Needle Route Description

[BillMiddlebrook]

yes!!!

OTW down post traverse, It was incredibly nerve wracking to watch from the east gully as a couple people had to be coached through the more difficult moves on that thing in clunky boots with poor technique. Not to mention the routefinding above. Good call!

I would personally consider the needle to be the 2nd most difficult 14er now, and it’s a very close call if you ask me.

You've reminded me that I need to put some text at the END of the traverse route description, referencing the descent on the Needle if the reader has not done it. I can't make people read it but I can link to it and tell them they could easily get off-route descending the Needle without doing some homework.

[-wren-]

yes!!!

OTW down post traverse, It was incredibly nerve wracking to watch from the east gully as a couple people had to be coached through the more difficult moves on that thing in clunky boots with poor technique. Not to mention the routefinding above. Good call!

I would personally consider the needle to be the 2nd most difficult 14er now, and it’s a very close call if you ask me.

You've reminded me that I need to put some text at the END of the traverse route description, referencing the descent on the Needle if the reader has not done it. I can't make people read it but I can link to it and tell them they could easily get off-route descending the Needle without doing some homework.

I was actually thinking this the day that I did it. Because of the nature of the rock in the area, I found the routefinding quite a bit less intuitive than on most class 4 CO peaks. Not your typical ridge/gully/ledge navigation strategy. And of course it’s always harder to descend rather than ascend if you’re going in onsight.

[TomPierce]

yes!!!

OTW down post traverse, It was incredibly nerve wracking to watch from the east gully as a couple people had to be coached through the more difficult moves on that thing in clunky boots with poor technique. Not to mention the routefinding above. Good call!

I would personally consider the needle to be the 2nd most difficult 14er now, and it’s a very close call if you ask me.

You've reminded me that I need to put some text at the END of the traverse route description, referencing the descent on the Needle if the reader has not done it. I can't make people read it but I can link to it and tell them they could easily get off-route descending the Needle without doing some homework.

And for the folks that have come up and over on the Ellingwood Arete.

-Tom

[BillMiddlebrook]

^Check

[greenonion]

Having only done the crossover route into west gully from east, is it pretty obvious from the summit on how to re-access the top of the east gully to begin a descent from there? Wondering if the description is adequate enough as is. Maybe simply some wording might help that alerts to not accidentally descending west gully, while reminding that you need to bypass west and go back over to east to descend. Hopefully that made some sense. And if it’s super easy and obvious to see and get to east from the summit, then so be it. On the way down we were simply keying on the way we climbed up (west gully).

[Wentzl]

There is a number for overall duration, there is a number for technical difficulty at the hardest part (if you stay on route), but there is no number for route finding. You know, 1 indicates that a blind person can follow the trail even if he lost his cane and 5 indicates that Daniel Boone would lose the trail on his best day.

https://sharetngov.tnsosfiles.com/tsla/ ... lboone.htm

[nunns]

Just a general suggestion while it is a hot topic.
When posting a series of route pics, why stop at the summit?
It makes more sense to include a few pics of the descent and to put the AFTER the ascent pics and the summit views.
I often rearrange my pics from a route description to put the descent route pics AFTER the ascent route pics.

It isn't that hard to do so what I do, but it would be good for lazy people if route pics were ordered in such a way that the descent pics were after the ascent pics, not interspersed. I know that is asking the route describers to do more work so that other people can be lazier, but perhaps just on routes like this, it might save a life someday.

Sean Nunn

[nyker]

This is good Bill. Thanks again for your continued and always hard work

[JQDivide]

Just a general suggestion while it is a hot topic.
When posting a series of route pics, why stop at the summit?
It makes more sense to include a few pics of the descent and to put the AFTER the ascent pics and the summit views.
I often rearrange my pics from a route description to put the descent route pics AFTER the ascent route pics.

It isn't that hard to do so what I do, but it would be good for lazy people if route pics were ordered in such a way that the descent pics were after the ascent pics, not interspersed. I know that is asking the route describers to do more work so that other people can be lazier, but perhaps just on routes like this, it might save a life someday.

Sean Nunn

Not a bad idea... at least one or two "this way down" photo(s) for some peaks... just to head in the right direction.

Also... THANKS BILL!

[BillMiddlebrook]

Just a general suggestion while it is a hot topic.
When posting a series of route pics, why stop at the summit?
It makes more sense to include a few pics of the descent and to put the AFTER the ascent pics and the summit views.
I often rearrange my pics from a route description to put the descent route pics AFTER the ascent route pics.

It isn't that hard to do so what I do, but it would be good for lazy people if route pics were ordered in such a way that the descent pics were after the ascent pics, not interspersed. I know that is asking the route describers to do more work so that other people can be lazier, but perhaps just on routes like this, it might save a life someday.

Sean Nunn

When I include "looking down" route pics, the intention is to provide a look around so the route doesn't become tunneled. While I agree some may be helpful on the descent, I think they are also very helpful to the flow of the ascent. I try to encourage people to take note of milestones and surroundings on the way up as well.

Now, a key issue here is that some people take one route up and another down. That's what I was referring to when I said I want to add some pics of the descent on the Needle to the end of at least the traverse route.

[RETEP 1]

I was there this weekend for my third trip down the Needle, first time on the traverse. I decided to take the east gully all the way down this time. It seemed much more straightforward and simple than the crossover. Good call!!

[daway8]

Photos 16, 21 and 22 make it seem like there's still a crossover to do (text and arrows don't seem to be updated - maybe not even the right photos for the new route??)

Photos 23 and 25 still have text referring to going up the west gully.

Also, trying to download photos from the app currently brings a download failed message.

Also: photos 36 & 38 just bring up the 14ers logo - no picture. That might relate to the above...