Prow, The

This isolated, minor peak lies on the ridgeline that extends northwest from The Needle; this connecting ridge forms the southern margin of upper Juan Tabo Canyon. Although nearly 600 feet tall, the Prow is dwarfed by the nearby formations of the Needle and the Shield.

The base of the Prow lies at about 8400 feet and the summit elevation, according to USGS topos, is 8968 feet. Still, the Prow lies in a scrubby, sparsely forested area mainly consisting of pinon, prickly pear, yucca, cholla, and Apache plume, so it’s not exactly in an alpine setting.

Several 4th class mountaineering and 5th class rock routes scale the peak. The earliest recorded ascent was in 1948, although earlier climbs are suspected. The climbing history and routes are pretty well outlined in Hill’s guidebook (1993), and Kline's earlier book (1970) actually has some good route descriptions too.