Trip: Mt Si Haystack - East Face crack system
Date: 3/25/2013
Trip Report:
My friend is training for Denali and needed a friend to hike up to Si with her. I said sure, but if I am going to humor her, she has to humor me by carrying rock gear up there for some potentially sketchy, loose, and short rock climbing on the haystack. (Others could add pointless to the running adjectives). She was training after all, and the gear will serve its purpose whether it is used or just gets taken for a walk.
The east face is surprisingly inviting with plenty of options, that is, if you don't mind semi loose rock.
We first tried the chimney/gully thing right of center.
I found ice in the chimney, decided to climb it anyway, took a scary whipper after a hold broke and decided it was not worth it, so I down climbed.
After reconsidering our options, we decided the crack/flake in the 1st photo left of center looked inviting. Judging from the relative cleanliness of it and the bolted anchor along the way it looked to have been climbed before. No surprise of course, it is Mt Si. It was actually pretty fun!
I am surprised I have not heard of anyone climbing the haystack in this way.
Anyone know the history?
Gear Notes:
The flake took gear to 3/4.
Approach Notes:
You know the approach