Nice straight-up hand crack that my friend Pete talked me into doing after we did the classic Spire Four route in August 2005. It is such a nice crack that I'm sure someone else has done it, and it may be in some guidebook, but it hadn't been recently climbed.
It was a bit dirty and there were some loose rocks, but I knocked a lot of them out. Plenty of secure jams. Maybe a couple of wide spots, I rested on a knee at one point, but it doesn't climb like an off-width. It was extra fun because we didn't know what we were getting into but it worked out well. At the top is a good irregular ledge - from it there may be a thin and sketchy traverse over to the Spire Four route, or there is a slot/chimney going away from Spire Four that may lead to some kind of top out (but not on the main spire). But we slung a low wide spur with a cordelette and rapped off.
I'm curious if anyone else has experience with it. Does it have an original name (I made up Little Lark Crack)? Is there a top out with a good way down?
Location
Start on the saddle for the 5.4 Spire Four route. In the alley, facing the Spire Four chimney, this crack is on your right about 20 feet from the chimney.
Protection
Eats up pro, finger to fist size. Bring rap ring and about 10-20 feet of webbing to sling spur.
Spire Four
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