Seams Thin

This route is a nice addition to the crowded minor and major dihedral options on the North Tower of Haystack Mountain.

Be aware that it has one very run out thin slab climbing (smears) pitch that is considerably more difficult than the rest of the route.

Begin at the left side of the grassy point that can be used to access the minor dihedral route.

Pitch 1: Climb to the red stained notch in the dihedral immediately above the far left point of grass. 4th class

Pitch 2: Climb the dihedral and left hand flake at its end. Step right (5.8) to a right facing overlap, then up to 2 very old 1/4 inch bolts. From there traverse left into the corner of a right facing dihedral. 5.8 150 ft.

Pitch 3: Avoid the obvious corner above, instead traverse right then face climb up to a thin right facing flake/undercling system. Follow it until it ends in a small roof with a thin crack above. Belay just below this ( a #4 friend is helpful for the belay). 5.8 100 ft.

Pitch 4: Climb the thin crack which becomes a seam. Face climb with protection in the seam (RP's or steel nuts are useful), then pick up a right facing wide corner and take it to a ledge system. 5.10d 150 ft.

Pitch 5: Move the belay 50 feet to the right to large blocks. Face climb off these blocks into a long right facing/right leaning corner system ( a white flake marks the first part of the corner about 15 feet above the blocks). Follow this corner until a large roof can be seen intersecting the corner system to the left. A good hold 20 feet below this roof allows you to pull out of the initial dihedral and into the adjacent main system on the left. 5.9 120 feet.

Pitch 6: Follow the large dihedral to its end. 5.9 120 feet.

Pitch 7: Climb out the steep wall to the left passing the roof on its left side. Angle up left through some good then bad red rock and end up in clean granite at the start of a large left leaning, left facing dihedral. 5.9 160 ft.

Pitch 8: Climb 20 feet up the dihedral, then hand traverse a crack out right to a second left facing/ left leaning dihedral. Climb it 50 to 60 feet, again hand traverse a crack to the right and arrive in 4th class terrain. 5.9 160 feet.

The route is on the North tower of Haystack Mountain to the right of the minor dihedral. The first two pitches have clearly been climbed in the distant past, it is not clear if the other pitches are new but this description adds another exciting and challenging route for this busy climbing area.

Standard granite mountain rack. Have at least one large cam (3.5 to 4 inches) for the 3rd belay and RP's/steel nuts for the 4th pitch seam before the run out face.