For its modest grade, this route has a surprisingly exposed "big wall" atmosphere.  Snark ascends the left center of the main NE face in a direct line, ending near the summit cairn.  Approach is made on a huge diagonal ledge, most easily attained at its lower right side.  The route itself can be located with reference to a great left-leaning pillar or finger of rock, at least half the height of the face.  The climb reaches the U-shaped ledge area at the lower right corner of this formation, and continues up in a vertical line to its right to the top of the face.

P1)  Climb cracks toward the U for a ropelength, belaying below a smooth section.

P2)  Follow a curving flake/crack system up the slab to the right.  When it ends, move back up and left to ledges at the base of the broken, black-washed U.

P3)  Ascend obvious chimneys to a large, comfortable ledge.

P4)  The climb's best pitch.  Ignoring less interesting alternatives to the right and left, go straight up a fantastic hand-sized crack on the face above the ledge.  When it ends walk right to attain a system of steep flakes angling back up and left.  Follow the flakes to a belay.

P5)  Steep face climbing leads out right and up for a pitch to a broken area below the summit.

P6)  An easy short lead to the top.

Snark

Northeast Ridge II

This is the long, jagged ridge connecting Thatchtop to Powell Peak. This ridge traverse starts out easy but becomes very exposed for a hundred meters or so.

Steep on the northwest side and near vertical on the southeast side, make for some interesting class 4 and 5 slab and crack climbing in a spectacular, remote alpine setting. The position and length of ridge here are hard to beat.

Description

Protection

Routes in Powell Peak