Dike Pinnacle North Face  5.9+ Mod. Snow

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Type:  Trad, Snow, Alpine, 4 pitches, 600 feet Consensus:  5.10a [details] FA:  Aug. 2, 2008 Aaron Gams and Brian Mulvihill New Route:  Yes Submitted By:  Gams on Sep 3, 2008 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (3) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: As seen from the Moraine campground

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Location 

Directly above the biggest crevasse below the upper glacier couloir, start in the cleanly fractured, clean gray rock below the steepest part of the buttress. A couple cracks go up from above this section of gray rock: start up the right-most crack, actually a left-facing moderate dihedral.

Description 

P1 Clean blocky gray rock turns into a slightly loose LF dihedral. Step left past two roof/bulges (5.8) into a 5.9 hand crack. Belay on a slanted ledge below a large solid horn. ~40m

P2 Start up toward the obvious large blocky RF dihedral, but take the ramp about 10' up right to avoid the large blocky loose dihedral. Instead, step left to undercling flakes (5.8) to reach next right-tending ramp to LF 5.9+ dihedral. Belay on small ledge. ~40m

P3 Continue straight up LF 5.9 dihedral to ledges and mantles. Pull on a well-attached flake (5.8) into steep terrain and into a RF dihedral (5.9). Belay just right of some blocks on right-leaning ramp. ~45m

P4 Scramble up right-leaning ramp for about 20', then straight up steep cracks to flakes (5.9). Steep, but easier terrain above, then head left on ramp to a final 5.9 hand / stem. A thin, no-pro dihedral about 30' out on initial right-leaning ramp is off-route...step back down about 10'. ~50m

Either finish with the Dike Route (not trivial) from the summit of the Dike Pinnacle (grade IV to summit of Middle), or descend the pinnacle east back to the lower glacier.

This route starts half-way up the Middle Teton glacier, making for a mini-alpine climb. The climbing is consistent, with many cruxes on good rock. Slightly dirty, until more folks climb it. Only the slightly loose beginning detracts from the overall good quality.

Protection 

Two sets of cams from green alien up to gold camalot, one blue and one bigger cam (4"), and a set of nuts. No fixed gear, all anchors are natural. Might need crampons, definately an ice axe for the approach.

Photos of Dike Pinnacle North Face Slideshow

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BETA PHOTO: Middle Teton, Dike Pinnacle, North Face Route Topo