North America, United States, California, Sierra Nevada, The Needles, Southwest Face of Witch, The Witch Doctor

Publication Year: 1977.

The Needles, Southwest Face of Witch, The Witch Doctor. In June Mike Grabor, Rick Ridgeway and I climbed this improbable-looking route. The southwest face is distinguished by a prominent bomb-bay chimney on the upper-half. Our route, however, stayed well to the left of this chimney. Begin by climbing the right side of a 200-foot slab at the base of the face. From the top of the slab climb left and then up a flake system to a sloping belay ledge. Traverse left, then up over roofs, climbing on knobs and small cracks. A final difficult and unprotected pitch leads directly to the top. NCCS III, F9.

Dave Black, Buff Alpine club