The Devil Wears Plaid

There are three tiny towers punctuating the serrated south ridge of Checkered Demon.

The Devil Wears Plaid

takes a direct line up the west buttress of the middle tower, tackling a steep(ish) headwall splitter and finishing with a dramatic ridge scramble.

Pitch 1 (5.7, 150 feet):

Start at the lowest point on the buttress (see photos). Align yourself with the interesting headwall up high on the buttress. Move up on various ribs and grooves, finishing on a steeper section to gain a nice ledge belay.

Pitch 2 (5.10-, 150 feet):

Trend up and slightly left toward a right-leaning diagonal splitter breaking the headwall. Jam the steepness to a belay on a broad low-angle slab.

Pitch 3 (5.7, 150 feet):

Scramble up and right on easy slabs to the sawtoothed ridgeline and follow it south. Pass below the left (east) side of the final summit block and climb a short offwidth corner to the top.

Descent:

Scramble (3rd/4th-class) southward along the ridge to the notch between the middle and south towers. From there, a 3rd/4th-class scree gully returns you to the base.

You wouldn't hike all the way out here just to do this route, but it could give you something to do if you have a spare day in the area. Combine it with

Chex Mix

(5.7) and also tag the south tower (via 5.8 corner on north ridge) for better value.

Hike up to Piute Pass, then cross-country into Humphreys Basin. Head northeast, aiming directly toward Checkered Demon (between Humphreys and Emerson). There are two sizeable tarns directly below the west face of Checkered Demon. The southern one (Lake 12,240') is somewhat circular and makes a nice campsite. The towers on the south ridge of Checkered Demon rise directly above this tarn.

Standard alpine rack to 3"