Keelhaul

This modern testpiece on Keeler Needle was established over 45 days in 2023 and 2024. Half of the pitches free climb Australopithecus, the original aid line up the center of the needle, which was pioneered by the El Cap Pirate Ammon McNeely in 1999. Ammon tragically died in February of 2023, the day before we skied up to view the route through a spotting scope. His visionary line made this route possible, and we kept all of his pitch names to honor his pirate spirit.

The route follows mostly thin finger and hand cracks, as well as some face sections through the dead center of the needle. The rock quality is consistently excellent, and many days of  brushing, cleaning and trundling have removed any loose or hazardous rock and buffed the holds. All belays are bolted and the route can be easily rappelled with 2 60 ropes.

The highlight of the route is the 300-foot overhanging headwall, which caps the top third of Keeler Needle and ends at Harding Ledge. This very unique feature has two 5.13 pitches, including the amazing Gemstone crack which runs directly up the center. Pretty much like a Salathe Headwall of the High Sierra, this slightly overhanging 140 foot straight-in fingers and hands crack is gear-protected and 5.13c……. at 14,000 feet! It’s hands down one of the prize pitches of the High Sierra.

All hail the glorious Range of Light!!!

Pitch 1-5.10c: Shares first pitch with Blood of the Monkey. Start up the obvious right-facing dihedral on the right side of Keeler. About 20 feet below the square-cut roof, cut right onto face holds, which lead to a bolt below the roof. Over the roof the climbing gets easier. Head up and right until the belay ledge appears on the left. 40-60 meters (depending on glacier snow level at base)

Pitch 2-5.10d: Climb the obvious right-facing corner above. The final 20 feet can be avoided by stepping out left and continuing up face holds to the belay ledge. 30 meters

Pitch 3- 5.11d-The Great White Shield: Follow the crack above and left of the belay over the small overhang. Continue up the amazing splitter for 100 feet until it finally peters out, clip a bolt and execute the crux slab traverse right to the anchor. 45 meters

Pitch 4-5.11d: Climb the left-trending double cracks, then through easier terrain and a bolt, to the base of a short finger crack, which is followed by 2 bolts to the belay. 35 meters

Pitch 5-5.12a-Lost at Seams: Climb the thin seams using a few bolts and small cams. 10 feet above the highest bolt (on the right), place small cams and make a long step left into an easy 3-inch crack. Climb up this crack for 15 feet to a bolt on the face, continue 15 more feet into a left-trending trough/hand crack, leave this trough crack and climb big orange flakes on the vertical wall above to a bolt that marks the way. Follow this face straight up over moderate face climbing (5.8R) until a flared, protectable crack leads to the belay ledge. 45 meters

Pitch 6-5.12c-X Marks the Spot: Climb the tricky, bolted undercling and continue up the easier crack systems into the obvious right-facing steep dihedral that leads to Ammon’s Ledge, the best bivy ledge on the route. 45 meters

Pitch 7-5.12d-Release the Kraken: Climb the bouldery start to gain the big flake. Continue right up the pumpy, steep flake to the Crow’s Nest belay ledge. 30 meters

Pitch 8-5.11a-The Crow’s Nest: Climb up the steep orange corner, then up easier terrain to gain the left of two major crack systems. Continue up the moderate crack for 30 meters to the belay out right. 45 meters

Pitch 9-5.11c-  Mile’s Crack. Climb up the same moderate crack to the base of the obvious orange spitter on the vertical wall. Climb the splitter. 30 meters. (The splitter on this pitch is shared with Blood of the Monkey)

Pitch 10-5.13a- Captain Reach: Climb the bolted seam and face, do a hard crank, and then awesome, pumpy, easier climbing leads to a belay in the center of the headwall. 25 meters

Pitch 11-5.13c-The Gemstone Crack: One of the most incredible pitches of rock climbing in the High Sierra. Climb the amazing splitter in the center of the headwall. At the top of the hard climbing, 2 bolts protect the final traverse right to the belay. 40 meters

Pitch 12-5.12a: Climb the cracks out right from the belay, which end at the base of the orange chimney visible above. 25 meters

Pitch 13-5.10b: Climb up the blocky chimney for 100 feet. When it gets really easy (4th class) and loose, step left to the clean splitter/thin hand crack that leads to the bolted belay above at the base of Harding Ledge. 40 meters

Pitch 14-5.10c: The old established exit pitch above Harding Ledge. Climb the awesome right-facing corner crack. 45 meters

Pitches 15-17-5.8: Follow the Harding Route topo to the summit. 

The route shares the same start as Blood of the Monkey for pitch 1. Start in an obvious right-facing corner on the right side of the needle. A small but prominent 3-foot square-cut roof about 30-70 feet up (depending on the glacier height) marks the correct corner.

Doubles on all small and medium cams through #2 Camalot. Single #3 Camalot. Some small-medium stoppers, but no tiny brass nuts needed. 10 quickdraws. A few long slings. All bolted belays. Route can be easily rappelled with 2 60-meter ropes.