Laid Back (a.k.a. NE Ridge) 

FA:  Larry Hamilton and Dakers Gowans, August 1974 Type:  Trad, Alpine Length:  3 pitches, 300 feet, Grade II Views: 137 page views Submitted By: L. Hamilton on Apr 9, 2003 Add Photo  Add Comment

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BETA PHOTO: E face of Notchtop, showing approximate lines of (...

Description 

This route ascends the semi-detached pinnacle that forms the lower half of Notchtop's NE corner, a few hundred feet to the right of White Room. The clean summit dihedral, on the pinnacle's NE corner, is the climb's most distinctive feature.

Begin with several hundred feet of interesting third class, in the prominent chimney-gully on the pinnacle's E face. Below the top of the gully some rippled slabs appear to the left.1) Get up onto these slabs, and diagonal up left across them. After a final overhang, a good stance is reached below a headwall. 5.62) Steep moves lead out left onto the 20-foot wall, and up cracks to its top. Continue up easier cracks and ramps above to a very nice ledge below the smooth vertical summit wall of the pinnacle. 5.73) Magical Mystery Pitch. Climb the dihedral in the center of the E-facing wall above until it ends at an overhang. Make an exposed 20-foot traverse right to the base of the bottomless summit dihedral. Jam and lieback up this perfect corner to its top. Rotten climbing then leads to the summit shoulder. 5.8

The name "Laid Back" was suggested by first ascentionist Dakers Gowans, as he basked in the sun after laybacking up the final corner. This ought to replace the less imaginative "NE Ridge" name that has been applied over the years.

Protection 

Good protection with gear to 3".