Spanish Needle

October 21st, 2023 at 6:58 AMOwens Peak Wilderness, CA

Info

Distance

11 mi

Elevation gain

3,100 ft

Route type

Out & back

Duration

7 hr

Crux

Class 3

Quality

8/10

Vehicle type

Car

Ecoregion

Peaks bagged

1

SPS

7,841 ft / Rise 881 ft

SPS

Sierra Peaks Section

Trip report

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — From Chimney Peak Road, we followed this dirt road toward Lamont Meadow.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Alpenglow on Lamont Peak.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — The road peters out after a couple miles as we enter a pine forest.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Slowly gaining elevation as we make our way up the valley toward a saddle north of Spanish Needle's summit.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Beautiful fall colors.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Following a sporadic use-trail, we veered slightly south.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — View back. Lamont Peak is on the left; Lamont Benchmark is on the right.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Some deadfall and brush slowed our progress slightly.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Final climb to the PCT.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Following the PCT a short distance to the saddle.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Arriving at the saddle.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — From the saddle, view east.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — View south toward Spanish Needle. Although the peak is only 1 mile away, it would take us 1.5 hours to traverse its eastern slopes.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Dropping about 100 feet from the saddle.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — The first of several chutes filled with loose dirt and rock.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Another, much larger chute. We aimed for a weakness in the rib near the tree, left of center.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — A short ramp leads around the rib.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — We started up the slope at the final chute.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — View back toward the saddle.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Final climb to the ridge on very loose, forested terrain.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — View back before gaining the ridge.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Starting up a relatively brush-free slope on the west side of the ridge.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — View back down a Class 2 section. North Needle, a minor peak along the ridge, is on the left.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Remaining ridgeline to Spanish Needle's summit.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — There are a couple intervening pinnacles (like the one shown here), which offer some fun Class 3 scrambling opportunities.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Closing in on Spanish Needle. The route crosses an exposed slab, visible on the left.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — A cruxy, Class 3 ledge system leads to the slab, shown here.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Ben crossing the slab. This move is trickier in reverse due to the slight angle of declination.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — A notch just north of the summit block, accessed via a Class 3 crack ahead. (Photo taken on the return.)

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Ben climbing a Class 3 crack below the summit block.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Spanish Needle summit. View south toward Owens Peak.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — View east into Sand Canyon.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Back at the saddle, descending a more northerly line than our ascent route to avoid some thickets of manzanita.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Admiring the pinnacles along Lamont Peak's ridgeline.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Exiting through a meadow.

Trip report photo for Spanish Needle — Chimney Peak Road ahead.

Nearby trips

Sawtooth Peak and Lamont Benchmark

Sawtooth Peak and Lamont Benchmark

12.8 mi4,000 ft5 hr

Lamont Peak

4.5 mi2,500 ft3 hr

Pinyon Peak

5.5 mi3,200 ft3.5 hr