Climb through some funkiness to a good crack. Where the crack peters out, thin face climbing is protected by three bolts. Finish the first pitch by climbing a good right facing corner to a two bolt anchor. For the second pitch, climb up the corner and then traverse left at a ledge. Continue up another crack until you come to a two bolt anchor that meets up with Fancy Free. Continue up Fancy Free to the top.

Bad Fortune

Spooky

Charlatan Summit Spire (a.k.a. Our Lady of the Needles)

Beach Vibes

Pins and Needles

Gemstone

The Valley Guy

Superstition

Fancy Free

Northwest Route

Around to the right of the start of Spooky is a thin fingertips crack.  Climb this to the large ledge that marks the end of Spooky's P1.  This crack takes tiny to small gear (RPs, stoppers, TCUs).

From the obvious ledge, stay right and climb the left-hand side of a steep, clean arete past three bolts--strenuous!

Finish on the upper portion of Spooky.  Alternately, if you choose to belay atop and around the corner from the steep arete, you can finish up the final pitch of Fancy Free.

Spooky is Marge's cat.  It is also a great "end-of-the day climb" - especially after rapping off of the Sorcerer as it begins from the Sorcerer/Charlatan notch.

P1: Climb up a fairly easy slab/face on the SW corner of the Charlatan to an obvious ledge below a right-facing corner with an offwidth in the back.  Belay here, or, if you runner your gear well, continue on.

P2: Ascend the OW (crux), and then continue more easily up the face and ribs of rock above.  Belay at bolts on the summit.

The short but fun fingercrack to arete on the small spire on top of the Charlatan. Sorry, no summit register.

Climb up the twin cracks to the jug. Walkoff the back.

A fun little problem if you find yourself waiting up here. Probably climbed before, but couldn't find info on it. We called it

Beach Vibes

because we were waiting here and freezing our butts off.

*beta alert* Get your right hand in the pod on the right crack. There is a small mono pocket. Go for a painful finger lock with the left hand. Throw for the jug in the pod above the left hand finger lock. Work your feet, then throw again for a higher jug. Repeat ~2 more times until you you reach the final jug and can walk off the backside. Possibly easier if you are tall.

There are several cruxes most involve trusting your feet on those pins and needles you are planted on. Every hold is just further than you would want, take your time on this and it should come easy.

The Valley Guy is an interesting affair, and a bit on the scruffy side, though the second bit of welded flakes and perfect jams is really enjoyable climbing.  We did this line in two short pitches.

P1 Start up the Northwest Route for 50 feet until you are almost equal in height to a large hanging flake to your left. Belay in slot with small/medium cams.  A #4 is helpful for the lead as well as belay.

P2  Launch out into the the left trending traverse via flake cracks, underclings, and decent feet.  The crux comes at you quickly, and it is a reachy one if you want to do it static.  Double up your pro here and make a long reach left to a super incut sidepull. There is a decent sidepull down low on this vertical rail. Do a quick shuffle and be rewarded with excellent gear and great climbing to the top.  Belay at comfy, diagonal crack near the top. Walk off the back.

The first route to the right of Fancy Free.  The first pitch is a thin, shallow dihedral requiring lots of small nuts.  The second pitch looks super classy.

This is a super high quality 3 pitch route around the corner to the right of Spooky. We rapped into this route from the gully between the Charlatan and the Sorcerer. Sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon.

Pitch 1- Climb slippery slab to a slightly right leaning crack, then straight up to a bolted belay on a small ledge. 5.9

Pitch 2- Crux. Beautiful layback/finger crack. Perfect pro. Move left into the crack via a couple of face moves and launch off on a perfect layback/finger crack. This pitch is short but pumpy. 5.10

Pitch 3- You can continue to the top of the Charlatan or bail off left onto the second Spooky anchors. 5.9

The Northwest Route is a grungy wide gully on the West face of the Charlatan.  There are a couple fun chicken wings to be had in there, but this route isn't why you came to the Needles.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Charlatan