Mt. Challenger, Poltergeist Pinnacle, East Face. On July 3 Dan ...
M t. Challenger, Poltergeist Pinnacle, East Face. O n July 3 D a n A ylward a n d I hiked to Perfect Pass via H a n n e g a n Pass/E asy Ridge. O n th e 4 th we trav e rse d a ro u n d C h a lle n g er A rm a n d clim b ed a n ew ro u te o n th e s o u th e r n m o s t o f th e p r o m in e n t s u b s u m m its b e tw e e n C h a lle n g e r a n d C ro o k e d T h u m b . In k e e p in g w ith th e th e m e o f G h o s t a n d P h a n to m peaks, w e d u b b e d th is
P oltergeist Pinnacle. It is p a rticu la rly d istinctive b ecause o f a huge shield feature at th e base th at is streak ed by h u n d re d s o f dikes th a t crisscross th e face like b o lts o f lig h tn in g . We p ick e d o u r lin es by a esth e tic s. Ig n o rin g easier c rac k s to th e left, w h ich w o u ld have re q u ire d a lo n g traverse u p h igher, we g ain ed th e ro ck in a c risp d ih e d ra l ju st left o f th e shield. Tw enty feet above th e snow , D an left the security o f th e corner, w hich blanked o u t 80 feet higher, a n d tip to e d rig h tw a rd acro ss p a ralle l dikes fo r 40 feet to th e v ery edge o f th e face. W ild face c lim b in g past an o v erlap led to m o re fe atu red c lim b in g a lo n g th e edge (55m , 5.9+ R). T h e se c o n d p itc h follow ed a clean e a s ily -p ro te c te d c o rn e r sy stem w ith a sm all r o o f at m id -h e ig h t (6 0 m , 5.8). A th ird p itc h tra v e rse d left a fte r 10m , a ro u n d tw o c o rn e rs, to reach a w eakness th a t breaks th ro u g h to th e to p o f th e steep low er face (60m , 5.8). F rom an a m p le ledge we sim u l-c lim b e d to th e ridge crest. We sta rte d in th e w ide tro u g h in th e cen ter o f th e face, th e n m o v ed rig h t o n to a sh a rp b u ttre ss crest w ith solid ro c k a n d less sn o w (ca 270m , u p to 5.7 b u t m o stly low 5 th ). We th o u g h t a b o u t d e sc en d in g directly to th e w est, b u t th e n d ecid ed th a t th e easiest w ay d o w n w as up. We tu rn e d n o rth a n d sim u l-c lim b e d to w ard th e su m m it o f C hallenger, w h ich we re ac h ed in a b o u t a n h o u r a n d a half. T h is w as g e n era lly m o d e ra te , a n d th e ro c k re aso n a b le , th o u g h w e m a d e n o a tte m p t a t a tru e crest trav erse. W e w ere in te re s te d in sp eed o v er p u rity , a n d c u t below th e endless g e n d a rm e s w h ere possible. We d id lo o p back u p th e sta n d a rd ro u te to th e tru e s u m m it (w h o can resist all th o se fixed p in s?), w h ic h w e tagged a t a b o u t 7:45 p.m . F ollow ing th e w e ll-tro d d e n tra c k across th e glacier, we w ere b a ck in c am p in ju st over a n h o u r. T he hike o u t th e follow ing d ay w as m e m o ra b le o n ly fo r blisters. G rade: IV 5.9. F o rrest M u rph y
P oltergeist Pinnacle. It is p a rticu la rly d istinctive b ecause o f a huge shield feature at th e base th at is streak ed by h u n d re d s o f dikes th a t crisscross th e face like b o lts o f lig h tn in g . We p ick e d o u r lin es by a esth e tic s. Ig n o rin g easier c rac k s to th e left, w h ich w o u ld have re q u ire d a lo n g traverse u p h igher, we g ain ed th e ro ck in a c risp d ih e d ra l ju st left o f th e shield. Tw enty feet above th e snow , D an left the security o f th e corner, w hich blanked o u t 80 feet higher, a n d tip to e d rig h tw a rd acro ss p a ralle l dikes fo r 40 feet to th e v ery edge o f th e face. W ild face c lim b in g past an o v erlap led to m o re fe atu red c lim b in g a lo n g th e edge (55m , 5.9+ R). T h e se c o n d p itc h follow ed a clean e a s ily -p ro te c te d c o rn e r sy stem w ith a sm all r o o f at m id -h e ig h t (6 0 m , 5.8). A th ird p itc h tra v e rse d left a fte r 10m , a ro u n d tw o c o rn e rs, to reach a w eakness th a t breaks th ro u g h to th e to p o f th e steep low er face (60m , 5.8). F rom an a m p le ledge we sim u l-c lim b e d to th e ridge crest. We sta rte d in th e w ide tro u g h in th e cen ter o f th e face, th e n m o v ed rig h t o n to a sh a rp b u ttre ss crest w ith solid ro c k a n d less sn o w (ca 270m , u p to 5.7 b u t m o stly low 5 th ). We th o u g h t a b o u t d e sc en d in g directly to th e w est, b u t th e n d ecid ed th a t th e easiest w ay d o w n w as up. We tu rn e d n o rth a n d sim u l-c lim b e d to w ard th e su m m it o f C hallenger, w h ich we re ac h ed in a b o u t a n h o u r a n d a half. T h is w as g e n era lly m o d e ra te , a n d th e ro c k re aso n a b le , th o u g h w e m a d e n o a tte m p t a t a tru e crest trav erse. W e w ere in te re s te d in sp eed o v er p u rity , a n d c u t below th e endless g e n d a rm e s w h ere possible. We d id lo o p back u p th e sta n d a rd ro u te to th e tru e s u m m it (w h o can resist all th o se fixed p in s?), w h ic h w e tagged a t a b o u t 7:45 p.m . F ollow ing th e w e ll-tro d d e n tra c k across th e glacier, we w ere b a ck in c am p in ju st over a n h o u r. T he hike o u t th e follow ing d ay w as m e m o ra b le o n ly fo r blisters. G rade: IV 5.9. F o rrest M u rph y
