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South Face

5.6, Sport, 210 ft (64 m), 3 pitches,  Avg: 2.8 from 54 votes
FA: unknown
Oregon > Willamette Valley > Santiam Pinnacle

Description

P1: Start in the corner, finding some bolts hidden among the moss. Follow bolts up, then right onto slabby cleaner rock. Belay from a 2 bolt anchor at a good ledge next to a tiny tree.

P2: Head out on the slabby face. Climb steepens about mid-way (crux). Belay from 2 bolt anchor on good ledge at the mouth of a large chimney feature.

P3: Move onto the face and trend right on the slab. Go up the right side of the slab, then left on a short ramp toward the notch between the 2 parts of the pinnacle's summit. Belay from new bolt anchor with chains in notch (or on the summit).

Descent: Rap the route in 3 raps with a 60m rope. Each belay station has rap rings. One 60m (ie 2-rope) rappel will also reach the ground in a single rappel.

An alternative rappel from the summit north into a notch where the pinnacle connects with the hillside is also described. This alternative must be possible since I found the chains oriented in that direction when I arrived at the summit, despite the bolts obviously being oriented back towards the route. The old hardware still exists on the summit.

Location

Where the approach trail first encounters the foot of the pinnacle. The route starts at the large corner.

Access by a faint climber's trail that starts on the west-most side (climber's left) of the turn out and immediately goes east (climber's right) across a small rocky wash out. You should be able to pick up the trail again. If you find yourself going directly up a loose rocky gully, you probably turned too soon before finding the path.

Protection

P1-2: 10-12 60cm quickdraws and/or alpine draws .

P3: 2 draws.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Santiam Pinnacle from road.
[Hide Photo] Santiam Pinnacle from road.
Going up pitch two.
[Hide Photo] Going up pitch two.
chill view
[Hide Photo] chill view
My dad following me up the first pitch.
[Hide Photo] My dad following me up the first pitch.
Looking up P3. New glue in bolt on P3 for a total of 2 on this short pitch (as of 2020? 2021? 2022?)
[Hide Photo] Looking up P3. New glue in bolt on P3 for a total of 2 on this short pitch (as of 2020? 2021? 2022?)
Following up Pitch 2.
[Hide Photo] Following up Pitch 2.
Rapping off the west side of Santiam Pinnacle will get you down in a single rap w/ a 70. Going this way also sets you up well to climb the Gonzo Pinnacle.
[Hide Photo] Rapping off the west side of Santiam Pinnacle will get you down in a single rap w/ a 70. Going this way also sets you up well to climb the Gonzo Pinnacle.
West side of the Santiam Pinnacle.
[Hide Photo] West side of the Santiam Pinnacle.
P2. of the Santiam Pinnacle
[Hide Photo] P2. of the Santiam Pinnacle
Looking down atop pitch 2
[Hide Photo] Looking down atop pitch 2
Looking up P2
[Hide Photo] Looking up P2
Looking up start of P1
[Hide Photo] Looking up start of P1

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Vyache G
  5.7
[Hide Comment] slippery mossy 1st pitch, fun moves on the 2nd pitch, 3rd pitch has a runout on 5.4 terrain, great view from the top! Mar 21, 2017
Jessie McQuiston
Eugene, OR
  5.6
[Hide Comment] Really fun climb on super tacky, highly featured rock. Holds are plentiful!
First two pitches are fun and pretty straight forward. The third pitch is a bit run out toward the top, but by the time you find a place for protection, you're nearly to the summit anchor chains.

If you rappel off the east side, (the natural seeming direction of the chains), you better have a 70M rope, or you'll be hanging 20 feet off the ground and 10 feet from the wall. And be prepared for some swinging around to find ground. A second rappel off a small tree will be required.
Best to rappel north into the notch or back down the route.

To find the climbers trail, find the water drainage pipe, walk downhill and turn right up the hill at two cairns. The trail will switch back a couple times going up to the base of the climb. Jul 15, 2017
Tom Holschuh
Rigby, ID
  5.6
[Hide Comment] The loose bolt on the anchor has now been tightened. Jul 25, 2017
Andrew Child
Corvallis, Or
 
[Hide Comment] This is a fun route and its in a cool location, its a shame that there isn't much else near by.

