The Pick

Description

Rising from the middle left is an obvious large, low-angle prow that continually steepens from class three, maybe four and then transitioning to easy fifth at a defoliating, white/red pocketed face (60 feet). Linkup with **P1** or tolerable pro belay right of small semi-loose block. **P1**: Original description refers to traversing left around corner, up ledge steps into a broken alcove, then stepping right onto ledge and traversing slightly down, across small rails, below large roof to base of good hand crack (35 feet). Belay at ledge or linkup with **P2** if long runners were set decently (or section freed). **P1 (direct)**: Instead, avoid choss and horrendous rope drag by climbing pockets straight up at right side of white rotten face, past clip, cracks to good ledge at base of **P2** crack (red route on Topo Overlay). Belay/rap chains. **P2**: Climb solid, slightly aslanting crux handcrack (originally published as 5.6, but consensus 5.8+) to large ledge perch, above bird whitewash and below overhangs (30 feet). Pro and small chockstone belay or linkup with **P3**. **P3**: Climb face past short vertical crack to gain narrow horizontal ledge, crawl traverse right, stand-up, mantle overhang (5.6) onto large slabs. Pro very limited pockets and small cracks on broad prow to a large ledge at base of more steeply protruding faces (70 feet). Chain anchor belay/rap. **P4**: Mount face below and left of hand crack (5.5), stepping onto large blocky flake and up easier corner. Bail right on exposed traverse (Regular Route of Southwest Miners Needle) to avoid main summit. Otherwise, climb face and prow past bolt (5.6) to final roof block (60 feet). Two bolt belay/rap.