Canyonlands. Jeff Achey and I did several noteworthy new routes in Can- yonlands in October. On The Lighthouse we climbed Lonely Vigil (II, 5.9) the central crack system on the secluded, back side of the spire. An unknown party had also recently climbed the spire by a different route; our ascent may or may not have been the first free ascent. On the same spire, to the right of The Posidon Adventure, Jeff and I climbed a painfully beautiful new route, Iron Maiden (5.11, Al). An impelling line, almost like a miniature of The Primrose Dihedrals, two strenuous hand-traverses and a blank comer—all on the second pitch—are the cruxes. The Wingate was perfect, black, and iron hard. Three points of aid up a blank headwall (left fixed) led to the tiny summit. On the same trip, Jeff and I made the first free ascent of Hummingbird Spire via a new route up the North Face: Hoop Dancer (II, 5.11). Jeff made a great lead of this severely overhanging crack—one of the best hand-cracks around. Nearby, Jeff Achey and Karen Newman made the first ascent of Easter Island (I, 5.9), the last spire in the group, and ironically, the easiest one. A delicate 5.9 face pitch leads to the summit; a 130-foot free rappel gets you to the ground.

Ed Webster