The Minaret

The Minaret

Description 

The Minaret is one of the most impressive granite towers in the world. It looks sorta like a silo of granite around 2,200 feet tall that just rises out of the glacier in front of the South Howser. It screams climb me. There are about six routes on this tower which were all aid until 2002 when Heidi Wirtz and Liz Scully bagged the first free ascent with they're route Bad Hair Day (ED1 5.12).

After this Renan Ozturk, Nick Martino, and Cedar Wright freed the Italian Pillar (ED1 5.12?) and also the FFA of the beautiful South West Pillar (ED1 5.12.+?). The Minaret is about 5 minutes uphill from the East Creek Bivy which is one of the most gorgeous zones in the range. Being able to bivy here is a dream. But we were really upset with the amount of human waste we found. If you are going to camp here pack out your shit.

There was a shit pit that was left down glacier that ran right into a perfect glacial lake which is now polluted due to peoples carelessness. We also found a five gallon bucket of shit that had a crack in the lid which would surely spill out into the glacier in winter. We built a laboratory that accepts WAG BAGS just right a couple hundred feet West of the first bivy sights at the Creek. Use it.

Getting There 

Climb up the Bugaboo Snowpatch Col and gain the Upper Vowel Glacier. Cross over this heading toward the Pigeon Howser Col and go down this onto the East Creek Glacier. You will be seeing the Pigeon Feathers on your left and the Minaret and South Howser will come into view on your right.

The East Creek Bivy is a rib of rock and scree down to your right. There can be bridges and some crevasses in late season so be aware.

The Classics