[Hide Comment] There is also a route that goes up the flake on the upper south face and steps left at a piton to more or less the same face. It felt about like 5.8 too and just as spectacular. May 6, 2003

[Hide Comment] I believe the classic or original line follows an east facing chimney to a prominant horn (you can barely wrap your arms around it). From there, climb the crack to connect to the diagonal seams, which contain hidden pins. Classic Needle's traverse. Scramble to the top, with the final exam being a test on smearing skills. Great view of the final pitch of the east gruesome conn route. Mar 29, 2005

[Hide Comment] The upper piton in diagonal is impossible to put a biner on.try a corded quickdraw, or the new thin slings. Aug 24, 2005

[Hide Comment] This hunk of rock could become your ultimate road less traveled. It was birthed from the fiery depths, for the purpose of suppressing and even killing the inner sport climber that is keeping you from becoming the adventure climber that you desire to be. In the mind's eye, this spire brings forth images of evil, like the castle in the "Dark Tower", it looms like a symbolic nightmare, a defiant provocation for the gunslinger to unleash a new level of confidence and inner prowess upon. After a miserable hike, you will walk around the base of this hideous monstrosity, clutching your Poor person's Guide and thinking to yourself "Which crack you jackass? How about some freaking beta here?!" My partner and I started this journey too late in the day one fine summer, just like all those boobs in the movies, who decided to go kill Dracula, at his castle, just after happy hour. I can't tell you if we picked the right crack, but the pro was solid and the climbing was of the challenging pick your own adventure variety. On the second pitch, all I could hear was the tick tock of my tell tale heart as I watched my partner put in shaky pro along this beautiful, enticing flake that looked, and climbed like a backwards version of Gossamer. After slinging the top of the flake, the journey became a bit more mysterious, and heart-stopping, as my partner took a fifteen foot whipper while attempting the face moves, averting death and dismemberment by the toothy pits below by a questionably placed TCU. Then, with the dark skies flashing with lighting, and gloomy racing clouds racing over Custer, we repelled off, just before the malevolent darkness engulfed us, and we managed to liv to adventure another day. I highly recommend this climb for its mysterious and unstraightforward beauty. Go figure it out for yourself, we must all find our own way to the top and discover something about ourselves along the way. Aug 4, 2009

[Hide Comment] I love you Brett Larsen. I don't know who the hell you are, but I love ya. Edit- OK, I love the description... perfect Jan 21, 2010

[Hide Comment] "Do not attempt to find this from the uphill side because it cliffs out and you will not be able to reach the base of the routes."

You actually can reach this from the backside but it's a royal pain and requires some short climbing and/or belays. Not recommended for sure. Brent Larsen: fantastic and accurate depiction. We went up there in 2008 and were rebuffed after one pitch, and went back to finish the job in 2009. We were not disappointed. Adventure climbing at it's best. Jun 2, 2010