Dark Crystal and Hassig's

The following description is provided by MtnPrjct contributor "Bogdan P"  Thanks ! [R Hall NH Admin ] 

See Photo The most continuous and distinct line can be had by linking a, d, f and g in "BP Dark Crystal Topo".

The original line (III, WI5, M4) shared the first pitch of the dike and then climbed two independent pitches that topped out “right of the right-hand finish of the Dike” (Lewis & Wilcox, 2002). What I am calling the "second" pitch (first one to break off from the dike) used to go through a cave which has since fallen. At the time there was also a variation to the Dike called Hassig's Direct (WI5), and it is unclear if a distinction can still be made between the second pitch of Hassig's and the second pitch of Dark Crystal, but there is still a 3 pitch line that tops out the cliff in the appropriate spot, at the original grade, and which remains completely independent of the black dike after its first pitch. This line warrants retaining the name Dark Crystal. It is described here, with notes on possible variations that may or may not be Hassig's Direct. Labels (a)-(g) refer to the labels in the topo photo titled "BP Dark Crystal Topo.”

P1 - Climb the first pitch of the dike, and belay far enough right to protect the belay for p2. 

P2 - Climb the prominent right facing corner (a). This corner needs very little ice to be climbable, but it should not be dry. It is chossy and the fracture lines should be sealed by ice. 20-30' below the top of the corner two logical variations will present themselves, labeled (c) and (d) on the topo photo.

c) continue up the corner to the top and step left to belay for p3 of the Dike, or step right to continue up Dark Crystal’s p3. This corner (c) is sometimes referred to as Hassig's Direct*.

d) Break out right via a mixed ramp/flake/offwidth (M4-5). This flake apparently used to support the namesake cave** ( erikthatcherclimbs.com/clim…), remains fractured, and is a potential hazard for your belayer if not frozen, but it is a natural seep. Top out the flake below the final pitch of dark crystal (f).

(c) may offer better continuous climbing, but requires more ice. (d) places you far right which encourages you to climb the final pitch of Dark Crystal rather than rejoin the dike, so it's more in the spirit of Wilcox's "nearly independent" line, and can be climbed on rock as long as it’s frozen. Both are logical and follow drips and obvious weaknesses in the rock.

P3 of Dark Crystal climbs the rock buttress climber's right of P3 of the dike. It finishes via a blob/column of ice at the top (g) which you gain by following thin ice/mixed from the top out of the ramp/flake (d) or from the left (e) via slightly more reliable/fatter ice. The blob/column seems to form first and can serve as a reference for judging the state of the route.

Note that this route is given an NCCS grade III commitment factor, while the Black dike and Fafnir get a grade IV, but Dark Crystal also received it’s grade 25 years after those routes had already established their reputations. The discrepancy in NCCS grade likely reflects historical contingencies, because all of these are grade III by modern standards ( alpinist.com/p/online/grades, or “A full day, up to seven or eight hours” [Lewis & Wilcox, 2002]), and Dark Crystal is just as long as the Dike and Fafnir, with more sustained difficulties, more difficult protection, and greater exposure to overhead hazards. In particular pitch 2 (both variations) and possibly the subsequent belay will be at considerable exposure to anything coming off p3 of the Dike. Plan your ascent accordingly.

* Hassig's / Hassig's Direct -  There is disagreement among the locals on the subject. An independent line to the left (b) may also be the original Hassig’s Direct, and reputable individuals have given conflicting accounts.

** [The following paragraphs and photo reproductions are by R Hall, NH Admin] The "Cave" (more like a bombay chimney) was a most grotesque feature of the Black Dike, probably the most grotesque feature I have seen in 65+ years in the mountains!  I remember looking down on it from the W-G during ascents in the late 1960's through 1970's and wondering how anyone could have ventured up the Black Dike in summer with that thing above them. (FA of the Black Dike was in Aug(?) 1930; it was the third route on Cannon) 

I had originally believed that the cave was at the top of the corner [ line c in the topo ], in fact you can sort of see it there in a blow-up of the Peter Cole photo of John Bouchard on P1 of the Black Dike in 1975. However, this photo shows a lot of ice built up on top of the top rock of the corner....how does water flow over the top of a rock formation if there is a "slot" behind the formation?  It would appear that the "cave" was several feet right of the corner, just as Bogdan P speculates! 

BUT, Perhaps the most compelling evidence that the cave was off to the right [i.e. line d on the topo] of the corner is the spectacular photograph posted by AlexKapone Baron. It appears to have been taken from an airplane. It is photo # 113744562 and has extremely good resolution, so good you can actually see the exit hole from the "cave". It was posted in 2017, but since there is no evidence of rockfall (for example, see photo # 106282873 for the new, redish-brown rock in the area ) it was obviously taken before that. (Unfortunately Mr Baron has not visited mountainproject since 2018, and has no e-mail contact.)

?  P2 Corner ? looks like line "c" in the Topo. Note also the water flow on the slab, further indication of a "cave/bombay chimney". 

So...where does this leave us as to "where / which flow is Hassig's ?"  Take your pick....on the Bogdan Topo photo "b" or "c". But I would think it didn't go through the "cave"...If you climbed through that grotesque thing in a FA in 1979 (the year Hassig climbed his variation) I would think you'd have mentioned it to someone !

Short screws, including stubbies, small to medium cams, small wires, and a selection of iron. Knifeblades in particular can be helpful.