West Face

This route epitomizes adventure climbing at the Pinnacles.  The approach is arduous.  The climbing is loose, devious and strenuous and the descent involves climbing another route!

To start the route either climb directly up the right edge of the 20 foot slab or better yet hand traverse in from the left edge of the slab.  Once on top of the slab locate a newly replaced bolt near the right end.

From there climb past a pesky dead bush to find a short hand/finger crack.  Using cams for protection surmount the loose crack and traverse right into a big bowl with a water streak.  About 20 feet up the water streak locate a newly replaced bolt.

From there climb up the slab and enter a small slot/chimney with a tree growing out of it.  You will pass two fixed pins that belong more in a museum than in the rock. Climb up to the tree and sling it for protection then continue up about 30-40 feet to the summit to the north(left).

Locate two newly replaced bolts with quick links and rings just below the summit on the west face of the pinnacle for a 100' rappel back into the corridor.  We left the original summit bolt from 1951 as a testament to the pioneers.  Clip it at your own risk.

Also, if you haven't had enough adventure you might want to consider rigging a tyrolean to the summit of North Yak.  That how Dave Hammack, George Larimore, Alice Ann Dayton and Manford Samuelson made the first ascent of North Yak in June of 1951.  Can you even find what they lassoed to make the traverse?

Once you find yourself in the wild corridor between the west wall and the North and South Yaks head almost to the southern edge of the formation and locate a 20 foot wall with a bush barely visible growing at the right edge.

Two newly replaced bolts, two ancient fixed pins and several 3/4"-2" pieces for  the crux.  Bring a bunch of shoulder-length slings for the tree, to reduce rope drag and to thread into the eyes of the ancient fixed pitons.