Hermit Spire, South Face. An interesting edifice of nature highlights the rolling subalpine hills west of the Little Kern River, closely north of Lloyd Meadows (several miles north of The Needles). Its base is shaped like a typical Sierra dome, but about 600 feet higher its walls slenderize to form a crest-like spire. Dan McHale and I spent Nov. 29 and 30, 1969 climbing the south face, which had to be reached by some cross-country effort. The climbing was spectacular but with a rough (unglaciated) surface of minute horns, hollows, knobs, and spikes. We began up a chimney and jam-crack system that brought some early strenuous moves to the climb. After three pitches and some awkward moments, the route eased through some zigzag ledges to the base of the face’s principal feature: a great dihedral system that carried up to a platform just east of the thin summit crown. First there was delightful face climbing to its right, then a full pitch–mostly a dog-leg crack–hanging onto the dihedral. A pitch of semi-overhanging bonging provided some workmanlike aid maneuvers.

From the platform a smooth face on the left (very small holds) went to the crest of the south arête. In a biting wind and approaching darkness we climbed an awkward aid route on the frontal-right corner of the summit tower. There was no sign of an earlier visit, and the rappel down the “back” led us to believe Hermit had not been climbed before our visit. NCCS IV, F8, A3.

Fred beckey