You can link pitches 2 and 3 with a 70 meter rope. Aug 9, 2017
Karl K
Phoenix, AZ
  5.6
[Hide Comment] The single rope rappel to the east requires a FULL 70m rope and ends on a sloping ledge (if you do this, stay a bit to rappeler's right as you descend); even then the rope barely reaches.
From this ledge it is NOT necessary to rap again from the tree (although there were slings on it); you can walk down and right (on mossy ledges) , stay right next to wall and then hike down to the ground. A little scary if the dirt is in the wrong spot, but very doable..
If I did this again, I would probably opt for the three raps down the route.
Should be easy to link p2 & 3 with a 60m. Jul 20, 2018
Tommy Y
Portland, OR
  5.6
[Hide Comment] This is a total gem of a climb. Easy approach, well bolted, and fun, easy climbing to a nice vista. It may not be worth making the trip just for this one climb, but if you’re in the area already, it’s a fun little detour. Would also be a great spot to teach someone how to climb multi-pitch. Jul 5, 2020
Riley Cahoon
West Linn
  5.7
[Hide Comment] I agree with this being a gem. I loved the route. Classic well bolted adventure climb out in the stunning volcanic Santiam/Willamette National Forest. Very easy climbing (5.6/5.7 maybe a 5.7+ move or two) but 100% worth it if you are in the area. If I was new to Multipitch, I'd say this is one of the best beginner routes you could find in North Western Oregon. There was even a natural gas seep at the second belay station to hint at the volcanic nature of the geography. We rapped down the route with a 70, 2 total. Nov 6, 2020
El Mono
 
[Hide Comment] Climbed mid-May 2021 - was worried the fires might have hit the bolts - fire missed the area, so no worries. First bolt is BS (old rusted ancient thing) but 2nd is bomber and not hard moves to get to it. If you're touchy, bring a 0.75 cam for the top/final 20 feet of 3rd pitch (you could stuff in small cams 0.2-0.5" and/or small tricams too) - it's easy movement though

Edit comment: After repeating the route a few times, I think 5.6 is a sandbag. If you're used to 5.6 from Giant's Staircase (at French's Dome) or 5.6 from Moscow (at Smith) I have bad news for you, the technical movement on this route is 5.6+, a few moves I'd call 5.8, especially off the belays where you really shouldn't whip. It's still quite easy, and I still recommend it, but be aware if you drive all the way out here expecting an easy 3-pitch sport ride you're in for a rough time. May 16, 2021
Caleb Laws
  5.6
[Hide Comment] When I was there a party did the pillar to the left of the main pinnacle. I believe it has bolts but it's only tall enough for 4 or so. Jun 4, 2021
El Mono
 
[Hide Comment] Caleb Laws - I think that's the Gonzo Pinnacle. As far as I know, there's one route up it, a 4/5-bolt sport route @ one-move of 5.7 - a great little climb to hit after doing Santiam, but not worth the trip by itself. Jun 19, 2021
Whitney G
  5.6
[Hide Comment] Absolute must do for any and all. 2nd and 3rd pitch are fantastic. Last time I was up on it In late summer 2021 there was a wasps nest just below and left of the crux of the second pitch. Great route for teaching beginners and really just all around excellent. A real Oregon classic moderate! Jan 19, 2022
Pete R
  5.7
[Hide Comment] Pretty much agree with all the other comments. Easy, super fun, 3 pitch climb. Would be awesome for teaching people new to multi-pitch. P2 and P3 have some 5.7 moves. P1 could really use a re-route instead of using that mossy crack, but it gets you up onto P2 quickly which is where the fun starts. (No hornets on July 8, 2022).

We kept track of inventory on the climb and here's what we found:

P1: 7 bolts plus a 3 bolt modern anchor with rap rings plus two old (ok looking) bolts. Total of 5 bolts at the anchor. Easy pitch, but going up the crack and around the tree is kind of meh. Skipped a lot of the bolts.

P2: 9 bolts (10 if you want to clip one at the P1. anchor.) The P2 anchor has two glue-in stainless eyes, two quick links, and two rap rings and two extra old bolts for a total of 4 bolts at the P2 belay station.

P3: 3~ish modern bolts plus one potential cam placement .75 black diamond. Although, just like someone said earlier, by the time you find a cam placement the chains a few feet away. I said 3~ish bolts because there are a couple of old bolts here and there on P3. You can either go up the chimney and then drift right out onto the face, or you could use a low bolt out on the face to start. It's a short pitch, you'll figure it out. Modern stainless anchor bolts and a set of chains near the summit. There are three old bolts on top of the pinnacle also, but they are very old. The old ones are good for anchoring to while you sit on top.

We had a 70M rope and did a simul rap from P3 to the top of P1 with plenty of rope left to spare (2nd simul rap from P1 anchors to ground). Not sure if a 60M would reach though for a simul rap from 3 to 1. The simul rap was really fun and saved a bunch of time getting down. If you have a 60M rope I would do it in 3 raps right back down the way you came up. Jul 10, 2022
C Dub
Bend, OR
  5.6
[Hide Comment] After climbing the South Face of Santiam Pinnacle, what's the best way to get over to Gonzo Pinnacle? May 30, 2023