BURSTJosh Wharton, Michael Larson and Zack Smith visited the Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming, to find an obscure challenge on the Spider Web Wall. They managed to get a full alpine experience on Mixed Signals, a 1,000-foot, 5.13c-ish line, complete with short weather windows and grass-filled cracks.
The first routes in the area, done in 1996 by Paul Piana and friends, were Great Spirit (IV 5.12-, 14 p) and Coup Stick (III 5.10+, 7 p). In 2017, Chris Hirsch reported in the American Alpine Journal (AAJ) that in 2013 he partnered with Lee Terveen for the first ascent of Strange Designs (III 5.11-, 7 p). In 2014, Hirsch and Tony Schwartz made the first ascent of Vision Quest (IV 5.12-, 9 p), and later that season, Hirsch and Dan Brazil established Wild, Wild West (7 pitches, IV 5.11+).
In 2016, Hirsch and Harrison Teuber climbed the new Astro-Pika (IV 5.11+ PG13, 9 p), and later that summer, Hirsch and Schwartz started up steep dihedrals on the left side of the wall in search of a new line. As Hirsch reported in the AAJ, “After a couple of pitches of superb corner climbing, we encountered a large suspect flake, ready to calve from a roof with the slightest touch, there was no passing it safely. After much deliberation, we opted to descend and rap in from the top the next day to remove the flake. We made the 1,000’-plus trudge and rappelled to the flake, and to my amazement it wouldn’t budge. We finished placing anchors and protection bolts, and rehearsed pitches on top-rope. After three days of work and a rest day, we came back to climb our brilliant new route Mixed Signals (8 pitches, IV 5.12+ C1).”
Wharton is one of America’s most accomplished alpine rock climbers with several noteworthy first ascents and repeats to his name. In 2019, a film dropped featuring Larson making a rare send of Maniac 5.13d in Maine. Watch Wharton and Larson on Mixed Signals below.
Mixed Signals
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