North America, United States, Wyoming, Graves Lake Dome, South Face and Spider Peak, North Face, Wind River Range

Publication Year: 1979.

Graves Lake Dome, South Face and Spider Peak, North Face, Wind River Range. On July 29, after an invigorating 18-mile approach from the south, I completed a solo ascent of the Becky aid route on Graves Lake Dome (P 10818). Eliminating the aid on the route proved strenuous as three pitches involved F9 and another demanded three attempts before the crux was successfully passed (F10). The six-pitch route follows a wandering line up the center of the face. The solitude, good rock, and varied nature of techniques (jams, face, and chimneys) made my climb very enjoyable. NCCS III, F10. Three weeks later (August 19) Randy Cerf, Herbie Ogden, and I climbed the prominent dihedral on the north face of Spider Peak. This 1100-foot face dominates the head of Torrey

Creek drainage in the northern Wind Rivers. We began the dihedral, located to the right of the main buttress, and encountered mostly F8 with a fair share of loose rock, before exiting left from the crack system one pitch from the top. The August snow storm that covered the Rockies earlier, left us an ice-coated chimney to climb at this point. EBs made the crux more than interesting. NCCS IV, F9.

George Schunk