Baxter's Pinnacle - South Ridge  5.9

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Type:  Trad, Alpine, 5 pitches, 400 feet Consensus:  5.9 [details] FA:  Complete South Ridge Barry Corbet & Robert French on 7/27/58 Submitted By:  Paul Huebner on Aug 3, 2007 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (67) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: Scramble to first big tree along ridge. Follow on...

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Baxter’s Pinnacle and Southwest Descent Gully Closed for Nesting Peregrine Falcons MORE INFO >>> Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced that beginning Friday, June 24, Baxter’s Pinnacle and its southwest descent gully are closed due to a peregrine falcon aerie. Baxter’s Pinnacle is a popular climbing route in Cascade Canyon. This closure is in effect to protect both climbers and the falcons. Read More: gtnpnews.blogspot.com/2011/06/baxters-pinnacle-and-southwest>>> This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Description 

Good rock with a sunny southern exposure with a great view above Jenny lake.

The described below should bring you to a huge block for the 1st belay:

P1 Go up and left along a ramp, then go back right past a tree and belay on a ledge where the climb steepens. If you want, the steep wall directly above the 1st belay goes 5.10 and has a couple of bolts. It's a variation called Seizure Disorder.

P2 (5.6) Climb straight up the crest, which angles a little to the left as you approach a large ledge for 2nd belay. A steep crack to the right is the 2nd pitch (5.8) of the South Ridge climb. It has a couple of fixed pins low down.

P3 (5.6) Continue straight up on the south face and top out before setting up belay.

P4 Traverse (more easy) across and slightly down to a large flat stance below the base of the more intimidating tower and set up your next belay from there.

P5 (5.9) Over to the right, just to the left of the corner and above, there is a fixed pin. The crux of the climb is a one move affair to get off of the flat stance and onto the tower above the pin. From there you climb just a bit to the right of the pin and up a big, detached flake. Then a steep (5.7) lieback crack goes up and left along the very steep corner. There are 3 fixed pins in the crack. Finally double cracks lead to the summit.

Although not as hard as the complete South Ridge, a 5.6 pitch vs. 5.8 crack on the 2nd pitch, I really enjoyed staying out on the South Face. The lieback portion of the last pitch had the most enjoyable moves on the entire climb for me.

The rappel is about 75 feet into the notch to the north behind the pinnacle. You then downclimb the steep couloir along the west side of the pinnacle. Watch for loose rock.

Location 

Baxter's is a little difficult to find. I was with former JHMG, Jim Olson in 1987. It's low on the south side of Symmetry Spire's east ridge, but it's hard to see from the east shore of Jenny Lake. It's about a 1/2 hr. approach if you take the boat across Jenny lake. From the trail jct. just west of the Jenny Lake Boat Landing, take the "horse trail" up Cascade Canyon. After about 1/2 mile, you can see the pinnacle on the slope to the north. Continue up trail to talus from the pinnacle and find footpath that leads to the base of the south ridge of the pinnacle.

Protection 

Standard rack. As noted there are a few fixed pins along the way. Sam Lightner and Forest Dramis replaced rap anchor with new bolts on 6/25/07.

Photos of Baxter's Pinnacle - South Ridge Slideshow

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BETA PHOTO: The entire climb is visible but only the 2nd and 5...	Jim Olson leading upper part of P3, South Ridge.	BETA PHOTO: Nearing the final tower.
Baxter's Pinnacle in its entirety as viewed from t...	Dan McCool at the crux move, the crux pitch Photo ...	Baxter's Lost Pinnacle. Early morning View
Rapping off Baxter's Pinnacle with the North Face ...	The climber is following P3	On the first pitch
Between the crux moves and the 5.7 slick layback	This is a 5.8 variation on the first pitch.