If this route is 5.9, then I'm Paul Muehl. This is the easiest path up the spire and checks in closer to .10+ by local standards. It is certainly harder and much better than many other "name" routes in that grade range - Freaks Fright comes to mind. Some clue to the difficulty comes from the manner of the first two ascents. The Casper College climbers were first up via a bolt ladder, seemingly for the sole purpose of plopping a large cross on top. The Conns were next up. They aided the route with pins to remove said cross, and it seems to me, to show how one ought to proceed with artificial climbing if forced to resort to such methods. Bob Kamps cleaned things up. Quite a pedigree, and well deserved.

Getting There:

There is a small pull-out as you enter the Needle's Eye parking area on the right. Take the trail that starts there down and around Bell Tower and Needle's Eye spires, across a shallow ravine and past two substantial rock ridges. You will pass right beneath the route 'Goldline' which ascends a sharp spire at the end of and separate from, the first ridge. At this point, Sore Thumb should be evident directly in front of you.

Route Description

Start up an overhanging flake, stemming and lie-backing. Traverse right across the top of the flake to the base of a hand to fist sized crack leading up and back left. Work up this surprisingly difficult and tricky section. There is a 1/4 inch bolt on the right about one third of the way up. It is old; skip it or back it up. The angle eases as the crack ends and it looks like you get a break. Think again. Make a hard step right to the next crack system. This splits shortly into a diagonal hand crack leading right, and an off-width going straight up. In the middle of the face dividing the two cracks, you will see a pair of 1/4 inch bolts which constituted the old anchor. Unless you dragged your #5 and #6 Camalots up to this point, stay in the hand crack until it ends. Then you must step back over to the off-width (which will accept a good 3.5 Camalot in two moves) or continue right and up on small face holds. If you choose the latter, don't worry. There's no gear, but if you fall off, you won't touch anything for a long, long way. Belay at a pair of bolts and chains with a sit down stance on the shoulder of the formation.

Essential Gear

2 ropes. 3 double and 3 single length runners. 6-7 draws. 1 set of chocks. Green through orange Alien sized cams. .5 through 4.5 Camalots with doubles in 3 and 3.5. #5 and #6 Camalots if you choose to tackle the off-width directly.