Highwayman (FFA of NE Face Route)

This route is the free version of the original 1963 route that was the first ascent of the face. If you dig westerns, this should be right up your alley.

P1. Tracks in the Sand.

Wander through broken ground for more than a rope length (over 200') either directly off the glacier or off its left flank to a ledge below the dark corner system, 5.6.

P2. The Coal Mine.

Climb up a flake to the base of a blackened wall with a bolt. Continue up and right to switch cracks (place helpful red ballnut here) to gain a much better crack with pro through a small series of roofs, 5.11.

P3. The Railroad.

Climb up chossy flakes into the slimy corner system for a shorter, albeit wet pitch to a comfy tundra ledge, 5.9+ .

P4. The Railroad (continued..)

Embrace the alpine, and continue up the permanently wet corner system. Belay in the roof to avoid knocking the large block at the lip of the roof down onto the previous belay, 5.11 .

P5. The Cliff's Edge.

Tip-toe out the roof, not because it's hard but because there is a huge dagger right at the edge. There used to be two blocks here, but I didn't have the stomach to remove the second, 5.9+.

P6. The Hideout.

You might as well stay awhile, there ain't no one gonna get you here. Move the ropes 200'+ to the right side of the huge ledge. Belay in a short, left-facing hand crack, 3rd Class.

P7.

The Chimney.

Climb the wide crack for a shorter pitch, and belay in flakes, 5.7.

P8.

Picked up the Trail

.

Continue up the flakes into knobby, runout terrain to belay in a sneaky 0.75 horizontal crack below the left side of another huge roof, 5.8.

P9.

Climb P8 of

Ten little Indians

. They really are one or two huge moves between good holds. It is harder if you're short, 5.11a.

P10.

No Man's Land.

Go hard right into a semi-detached flake to avoid yet another massive, broken roof. Belay below a right-facing corner, 5.9+.

P11.

Climb into the corner, and then continue for a rope length, 5.9.

P12.

Climb to the base of the steep, summit choss field, and belay at its base, 5.7.

P13.

Out Alive.

Continue towards the summit, 3rd Class.

This route was cleaned and freed over the course of four long days, spread out over summer 2020 and 2021 alpine seasons, nearly 60 years after its first ascent. The bolt on P2 was added by hand, after climbing and cleaning the pitch.

Locate the obvious, intimidating, dark corner system in the center of the NE face of Chiefshead.

A  double set of cams to a red Camalot, 1 #2, a #3, and extra slings (a red ballnut is helpful not mandatory).