Southeast Gully

Begin on the east side with a scramble of several hundred feet up the prominent gully, mostly 3rd class with a move or two of 5th. The second may appreciate a rope although the leader will find little protection. The gully ends atop the broad shoulder directly south of the summit block. Here some old slings may be seen below a large overhang, remnants of some unknown earlier attempt. Successful? You decide.* The free route begins by climbing the rib to the left up a broken trough to a ledge from whose right end several (crux) moves head back left to a clean groove that leads to a straight-in hand-and-fist crack: your reward for getting this far. Above this crack find a 1/4" x 1-1/2" rawl bolt that is used for rappel off a doubled 60m rope.  Slings around boulders provide anchors for the rappel back down the main gully. The summit is capped by a large boulder that is easily surmountable.

[*Just to be clear, we found no evidence of prior activity on the summit ... had there been a rap anchor, we would've used it rather than place that bolt ... in short, evidence supports this being an FA of the spire as well as of the route ... ]

Barber Peak is the first prominent volcanic plug on the left 10-12 miles south of Shiprock on US 491. A short dirt road takes off east just before you reach the peak & leads virtually to the toe of the feature.

Standard rack.