Markhor-Needle Traverse
July 16, 2022
Just because I don’t think anyone will read this post (since I’m 2 years late to writing it), I will tell a little related side story – which is the origin story of Andrea and Francis 🙂Â
Francis and I met on Hinge, and I quickly sussed out that he was one and the same Francis who’s trip reports I’d read on the SWBC peakbagger group – most recently his trip up to the Fire Spires. He equally sussed out that I was “pretty legit,” noting especially my photo with 2 Petzl Quarks from when I climbed the Harvey North Ramp. I think he was looking for someone a little more motivated to do mountain stuff than your average climber and luckily for me I was able to be just that!
We met initially at Base5 in North Van, where I was so nervous around him I could hardly climb. I called my best friend from the car afterwards telling her he might be the “one that got away” since there was no way he’d like me back.. but as I was there on the phone he sent me a text that he’d had fun – to which I squealed like a mouse.Â
Our next date was at Smoke Bluffs where I showed him my other true love (crack climbing), and although we had loads of fun I definitely wondered if maybe he was just looking for a climbing partner! However my fears were quelled a few days later when he asked me on a real (not-climbing) date: ice cream, biking, and swimming at Kits beach. From that date onward I think we were both pretty sold, but kept it lowkey with casual dates and texting until the Markhor-Needle traverse 🙂
With this being our first hike together, we kept our pace moderate so we could chat all day. From the Needle peak parking lot, it was a little bit of a bushwhack through a construction site to reach the Markhor trail, but once we found it the forest was pretty open and it was straightforward to make our way up.Â
We found a few scrambly bits up to Markhor but they were totally optional, and the trail was really easy to follow once we reached the alpine. The summit was lovely, with excellent views of every surrounding peak. Because we had so much time in our day, we decided to cuddle up in the sun and have a little summit nap.Â
Coming up toward Markhor
A small sandy section on the way
Me standing on Markhor summit looking towards Needle peak
After a little while, the wind began to pick up and we decided to keep moving. Coming down Markhor was potentially the crux of the day, with lots of fairly steep downward sloping slabs. At one point we found some really old and bad webbing to “protect” a section of scrambling, that I hesitantly used more to stop myself from slipping than from actually holding a fall.
As we reached the bottom of the Markhor/Needle col, the views opened up and we could see the beautiful knife-edge ridge in front of us leading all the way up to Needle peak. It was absolutely stunning, and we were both filled with so much excitement for the day. It was somewhere around here that Francis also decided it would be a great moment to ask me to be his girlfriend 🙂 Now filled with such happiness, we continued on to the crux of the day in the traverse itself.
There were two distinct cruxes in my opinion: the first being a somewhat steep but very exposed downclimb over a knife edge, and the second being a sandy and ledgy traverse gaining the actual Needle peak ascent. Both were unavoidable with no easy bypasses, but totally doable with some careful footing.Â
The traverse continued to get better and better as we now began to ascend up Needle peak itself. There were so many potential route options, and as we climbed we somewhat chose our own lines with what looked most fun. At some point though, I think we both ended up off track and rather than descending, I led us up an increasingly steep ledge and crack system to the summit. By the time we crawled over the edge, we had some tourists pretty confused since we’d essentially just come up off the face of Needle peak on the North side.Â
Descending some slabs off Markhor
The shitty webbing we found
Francis coming down a slippery section
Looking over towards Needle peak
Looking at the beautiful ridgeline ahead
Me now coming up from the col
Traversing a balancey section
Going down one of the cruxy sections
A look back at that crux. It looks like some people rapped it and left webbing behind.
Francis coming through as well
Coming up a section cruxy section, loose and exposed sand!
Starting to come up the final climb
Terrain keeps getting steeper… oops!
Francis coming up behind me
Unsure where we ended up, lol!
Me going up the final bit to the summit
We made it!
It was still just after lunch time, so we took another long rest on the summit. It was also here that we had someone take our first photo together! (Oh the things you’ll hear about on my blog and not his right? haha)
The climb down from Needle peak was so much easier than I’d imagined it since it looks so steep when looking over from Flatiron summit. It was a few hops off big rocks and fun maneuvers before finding ourselves back on the main Needle peak trail. From there, it was a casual hike back to the car.
Reflecting back on this day, I would say it’s probably my favourite non-technical hike I’ve done: just the right amount of exposure, fun scrambling, easy hiking, and totally accessible. Also of course I’ll always look back on this day with fond memories of Francis and I since this is the day we now celebrate as our anniversary 🙂
The descent from Needle peak
Francis heading down Needle peak
The final hike out