In 2011 the Needles (CA) lookout burned down in a self-contained 'structural fire'. At this point the Forestry Service decided that it wasn't worth repairing and thus the access road ceased to be maintained.
With this in mind the van was loaded with the maximum amount of food (and more importantly water) that we could fit with us still being able to move. We estimated (at a push) it'd last us a solid week, long enough that we'd be able to get in and out, only risking one journey up the infamous road (I knew a friend had made it up in a Dodge Caravan the year before but I had seen evidence of the same car beached on a sea of rock boulders in the middle of the desert too).
The base of the road didn't seem too bad, it was simply the usual dusty rutted unmade road affair that we were getting fairly used to, but as we progressed it worsened and steepened (not ideal given the load we were carrying). Half a mile later we were beached diagonally across the sandy track with our running boards firmly wedged on the floor. The automatic gear box gives little control (and no diff-lock) and thus the only solution was stamping the pedal to the floor after wedging whatever we could find behind the rear wheels. With the smell of burning clutch/rubber we somehow found traction and the van roared up the track (mighty V8!) dangerously weaving from left to right. My unwillingness to risk another beaching left Nat to follow running behind as I wreaked havoc on our precious abode.
We arrived at the (primitive) camp spot soon after (miraculously unscathed) and I took pleasure in noting that everything else was both high clearance and 4WD... apart from one Honda Fit, missing the majority of its lower trim.
From the campsite you're forced to walk along the ridge for 2.5 miles to reach the site of the old lookout (the gateway is now bent so you can access the top of the pinnacle where the charred lookout foundations still sit). From here yet more walking leads to the various notches that form the access points to the Needles proper.
Another problem with the Needles (besides the access) is the lack of a guidebook. Rumour has it that the author of the 'upcoming' (never coming?) guidebook was near completion when his laptop was stolen, and with it the only full copy. The task of re-writing the guide was seemingly too daunting and thus the only information is via the 'So-Cal select' guidebook (not much) or via internet topos (of varying accuracy, perpare yourself for 1990s HTML if you dare click).
Nonetheless MountainProject lists the top-picks for the area and we set about warming into the area with the many starred 'Igor Unchained'. I don't think either of us were prepared for the astounding quality of our first route, 3-4 pitches of perfect splitter granite with an overhanging final pitch that offers outrageous fun.
The quality continued day on day as we stuck to the well-travelled classics; 'Airy Interlude', 'Thin Ice', 'Fancy Free' etc., all of which lived up to their great reputation. However, once off the beaten track the climbing often became dirty with poor topos and incredibly inaccurate gear-recommendations (you have been warned!).
Two routes from the Needles make it into '50 classic climbs', Randy Leavitt picked 'Romantic Warrior' (a bit out of our league for this trip!) and Tony Yaniro chose his own 'Sirocco' (more my cup of tea [not 'Equinox' though?]). After warming up on the rope-stretching first pitch of 'Thin Ice' we quickly scurried down to the huge choked boulder on which the route begins. What followed was some of the finest climbing of its sort I've encountered, combining vicious crimping with techy arête climbing. The mixture of new and old fixed gear makes it unclear if the route is truly in its original state.
With the walk-in (and out) each day it makes sense to stash the climbing equipment under one of the many boulders. Removing the bags each morning is made interesting due to the presence of rattle snakes (with a friend warning me that a climber had been 'snapped at' the year he was there). Thankfully, we didn't see any such snakes.
With the food and water (plus willpower for the walk) running dangerously low we were forced to leave the Needles, the descent down the road being a little easier aided by gravity. However, one route remained, and despite its relatively low technical grade we didn't want to leave without it. 'White Punks on Dope' on Voodoo Dome has an alternative approach and after a day at Kern River cooling off (complete with a rubber ring) we just about had the motivation to stumble up and give it a go (its South facing aspect demands an early start for which neither of us were keen).
Earlier in the week we'd lent our topo of said route to some other climbers and thankfully they'd taken the time to annotate it so that the route was discernible from the other crack-lines that start all over the base of the dome. Like the other routes, this didn't disappoint, with a long first pitch of impeccable quality.
The next pitches weren't all that wonderful with one chimney filled with nothing but large blocks and mungey bridging. However, what followed was an endless (truly) finger corner leading to a slab that looked so blank I was amazed it was climbable (let alone at such an amenable grade). This pitch was made more interesting by the now baking sun and the sportingly spaced bolts (3 or 4 on the pitch). An awesome pitch.
With our wish-list for the area complete we retreated back to Kern River to enjoy yet more time cooling off, impressed by an area we previously knew little about.
