04:43pm PT

Clint asks What happened on Igor Unchained p1? Unexpected whipper down low, when you didn't have enough gear in yet?

Nope. Just total respiratory failure. I was just too sick to climb. I barely made it to the first belay on a top rope.

Thanks for the reminders on the route names. I'll change them in my OP

D

steelmnkey

climber

Vision man...ya gotta have vision...

Oct 22, 2008 - 05:29pm PT

Thanks David! That was cool.
I absolutely have to schedule a visit to the Needles (both of them) as soon as possible. Hope you're feeling better.

survival

Big Wall climber

A Token of My Extreme

Oct 22, 2008 - 06:19pm PT

bluering,

Yeah, a date with the stone is soo in order.
Great location, killer stone, mostly uncrowded, cool camping,
what's not to like??

Awesome light as well!

Ed Hartouni

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Oct 23, 2008 - 01:57am PT

thanks Ghost, to bad you were down with the flu.
A favorite place of mine I don't get to visit enough

Ghost

climber

A long way from where I started

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 23, 2008 - 02:40pm PT

Couple of side notes that didn't make it into the OP

For a few days we had the place completely to ourselves. Perfect weather, and not a single other person. No climbers, no hikers, no campers, nobody. Not even Margie, cuz she'd taken a couple of days off from the tower. This is maybe the single best cragging area I've climbed in in almost 35 years, and it was empty. What's up with that?

We were eventually joined by two other parties. Nicolas and Paulo from Chamonix, and an American guide and client. All really cool folks, so it was a pleasant time in the campground. Nicolas and Paulo guide in Cham, and this was their fifth visit to the US. Mostly they go to Yosemite and work on freeing the big routes on El Cap, so maybe some of you know them. This time they'd decided to try aiding. But as Nicolas said "We climb five pitch of Mescalito. We set up our portaledge but it is very hot so we drink all our beer. Then we eat all our good food. So then we come down."

Somebody told them about Romantic Warrior, and that it would be cooler in the Needles so they headed up. They warmed up for a couple of days, and were headed up Romantic Warrior the day we left.

When the American guide (don't know his name, but his van had a "California Alpine Guides" sign on it) found out this was our first visit he immediately said "So did you find everything here really hard for the grade? This place is totally sandbagged." Dude's obviously never climbed at Index. Or any place where the ratings are actually stiff. Needles grades on the routes we got on seemed to be pretty much right on.

Anyway, it was an incredible place, and we'll be back. Maybe sometime when I'm not sick.

D

Fat Dad

Trad climber

Los Angeles, CA

Oct 23, 2008 - 02:53pm PT

I love the Needles! Just wish I had the time to climb there.

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Oct 23, 2008 - 02:56pm PT

" ...This is maybe the single best cragging area I've climbed in in almost 35 years, and it was empty. What's up with that? "

A lot of folks go there once, get their gymbags scared right off and never return. That plus no guidebook so a climber actually has to get by without a topo, gear list, exact rating of each move, etc.

Here, Herb Laeger is starting up pitch one of his new route, Flying Warlocks (5.10,) on the N side of The Warlock. Number 22 belays.

(for those who don't recognize that hairdo, seen so often at The Needles, #22 is Rico... ;-)