North America, United States, California, Sierra Nevada, the Needles, South Face of the Wizard

Publication Year: 1976.

The Needles, South Face of Wizard. In mid-April, Dave Black, Fred Beckey, and I did a new seven-pitch route on Wizard. Visible from the road, and on the approach from the southeast, is a prominent crack system. We followed the system for five pitches of jamming and chimneying to a large ledge beneath the massive summit block. We thentraversed far to the left to a hidden crack system. (The hidden crack may be seen in “Summit”—February 1974, page 3.) We named the route “Spellbound.” NCCS III, F9.

Robb Dellinger, Buff Mountaineers