The Needles (Big Methow Needle) is a series of spires, rising nearly 2000 feet south of Catleap Peak and west of Delancy Ridge, overlooking Pine Creek. This impressive rock formation offers challenging climbing routes that draw enthusiasts seeking adventure. Additionally, its striking elevation also places it near some of Washington’s highest peaks.
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The Needles (Big Methow Needle) at a Glance
Access: Lone Fir Campground
Round Trip: 6.1 miles
Elevation Range: 3640′-8160′
Gear: helmet, ice ax, crampons, rock & rope (60m)
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no
Pine Creek Trail Was No More
Chandler and I carpooled to the North Cascades, arriving early at the pullout area south of the Lone Fir Campground. Despite referencing three helpful trip reports, we were not able to locate the Pine Creek Trailhead. Two reports gave precise distances from the creek, but downed trees obscured the path everywhere we checked. At least the sun was shining.
We remained hopeful that we would intersect the trail at some point, which turned out to be farther from the creek than anticipated. It was a relief to find it not long after we started. Despite occasionally losing the path due to windfalls, we were always able to relocate it.
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Gaining the South Ridge
At 4400 feet, the trail faded near a small waterfall, leading to a creek crossing on a large log. We soon found ourselves in a large area of slide alder. After a couple of attempts to bypass the dense vegetation, we backtracked and moved farther east into the trees, hoping for an easier path.
We navigated north through numerous downed logs before spotting some flagging. There, a faint trail then led us above the slide alder and into a clearing at 4900 feet. Soon, we crossed a small gully to a waterfall ravine, which put us directly south of the east peak.
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Approaching The Needles Summit Spire
We lost the morning sun to the clouds but stayed hopeful as we navigated the steep, densely vegetated ridge. As the terrain expanded, shrubs gave way to sloping slabs and scree. Navigating through the rocks required careful route-finding as we moved west of the cliffs at 6800 feet.
Soon, the impressive The Needles appeared above the ridge, and we descended slightly and traversed across milder ground. We put on crampons over continuous snow, but glad we didn’t need snowshoes. The south slopes grew progressively steeper, but the snow conditions were still ideal. Meanwhile, I found it difficult to maintain my footing and avoid sliding.
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Climbing the Main Tower
We looked for the pinnacles below the ridge, not realizing they were in the southwest view. Shortly, we found ourselves in the southwest gully, gazing up at the massive tower, which was much more imposing in person. Despite a low snow year, the climb from the notch was still feasible.
Initially, we were unsure if the route went directly up the face, but Chandler was eager to take the lead. After all, I had invited him along to do the hard work! The initial moves lacked decent holds, and we went off-route on the second pitch by trending too far to the right. However, we angled back and reached the second anchor.
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Views From The Needles Summit
Pitch three turned out to be the most enjoyable, featuring a lie-back move I hadn’t practiced since my days in the climbing gym. From the third anchor, we scrambled onto the summit ridge, as narrow and exposed as the photos suggested. Soon, Chandler made his way to the southern end of the ridge, knowing exactly where to go for his classic summit shot.
The sun had been out for a while, shining brightly. Meanwhile, clouds had lifted, granting us fantastic views from the top. Golden Horn and Tower Mountain were right next door, and we had a rare sighting of the tucked-away Holliway Mountain. To the north, we could see the beautiful Mount Ballard and Azurite Peak across the Methow River.
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Retracing Steps to Pine Creek
We spent half an hour on top. Later, we downclimbed to the third anchor. From there, we rappelled to the second belay station. Then we went down to the next platform. The third and final rappel got us down to the col. Glad we didn’t need to angle sideways like one report mentioned. But we made sure to back up every rappel with new webbing.
We spent half an hour on the top before downclimbing to the third anchor. From there, we rappelled to the second belay station and then down to the next platform. Making sure to back up every anchor, we then made the third and final rappel safely onto the col. We were relieved not to have to do any sideways rappelling, as mentioned in one trip report.
After packing up our gear, we descended the southern slopes. Plunge-stepping in crampons was slow and arduous for me; in hindsight, I should have descended in boots with an ice ax. Soon, we retraced our route down the south ridge and back into the forest. After crossing Pine Creek to the south side, we hiked out.
See more trip photos here.