Weaver's Needle FREE SOLO Climb - Superstition Mtns, AZ

Рет қаралды 9,155

5 ай бұрын

Weaver's Needle is an iconic formation in the Superstition Mountains, which are east of Phoenix, AZ. For most, this is a technical climb with gear but after researching it I thought it would be easy enough to free solo and then rap back down. I was not disappointed! It was like a poor man's version of the Grand Teton climb, but the chimney here did remind me of the Owen Chimney. I started at Peralta trailhead and went up the "standard" way on the west side.
Check out my other hikes in the Superstitions:
Flatiron and Peak 5024: • Flatiron Hike -- Super...
Superstition Ridgeline and Superstition Peak 5057: • Superstition Ridgeline...
Reverse Flatiron: • Reverse Flatiron (Supe...
Massacre Grounds: • Massacre Grounds Water...
Battleship: • Battleship Mountain - ...
Black Top Mesa: • Black Top Mesa (Supers...
Herman's Cave/Miner's Needle: • Herman's Cave and Mine...
Picketpost: • Picketpost Mountain --...
Peralta Trail/Geronimo Cave: • Peralta Trail and Gero...

Пікірлер: 78

@jamiedubois5052 17 күн бұрын

I did the 5.7 trad climb that's on the other side for my 35th birthday.

@HikingEngineer 17 күн бұрын

nice! although I thought the east side was just class 3/4 and the class 5 route was the west side? Or did you mean some other approach?

@jamiedubois5052 17 күн бұрын

@HikingEngineer once you get into class 5, then it's traditional rock climbing grades. The west route is definitely a solid 5.7. It can be free soloed, but that last 20 feet before the saddle is pretty vertical and with small holds. But if you can take the exposure the face climb to the left of that the holds are bigger but it is highly highly exposed.

@jamiedubois5052 17 күн бұрын

That hike in there is brutal. I did it with 80 pounds of gear on my back in the beginning of October.

@HikingEngineer 16 күн бұрын

@@jamiedubois5052 yeah that steep slope up wouldn't be fun with a heavy pack, at least it isn't that long

@arklinmike 14 күн бұрын

SO much fun watching your ascent. It's been many long years since I got up there with a group from C.A.M.R.A. I think we went around the right side of the chock stone, but the rest of the climb is just a scramble. Easily one of the finest experiences in Arizona, if you're up to the challenge. The view is outstanding. ❤👍😊

@HikingEngineer 14 күн бұрын

thanks for watching!

@nationalparksprincess3216 5 ай бұрын

That was great! Those views from the top! Wow! 😮

@user-mm2mi8td9s 5 ай бұрын

insane in the membrane..........glad you have the skills bro. incredible climb.

@Olive_and_friends 5 ай бұрын

Love this! Super good job!!!

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

thanks!

@HikeAZ48 Ай бұрын

Such a great video thanks for sharing. Views look like the best of all the Superstitions. I love hiking around that area but haven't gone up past the base of weavers. Cheers!

@HikingEngineer Ай бұрын

thanks! It's a great hike/climb! Hopefully some of my other videos can help you too!

@TheRightLine 8 күн бұрын

I always wanted to climb weavers needle and never did. Now, after having not climbed in so long, I don't think I have the nerve anymore. Good on you. I enjoyed watching.

@HikingEngineer 7 күн бұрын

thanks for watching and for the kind words!

@robbmac9818 4 ай бұрын

Inspired by your videos. Thanks man!

@HikingEngineer 4 ай бұрын

thanks for the kind words! I hike a lot so gotta plenty of stuff so hopefully some it helps you out!

@KarlDeckerPresents 4 ай бұрын

Did this one like 20 years ago, so cool!

@HikingEngineer 4 ай бұрын

for some reason I always thought it was more technical, so a couple weeks ago I finally researched it and just went and did it

@BiggggyD 18 күн бұрын

Incredible, you blow my mind.

@HikingEngineer 18 күн бұрын

thanks I guess? ha

@eXpeditionAnthony 5 ай бұрын

Your hiking prolifictness is awesome! Subscribed! Keep up the great work!

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

thank you!! I have quite a lot of hard hikes on the channel so glad you found it!

@eXpeditionAnthony 5 ай бұрын

@@HikingEngineer For sure! I'll definitely be using them for getting beta on a few hikes i'm planning on in CO this year!

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

@@eXpeditionAnthony I got 12 more 14ers left and will be finishing them this upcoming summer! I have videos up on 42 of the 46 I've done, but Longs/Pikes/Quandary/Sneffels were before I started recording

@alonzovillarreal4666 22 күн бұрын

Nice!! We just admire it from afar, great video!

@HikingEngineer 22 күн бұрын

thanks! you should climb it!

@hantla 3 ай бұрын

Wow nice hike and climb! Love it out there. Going tomorrow but not gonna be climbing.

@HikingEngineer 3 ай бұрын

it's a fun lil climb if you ever do it!

@isaacjamesbaker 5 ай бұрын

Well done dude!

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

thanks! it was fun

@bradwiebelhaus7065 17 күн бұрын

Great adventure.

