This is a fun climb of the Haystack on top of Mount Si. I'm sure this has been climbed a lot of times by a lot of different variations so if anyone has more info on this route, please let me know! I climbed it after the first winter storm of the 2008 season in cold and icy conditions.

I rate this climb 5.8, but there are MUCH easier ways to get up, they just might not be accessible during winter.

Getting There

Check the Mount Si page for details

Route Description

From the base of the obvious gully/chimney system work your way up to the opening of the first chimney (4th class without snow, harder with snow and ice). Set a belay below the entrance of the chimney and climb deep into the chimney until you reach a chockstone about head hight then climb up the skinny chimney slinging a rock about 5 feet above your head. After climbing above this sling rock about 6 feet start working your way back toward the entrance of the chimney while still working up (feels like 5.8 when wet, there are more chockstones that force you in this direction). From here you will have to run it out until the next belay 15' above. Once in the next part of the gully set a belay in great cracks on the left wall. From here there are two options. 1) climb another chimney, this one angling more to the left, until you reach some rappel anchors from another climb on the face. I've never done this so I don't know what it is like but there are some OLD rusty pitons at the top of this variation. 2) Climb left onto the arete and follow it up until you reach the rappel bolts. The only protection we found on the arete was 5' off the belay so get ready to run it out! From the rappel bolts one can climb strait above the bolts for 10 vertical feet to easy 2nd and 3rd class blocky terrain or climb the right side of the obvious gully. We climbed the right side of the gully and there is some marginal small protection about half way up. Be prepared to climb 5.4 30+ feet above a small marginal nut.

last pitch runout

Stretch this pitch out to the summit a short scramble above steep ground.

Descend either the normal gully scramble or rappel the same route as the South Face Direct route.

Essential Gear

rope - at least 30 meters
small nuts, medium hexes... cams if you want but not necessary
slings
helmets - lots of loose rock!

crampons and ice tools if REAL icy.

External Links

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