North America, United States, California, Sierra Nevada, Mt. Walt, Northwest Ridge

Publication Year: 2010.

Mt. Walt, Northwest Ridge. While cragging on the west side of Little Slide Canyon, one naturally admires the Incredible Hulk, across the drainage. Less obvious is Mt. Walt, lurking above and behind the Hulk. A low-angle but sharp ridge descends from the summit area before fading into the face below. This face, which is immediately left of the Hulk, has an obvious left-facing corner system that leads to the sharp ridge. Micha Miller and I had climbed the corner for five pitches a few years earlier but got chased off by a thunderstorm. We returned in August 2008 and worked our way up, finding fun, exposed climbing on the narrow ridge and challenging cracks and corners above. We unroped after 10 pitches (5.10a) and scrambled to the exposed summit pinnacle. An easy descent to the northeast leads into the Blacksmith Creek drainage and eventually the car. Fun day.

David Harden, AAC