07 January 2016

With avvy conditions not safe enough to attempt anything big, Marcus and I picked a classic out of our Tattoosh backyard: Pinnacle Peak.

IMG_0099
Pinnacle Peak, peekin out of the trees

The North Ridge seemed like the cool thing to do, but based on the weather we weren’t optimistic for a consolidated enough snowpack. We set off in snowshoes anyway to get a time estimate for the approach and to scout things out for another time.

IMG_0105
Marcus on the East Ridge

 

We were right. A small slab had partially released at the entrance to the snow gully that gains the North Ridge, and that was that.

We decided we had enough time to snowshoe around to check out the East Ridge instead, and ended up climbing a few pitches up before bailing — didn’t wanna get locked up with our NPS friends behind the Longmire gate. Marcus was appalled at the chossy, garbage rock on the ridge but was excited to pull out tools for the first time this year.

 

We’ll be back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trip Stats and map:

pinnalce