@averywear8295 5 ай бұрын

Wow, congrats on that one! I free soloed it from the east a few years ago, you're the first one I've seen who free soloed from the west. One of my all time fave peaks. Let me know if you're ever interested in climbing Courthouse Rock and/or Eagle Feather in the Eagletail Mountains. I've wanted to find a partner for those for some time.

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

I'm always down to tag team a peak with you! Just need to figure out how our schedules align! I have my 100k on Jan 13, so most likely taking it easy until then, but after I'm down

@user-vg4cg4uw9c 11 күн бұрын

I've developed a fear of heights over time which sucks. While living in Colorado in 1993 I seen a free solo guy fall 200 ft.at Garden of Gods. I just by chance looked in his direction and seen him in mid-fall. I thought I was seeing things at first. But no it was real. He died.

@HikingEngineer 10 күн бұрын

that's crazy!

@waynescottturner 5 ай бұрын

Nice man! Consider a stopper knot at the bottom of your rope though :)

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

yeah that's probably a good idea! but then could I still sing the song?

@Kyle-ej4ok 5 ай бұрын

Sweeeet. I think I heard on another video that you lived in FL before. Would love to get a shout out for the florida gators on your next video!

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

i believe i gave an indirect shoutout in a Hawaii video when I said "Go Utes!". But i will try to work something else in

@antoineozaneaux6881 5 ай бұрын

SICK .

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

thanks!

@MountainHobbler 5 ай бұрын

Some of those moves looked a little spicy.

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

there was one section up higher in the chimney which was a bit above just an easy trivial class 5 climb, other than that I felt pretty comfortable. When the holds aren't good is when it starts to feel spicy for me

@JupiterNeptun1579 3 ай бұрын

Wow your very good climber/hiker.

@HikingEngineer 3 ай бұрын

i try! thanks

@JohnnyBushwhacker-yv6bc 5 ай бұрын

Great route, looked tough, glad the rock seemed solid. Would you have felt comfortable down climbing without the repel device and using the rope just as more of a hand line?

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

honestly yes, and I thought about doing that but never mentioned it in the video

@lrchandllr1 5 ай бұрын

@@HikingEngineer Its pretty doable as a down-climb, as I am sure you determined, I thought the final bit to the ground required the most attention, but oddly enough Phoenix Rock only calls that "pitch" c4, lol.

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

@@lrchandllr1 I would not have felt comfortable downclimbing the 30 feet or so below the chockstone, but I guess in a life or death situation I would be able to get down safely. I've heard/read the east side is just class 4 so doable with no rope down

@charlesbromberick4247 3 ай бұрын

"Chose wisely" or "guessed luckily"?

@HikingEngineer 3 ай бұрын

chose wisely ;)

@bkl8804 24 күн бұрын

Sick 5.2 solo.

@HikingEngineer 22 күн бұрын

huh? it's not a hard solo but it's harder than 5.2

@jasonroberts6080 5 ай бұрын

I met a guy who died while climbing in superstition mtns. He had to be identified by his teeth. Be careful out there.

@hantla 3 ай бұрын

You met a guy who died?

@progradepainting3755 15 күн бұрын

@@hantlayou died a guy you met?

@Footballslayer123 5 күн бұрын

⁠@@progradepainting3755you guy’d a died who met?

@user-pe8id1ni7v 8 күн бұрын

Yeah those mountains are crumbly

@Picklemedia 23 күн бұрын

@24:59 Where is Waldo

@HikingEngineer 22 күн бұрын

turns out no one was there, just a sleeping bag

@Sumofabish 21 күн бұрын

I can see these mountains from my front porch, not the needle but the mountain range.

@HikingEngineer 21 күн бұрын

Nice! Do you hike in the sups often

@Sumofabish 21 күн бұрын

@@HikingEngineer I used to. I was paralyzed while working as a heavy machine operator for a mining company here in Mesa about 5 years ago. My accident happened at the Drake mine located at Higley and the 202. My hiking days are behind me but I very much enjoyed watching your video, it’s like I’m going on the hike right there with you except I am doing it from my room in the AC! 😂

@HikingEngineer 20 күн бұрын

@@Sumofabish keep your head up! hopefully my videos help you live vicariously through me

@ognightrider8730 26 күн бұрын

Bad ass

@HikingEngineer 25 күн бұрын

thanks man

@michaeldelacruz8798 4 ай бұрын

Nice vid but you need some rope training. God knot needed without the rats nest.

@HikingEngineer 4 ай бұрын

yeah haha I never know how to fold up/carry the rope. My rope is always a mess, I only use it like once a year if that

@mrgrork 5 ай бұрын

Looks like mostly class 3 with a few class 4 moves. Not much exposure and easy climbing.

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

there are definitely class 5 sections -- particularly getting up the chimney over halfway up. But other than that is mostly class 4. I think depending where you look it's either 5.4, 5.5, or 5.6. I tend to underrate climbs and say it was class 3 when it's 4, or say it's 4 when it's 5, but there definitely was a vertical wall that was class 5!

@mrgrork 5 ай бұрын

@@HikingEngineer ok 5.5 at chockstone and class 4.

@HikingEngineer 5 ай бұрын

@@mrgrork yes that's about right!

@user-pe8id1ni7v 8 күн бұрын

You're talking too much, holms

@HikingEngineer 7 күн бұрын

my bad lol, that's the point to narrate the hikes/climbs!