Burkett Needle from the north, with Devils Thumb in the background. The west ridge follows the right skyline; Burdick and Frieh approached from the south. Photo by John Scurlock.
Seizing the day during a window of high pressure, AAC member Dave Burdick and partner John Frieh snagged the first ascent of the beautiful west ridge of Burkett Needle in southeast Alaska during a three-day round trip from the airport. After a helicopter approach and hike to high camp, they climbed Smash and Grab (IV 5.8 M4) in a single day, completing the fifth ascent of the striking spire near Devils Thumb. Burdick had previously attempted the west ridge in 2006.
John Frieh has posted a trip report with numerous photos at CascadeClimbers.com. Congratulations, guys!
