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Peak Mountain 3

Unknown ("Route 2" from Piana guide)

FA Piana, Brittain, Butler, Gregson 6/71
CREATED 
UPDATED 

Description

The description in Piana's Touch the Sky basically says climb chimneys and cracks from the 4/5 gulley to the highest summit.  We studied the massif from the top of Spire 4 to try to decide exactly which chimneys to attempt, and then from the ground to see what looked reasonable.  In the end we went up from a higher point than expected, even above the start of Eyetooth climb.  This may not be exactly what Piana et al did in 1971 but deposits you on the summit of the highest point.  It felt a touch harder than 5.3 in a spot or two but I left it what it was in the book.  

Chimney up and right from the base for 40 feet (see beta photo), slinging a large pillar and then downclimbing into an obvious chockstone ledge in the main chimney.  Reset a belay.  Then climb up the chimney placing gear on either side and then up and right to the right hand summit where you will find the summit register.  Bring webbing to sling a large pinnacle of rock to belay/rap.  2 60m ropes will get you back down into the 4/5 gulley in one rap, with 5 feet of rope to spare.  Knot your ends.

Location

In the 4/5 gulley walk up to the northwesternmost aspect of the spire 5 massif.  We started there, but there are likely more places to start than that.  

Protection

Rack to #3, a few longer slings, and webbing to rap.