Sykes’ Sickle, 5.10-, III

Overview/Approach

Spearhead is a 12,575’ piece of stone surrounded by larger mountains and walls.  It is bordered by two tarns, one to the north, Frozen Lake (better bivy), and one to the south, Green Lake. Spearhead’s towering NE wall typically receives sun until noon and offers two of the more popular 5.10 routes in all of Rocky Mountain National Park:  Sykes’ Sickle and the Barb, 5.10, III.  Frozen Lake makes for a quick access bivy to these two routes at the north end of the NE wall.  This bivy is also quickly reached via the walk off descent. All this being said, on two great weather week-days in September, 2022, we had Spearhead completely to ourselves one day, and ran into two other parties the next, one of which bailed early. To hike back to the Spearhead to climb one of these routes and not the other, would not make much sense.  They are truly sister routes.

Different descriptions offer different pitch counts.  The most efficient way to climb Sykes’ is as outlined below in six long pitches.  The first pitch can be simul-climbed to just under the grassy ledge that runs the entire length of the NE face.  It is a fun 5.7 left facing corner that bleeds out into easier but chossy terrain.  The 2^nd pitch trends right than drastically back left if you want some gear or takes the lower angled slab directly up to where the main dihedral starts directly below the Sickle which is by far the easiest feature to identify on the face.  The 3^rd through 5^th pitches (as I have them pared out) offer sustained 5.9 climbing (via certain variations) which is what makes this route so popular.  The 5^th pitch is the crux, a 5.10- chimney/stem box escape from the vertical wall.  The 6^th pitch offers a PG crux via a climb up, step down traverse on slab.  But it can be reasonably well protected for the 2^nd by experienced leaders.  This pitch takes you to a summit notch that is just a 5-minute scramble below the summit.  The walk off descent is easy to access and fairly fast down to Frozen Lake on the north side.

The hike starts at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead which offers a tough parking crux.  What worked for us, barely, mid-week in September, was to arrive at the trailhead at 5:30am.  They check backcountry permits at a kiosk starting at 5am, 9am for general admission into RMNP in 2022, but the earlier time if you head for Glacier Gorge at a smaller ranger stop point.  The hike from Glacier Gorge is simple.  Just follow the signs for Black Lake which is reached in 5 miles.  There is an official backcountry campground of some sort above Black Lake.  Continue another 1.5 miles for the right shoulder of Spearhead. Its NE face often comes into view on approach and is easy to spot with the Sickle scar (box chimney).  These two popular climbs are about 1000’ in length including quite a bit of traversing.  The hike from the trailhead to the bivy is just shy of 3000’ of gain on good trail with ample water availability.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 230’+ 5.7/ Either climb the fist sized splitter to the right or the tall left facing corner directly in line with the Sickle roof above (the 2^nd tall left facing corner from the north end of the NE face).  As the corner ends, continue up through blocky and grassy terrain, trending left, to a gear belay below a short right facing corner with a horn slung atop it (2022).  Mellow climbing at both ends of the simul.

2^nd Pitch- 230’+ 5.7/ Climb the short corner and cross the wide grassy ledge to the main wall.  Trend up and right utilizing some gear opportunities and then angle aggressively up and left crossing a slung rap to the base of the obvious dihedral above. Mellow climbing at both ends of the simul.

3^rd Pitch- 125’-5.10-/ I climbed the right side of the multi-faceted dihedral.  It led me to a 4-inch steep crack (crux) that overhung for a second or two and leveled out on top to a comfortable belay out left. Fun sustained pitch.  My variation is 5.10-.

4^th Pitch- 115’-5.8/ Trend up and left into a chimney position against the main dihedral.  Then stem up and right following a crack system as it arches below the huge arched roof above.  Sneak up the right side of the boulder-ledge below the chimney exit of this massive dihedral. 

5^th Pitch- 100’-5.10-/ Layback up through the pins on the right side of the wall (crux).  Gain a stem stance and then a chimney stance facing east to exit the box chimney via a #3 crack on the outside.  Follow the mellow crack to a stance below a rounded flake which housed a slung fixed nut (2022). 

6^th Pitch- 120’-5.8/ Step up to clip the slung nut.  Stem down and right to find better featured slab and traverse right (crux) and then up to locate the lone bolt on the route.  Trend up and right below grade to a notch below the summit of Spearhead.  The summit is easily reached via a 5-minute scramble.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Descend northwest, skiers-left, of the notch.  Follow a decent climber’s path as it switchbacks down the north side of the mountain.  When it appears to cliff out, traverse skiers left again and then back right to the base of the mountain and the most ideal Spearhead bivy spot next to a lake.  This descent seemed to be overly discussed and analyzed on MP.com, but if you follow your nose, was as simple of a walk off as it gets.

Essential Gear

70m rope.  Single from micro to #3.  Double from micro to #.75.  Dozen 60cm slings. Route gets sun from 8:00am until noon in September.