Northeast Face of Spider Peak  5.9

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Type:  Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade IV Consensus:  5.9 [details] FA:  Randy Cerf, Herbie Ogden, and George Schunk, 1978 Season:  June to mid-September Submitted By:  Nathan Furman on May 2, 2007 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Spider Peak. The route follows the right-leaning ...

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Description 

This route follows the obvious crack system splitting the main face of Spider Peak. The primary attraction to the route is the line itself--it looks splitter! However, potential suiters must be prepared for dripping off-widths, dirty chimneys, a few spitter sections, and tons of loose rock. By judiciously utilizing overhangs and corners, sheltered belays can be arranged...sometimes it's wise to use relatively short pitches to maximize sheltered belays. With a great deal of care, we were able to climb the route without kicking anything off, but it was frightening near the top.

Route finding is mindless (follow the crack system) until the top. The crux is indistinct; there is a great deal of 5.7 and 5.8 climbing on the route. The first pitch is 4th class, and as it steepens difficulties increase. The last pitch forced us out of the crack system (chimney system at this point) and out on the broken face to the left.

Location 

Start a little to the left crack system and traverse up into it. This section is quite easy (5.3?) but offers little pro. I used one long pitch with a little sumulclimbing to get into the crack, whereas a friend did it in two pitches.

Descend slabs to the north. There are two rappel stations that can be used when terrain gets sufficiently steep.

Protection 

Several wide pieces (perhaps 2 #3's and 2 #4's) in addition to the standard backcountry rack.

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William and Eric about to experience a little ligh...