[TR] Holliway and The Needles North Faces- PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT 9/11/2004

[layton]

Climb: Holliway and The Needles North Faces-PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

 

Date of Climb: 9/11/2004

 

Trip Report:

So if like me, you've been wondering about the North Faces of Holliway Mtn and the Needles at Washington Pass area, they suck...

 

The other day Jordan and I hike 18 miles round trip to the base of the North Face of Holliway peak and said fuck it. It is a 1500' granite face similiar to the West Face of Silverstar. Except the ribs peter out to other ribs with intermittent sand and all the cracks are big ol' chimneys. So if you like 1500' of chimneys and sand, then this is the climb for you. Note, the north west ridge (i think) would be a good route, but really easy. One of the summit spires has huge DOUBLE chockstones! One of the stranget things I've seen on a mountain feature for sure!

 

Today I drove up to the pass and parked at the enterance of Lone Fir campground to scope the North Faces of the Needles. We saw the huge overhanging summits from the Methow River Trail and also you can see one or two of them driving up the pass from Mazama. Anyway, I started about 50 yards downhill from the campground enterance and it worked fine. I schwacked up 4,000' to gain the summit of a couple of the needles south faces. I left the car at my usual 1:00pm and summited by 3:00pm which made decreased the self-loathing since beckey suggested 7 hours instead of 2. Since I was on recon, I then dropped down 1500' down the north side to where Mr. Doorish and Mr. Burdo had put up at IV 5.10+. I figured there were lots of Needles and there was bound to be more than one route. Nope. In face, their route looks like a big pile of shit and puke glued together with menstral scrapings.

Going back up the 1500' slope from the other side too a lot longer and was THE WORST TALUS I HAVE EVER ASCENDED. No shit, 5, count em, 5..shoe emptyings!

Back at the col I noticed it was gonna rain really soon, so my plan of traversing all the needles was put FOREVER on hold (go for it.very easy). I took my first break from the car and had two smokes, and the pounded it back down to the car.

 

Near the car I found flagging! Then I found orange metal blazes nailed to trees. It was near a crag. Is this a route someone blazed to a "hidden crag" or something? What gives? Unforetunately I followed it down and it took me away from the truck. If you go to the needles, don't follow this, it isn't the best way to go. Start 50 yards down from pine creek and the campground. much more open slopes. still a fucking grunt (4500' = suck).

 

p.s. has anyone ever climbed the huge slab wall directly across the way (above the campground). i think it's unoffically named the sunshine wall? Looks good and hard to get to.

 

p.p.s. I found a 50' cliff that had totally fun o/ws and hand traverses. good rock on S.side needles. The overhanging needle summit would be about two short overhanging horizontal crack pitches on mostly good rock. Go get it.

 

Gear Notes:

shoes

water

food

poles

tobacco and match

Tide with charcoal remover

 

Approach Notes:

Methow river trail is tecnichally closed at the bridge, but unless you head is shoved up your ass, you probably can figure out where to go without making needless social trails around the swath of fire destruction. A mountain bike would last about 4 miles before becoming worthless

 

Needles schwack is better than blazed trail that either is for a crag, or for the needles itself.

[layton]

man, i really should proof read. who is we? I went solo today. The Doorish/Burdo line is on Grizley Needle.

The Needles and Holliway are on the ridge that contains Tower Mtn, Golden Horn, and if you extrapolate, Porcupine peak, and Mt Hardy.