Trip Date: May 26, 2012

Big Methow Needle Day Climb

Pine Creek
Delancy Ridge
Big Methow Needle (~8170′)

Trip Report Summary

Region: Northeastern Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Upper Methow Mountains

Area: North Cascades Scenic Highway Corridor

Starting & Ending Point: Lone Fir Campground on Highway 20 (Elev. 3650 feet)

Way Points: Old Pine Creek Trailhead & Pine Creek & South Couloir & Delancy Ridge crest (road walk & trail hike & off-trail hike & snow climb)

Summit: Big Methow Needle (rock climb via East Face)

Approximate Stats: 6 miles traveled; 4900 feet gained & lost; 8.0 hours up; 3.6 hours down.

Full Trip Report

Big Methow Needle is the largest and highest of the “Methow Needles” on Delancy Ridge, which separates West Fork Methow River from Early Winters Creek.  This little-known but very impressive granite tower had been hanging around my wish list for over a decade, and after eyeballing it from the Pacific Crest Trail a few years ago, it moved toward the top.  Last Saturday morning, Fay, Kevin K, Eileen, Mike T, Matt B, and I convoked at Lone Fir Campground on Highway 20, armed with ice axes, ropes, shovels, rock pro, rock shoes, and a hankering for alpine granite.

Mike and Matt got a head start walking up the shoulder of Highway 20 and then up the abandoned Pine Creek Trail, which runs along the left (south) side of Pine Creek; the rest of us followed a half hour later.  When beneath the Methow Needles, we crossed Pine Creek on a log, then headed due north.  Our two groups chose different snow gullies to reach the ridge crest, but at 1:00pm (4.9 hours from car) we all converged upon the East Face notch.  The daunting 250-foot East Face of Big Methow Needle stood directly in front of us.  As if on cue, the weather suddenly turned cold and breezy, after having been hot and sunny all morning.

Matt and Mike started up the needle on a single rope, then Eileen, Fay, Kevin, and I climbed separately on a double rope.  The route consisted of two long pitches (or three shorter pitches, to reduce rope drag) over a variety of cracks, open books, and face holds.  Each pitch had crux areas ranging up to about 5.6, and protection was adequate throughout.

By 4:00pm (8.0 hours from car), we all topped out at the upper belay station, from where we took turns scrambling up the small and highly exposed summit horn.

A summit register indicated that BMN gets only about two or three ascents per decade.  Our group of six was probably the most climbers to gather on the summit at one time.  Views of Silver Star Mountain, Kangaroo Ridge, Tower Mountain, Golden Horn, Azurite Peak, and Mt. Ballard were wonderful, especially with the interesting cloud patterns and moody lighting.

We descended by means of one short and one long single-rope rappel, followed by one very long double-rope rappel back to the notch.  From there, we enjoyed an exhilarating 1200-foot glissade down the upper snow gully before the trees closed in.  We were all back at Lone Fir Campground by 8:00pm (3.6 hours from summit) with daylight to spare.  Big Methow Needle had served up a great day!

Photo Gallery

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