North Early Winter Spire, West Face, “Labor Pains." On Labor Day, Donna McBain and I did this fun six-pitch route on slabs and crack systems beginning just right of the large cave on the bottom of the west face. The middle pitches ascend through roofs with bolt- and fixed-pin protection. The fifth pitch ends next to the standard west-face route, which is followed to the summit. (III, 5.11a.)

Steven C. Risse