Voodoo Chimney

Possibly the most easily identifiable line in the Needles, this chimney hews the upper cap of West Voodoo Dome in two. The void can be seen with clarity from any route that ascends the east face of the Warlock, and has undoubtedly been ogled by every climber to lay eyes upon it.

When viewed from above, the chimney runs about 100ft or so from East to West, with several blocks and one large flake spanning its width near the center. As far as technique and difficulty go, don't count on this being the crux of your trip. But it might be a highlight regardless. Back-foot and stem from bottom to top, pausing frequently to take in the view and revel in the shaded perfection of this wild feature.

The most obvious line, to the right of the flake, has surely been climbed before. This line is about 75ft in length.

To the left of the flake, the chimney gets deeper as the hillside gradually drops away. Lichen and hanging flakes (some flexing up to 4 inches off the wall) covered much of the upper 30ft of this section. About 20sf of guillotines were removed by hand, but some remaining sections will probably flex a little bit under full pressure. At 90ft, this way up seemed more fun to me, albeit requiring nearly identical movement to the other side. Wearing a helmet might be a good idea.

In an effort to beat midday sun at the main notch, we decided to look into access, initially from below. Although entering through the base is possible, most will probably access the area from above, opting to save it for a fun add-on after doing WPOD. From above, the chimney is located directly south of the standard rap station at the top of the dome, and an anchor can be built on either side of the large flake bridging the gap.

If access to the base is needed, tunnel through a tree to the right of the chasm, then squeeze through a smallish gap between two boulders. Easy scrambling will take you to the base from here.

None. Bring a cordelette or your longest sling to extend the anchor.