Airy Interlude is perhaps the best "moderate" route on the Witch. Not as continuous as Igor Unchained, but it shares some of Igor's coolest climbing, not to mention the classic Airy Interlude traverse pitch.
P1: Ascend the first major crack system left of the start of Igor Unchained. This is directly below the start of the obvious traverse crack and really is the first major system on the wall. Stretch the rope all the way up to the huge, sloping ledge. 5.8 or 5.9.
P2: The gem. Continue up a right-facing corner to the start of the crazy hand traverse (takes 0.5 and 0.75 Camalots). At some point you'll have to mantle up above the crack, and there is a miracle hold that allows you to do this. Finish the traverse with a couple more moves that join into the final pitch of Igor Unchained.
P3: A short, easy pitch up to the summit.
Descend north - see the Witch description for more info.
Protection
Single or double set of cams - nothing big, nothing small.
A good combo, IU to the big ledge, AI to the top. You skip the first pitch of AI, which is average, basically getting the best pitches of both IU and AI. Given the traffic on both these routes, this might be hard to pull off.
By John J. Glime From: Salt Lake City, UT Nov 16, 2007
Wasn't this rated 5.9 in the Harlin guide?! Now it is up to 5.10b?
You can just barely do the top half (the good part) of this route with a 70m rope if you sling the traverse well and run the rope a bit over the final roof traverse.
.10a .10b? I just can't tell about grades any more. Anyway, the corner start before the traverse is terrific climbing as well, this would have to be the best pitch I did out of 20 at the Needles.
When I first climbed this, I remember waiting for a distinct .10b crux on the hand traverse. I never really found it. It's definitely easy .10, but solid at that.
By David Shiembob From: slc, ut Oct 29, 2008 rating: 5.10a
Does .10a on granite get any cooler than this? Wow.
By Andy Laakmann Site Landlord From: Jackson Hole, WY Jun 1, 2009 rating: 5.10a
We skipped the first pitch by scrambling from the left due to threatening weather. The primary pitch is just amazing!! Awesome gear, awesome climbing, and awesome position. The traverse took a green camalot, red camalot, and red alien in that order. I did a hanging belay right where the traverse hits Igor for the photo op of my wife climbing across, though I could easily have continued up.
RSS Feed
Slideshow
