Deep Lake Cirque Traverse

Deep Lake Cirque Traverse

This is an enchainment of all of the major summits in the deep lake area, starting on Haystack and circling all the way around to Schiestler Peak. To connect it all, Jack Cramer and I added one new pitch to top out East Temple Peak from its notch with Lost Temple Spire. It's possible this enchainment has been done before, but we couldn’t find any record of a previous ascent and there weren't signs of recent passage.

Although it’s much less committing than the Cirque of the Towers Traverse, this enchainment still provides plenty of technical challenges (18+ guidebook pitches, 12 raps, tons of 4th class). The actual route distance per Google Earth is 8.5 miles with 6,200 ft of gain/loss after leaving the Black Joe Trail to the return to Big Sandy Lake. Add in the approach, and it totals roughly 20 miles with 8,000’ of elevation change from the car.

Route

Haystack:

we climbed the North Face (5.6, 5 pitches) as a single simul pitch and continued across the summit and down the South Ridge (low 5th) with a couple raps off of existing anchors. Continue on the ridge proper to...

Steeple Peak:

climb the North Ridge (5.8, 5 pitches) and rap the South Ridge. We deviated from the final rap to stay on the ridge proper, some low 5th downclimbing to the notch at Lost Temple Spire. We found a snow patch here to melt water and bivied just to the south on a grassy ledge.

Lost Temple Spire:

We climbed the Southwest Arete (5.10b, 8 pitches), but you could make the traverse more direct by climbing Separation Anxiety or one of the other routes on the north/west face. Given how far we were walking, packing the extra gear that’s suggested for these routes didn't seem fun. To descend we scrambled down 100' to the south of the summit and rapped directly into the notch between the spire and East Temple Peak (2x 30M raps to the notch off slings and nuts).

East Temple Peak:

This was the mystery of the enchainment because the only published routes were a single grade VI and grade V on the NE and NW faces, respectively. Fortunately, we found an easy way to avoid these committing routes. From the notch walk and butt scoot along the grassy catwalk approx. 300' west to a right arching overlap. Climb this arch at 5.7 to a hand crack in a corned/block visible from the ledge This pitch was quite wet when we climbed it but the gear was good where you needed it. A little simul-climbing with a 60m rope got us to the summit plateau in one pitch.

Temple Peak:

Drop across the valley and chose your route to ascend the highest peak in the southern Winds. There was good water in the saddle separating these peaks when we were here. Stop and fill up if possible. We climbed the obvious slanting gully on the left side of this face (class 3/4). Then up the talus pile on the southwest slopes to the summit. The Northeast Chutes (II 5.7) would be a prouder choice, but few parties are likely to have the energy at this point.

To descend head north trying not to get too low. There is a large notch in the ridge here that required 3 raps to get reach. To find our anchors drop approximately 100M west from the ridge and look for a car sized boulder sitting on a slab just above the notch. The first anchor is bright yellow cord around a horn 40M downhill from here. Rap trending skiers right to a slung pinch and down the corner below to a 2 stopper anchor. All were equipped yellow/black cord.

From the bottom of the notch scramble up the grassy gully to a 4th class exit left. Try to get an eye on this escape from the other side while rapping...

We bivied under an overhanging rock 500' off the ridge and were able to find running water from dirty snowfield.

A Cheval Peak

Continue along the ridge another cliffy notch. A short section of loose 4th class with engaging routefinding will get you to a short rap off fixed slings. In general stay close to the ridge in this section. After the passing the notch, hike up grassy slopes (class 2) to a cool summit rock

Schiestler Peak:

Continue along the grassy plateau and weave your way up the east side of Scheistler Peak, passing several false summits (4th/ low 5th), to reach a saddle where a casual scramble leads to the higher south summit.

Time:

We completed this enchainment in 2.5 casual days (car to car). If you are fast and willing to suffer 2 days is definitely possible, and I'm sure there's someone out there who could do it in a day (this would likely require real free soloing and the routefinding in the dark could be tough at numerous points...)

Looking at the numbers it doesn't seem that much bigger than the popular Cirque of the Towers Traverse. However, the rock climbing cruxes are harder. Future parties might find it more enjoyable to camp in the Deep Lake cirque and then climb the aesthetic ridge from Haystack to East Temple Peak in a day. Most climbers won’t find the walking/scrambling after that particularly classic (from Temple Peak to Scheistler).

Approach

Follow the main trail to Big Sandy Lake. At the NE corner of the lake take the Black Joe Trail until it disappears in the talus midway along the south shore of Black Joe Lake. From here scramble up grassy 3rd/4th class to the base of the North Face on Haystack. (There might be an easier way to reach this side of Haystack from Clear Lake?)

Descent:

From Schiestler peak drop north on grass until just before the grassy ramp cliffs out. Sneak right (east) to a loose scree gully, eventually descending to more grassy ledges. Go north again through the forest until you regain the trail that circles Big Sandy Lake. Scope this descent while approaching and from Haystack. Bad navigation here could cost significant time and effort.

We brought a double rack from thin to #3 with a single 4 and 5 to deal with the unknown terrain between Lost Temple Spire and East Temple peak. This turned out to be overkill. Most competent parties will probably be happier with doubles in a couple sizes and a single #4.

A single 60m is sufficient for all of the raps. Bring extra cord to backup/replace existing anchors.