Route Climbed: South Buttress Date Climbed: August 16, 2005
Penelope May and I climbed the South Buttress of Pingora to the small ledge below the "K" Cracks. While I was climbing the last 40-60 feet toward the base of the cracks, the weather changed from mostly clear to totally sacked in and within minutes, a huge hail storm developed. The rain and hail was so strong, we really could not move to sort our ropes and to attempt to rap. We removed all our (metal) hardware, placed it on the ledge, downclimbed about 30 feet to another small ledge and waited. We spent 3 hours on that ledge while 5 inches of hail fell. Penelope was the victim of (residual) lightening hit, which hit her hip and I felt couple currents go through my legs. It was extremely scary situation. After the storm, we just rapped the line as quickly as we could. Didn't go to the summit but that was not that important at the moment.
Route Climbed: North East Face Date Climbed: August 13, 2002
An epic nine day trip!! We got caught high on the route by a snowstorm and high winds, had to rescue a group below us and were unable to find camp that night. Bivied on a ledge in 20 degree weather - four guys and two space blankets.
Route Climbed: South Ridge (South Buttress) Date Climbed: September 11, 2002
We had perfect weather after several days of rain. Beware of two large (50-100 lb) rocks on pitch 4 which are about to break loose. These two rocks are in the "beautiful corner with double cracks" just below the K crack ledge as described in the South Ridge Route. These rocks want to be really good hand holds but instead are very loose. Test all holds! Recommend belaying from ledge to climbers left of start of the "double cracks corner" of pitch 4 so you will be out of the way of rock fall. The tendency is for teams to belay at the bottom of the double crack corner so as to view the climber; however, If anchored and belaying at the bottom of the double crack corner while directly below the climber, belayer will not have an escape route during rock fall.
Route Climbed: East Face Left Cracks Date Climbed: August 1998
My partner and I started on East Face Left Cracks but got off-route (big surprise) after the third pitch. Even though this is a moderate climb, we somehow managed to turn it into a mini-epic.
The rock was beautiful, the Cirque is unbelievable, the mosquitoes relentless.
Would love to get back to the Cirque to climb some of the other peaks here.
markmay - Dec 8, 2005 9:31 pm
Route Climbed: South Ridge Date Climbed: July 24 2003Great Climb!! I can't believe it was only 3 pitches!
asmrz - Oct 23, 2005 4:13 pm
Route Climbed: South Buttress Date Climbed: August 16, 2005Penelope May and I climbed the South Buttress of Pingora to the small ledge below the "K" Cracks. While I was climbing the last 40-60 feet toward the base of the cracks, the weather changed from mostly clear to totally sacked in and within minutes, a huge hail storm developed. The rain and hail was so strong, we really could not move to sort our ropes and to attempt to rap. We removed all our (metal) hardware, placed it on the ledge, downclimbed about 30 feet to another small ledge and waited. We spent 3 hours on that ledge while 5 inches of hail fell. Penelope was the victim of (residual) lightening hit, which hit her hip and I felt couple currents go through my legs. It was extremely scary situation. After the storm, we just rapped the line as quickly as we could. Didn't go to the summit but that was not that important at the moment.
Cookie Addict - Oct 14, 2005 4:58 am
Route Climbed: North East Face Date Climbed: August 13, 2002An epic nine day trip!! We got caught high on the route by a snowstorm and high winds, had to rescue a group below us and were unable to find camp that night. Bivied on a ledge in 20 degree weather - four guys and two space blankets.
iceisnice - Oct 3, 2005 10:20 pm
Route Climbed: NE Buttress Date Climbed: July '05Stellar route. One of the best i've ever done. Can't get much better rock than that.
millerw05 - Sep 15, 2005 2:31 pm
Route Climbed: South Ridge Date Climbed: August, 1992Great route but descended after a pitch when a lightening storm rolled in.
rpc - Sep 6, 2005 4:24 pm
Route Climbed: NE Face Date Climbed: Sept. 4, 2005Got out of Portland 4pm Friday after work.
Got to trailhead Saturday at noon.
Got to Cirque of Towers at 4pm.
Got up at 8am Sunday and climbed NE Face on Pingora.
Got up 7am Monday.
Got to trailhead at noon.
Got to Portland 13 hrs later ~2am.
Got to work (to post on SP) 9am Tuesday.
Nice climb. Busy. E. Ridge on Wolfs Head was more fun IMHO. Brutus' topo is dead on accurate; Kelsey's topo is off.
dhrms - Aug 10, 2005 9:34 am
Route Climbed: South Buttress Date Climbed: July 14, 2005Excellent climb, the last pitch was the best crack I have ever climbed!!!!
dunsum - Apr 7, 2005 4:50 am
Route Climbed: many Date Climbed: June '92Northeast Face, 6/29/92, 8/24/00
South Buttress by many different routes, 7/23/94
East Face - Left Cracks, 8/18/96
Southwest Face, Right Side, 8/21/96
East Ledges, 8/31/06, solo
poorboy44 - Nov 2, 2004 5:54 pm
Route Climbed: the 50 classic one Date Climbed: July 20025 hours. Fun route, but a 50 classic?
Alan Ellis - Sep 15, 2002 11:20 am
Route Climbed: South Ridge (South Buttress) Date Climbed: September 11, 2002We had perfect weather after several days of rain.
Beware of two large (50-100 lb) rocks on pitch 4 which are about to break loose. These two rocks are in the "beautiful corner with double cracks" just below the K crack ledge as described in the South Ridge Route. These rocks want to be really good hand holds but instead are very loose. Test all holds! Recommend belaying from ledge to climbers left of start of the "double cracks corner" of pitch 4 so you will be out of the way of rock fall. The tendency is for teams to belay at the bottom of the double crack corner so as to view the climber; however, If anchored and belaying at the bottom of the double crack corner while directly below the climber, belayer will not have an escape route during rock fall.
BicRungee - Jul 10, 2002 4:43 pm
Route Climbed: southwest buttress & left k-crack Date Climbed: August, 2000With Dad Sherman, Isa & Ranjeet. Excellent quality, beautiful granite. The k-crack was as clean as it gets. Beautiful setting.
pictioneer - Jun 25, 2002 8:47 pm
Route Climbed: South ridge Date Climbed: August 20, 1975Great view of Lonesome Lake. Can see the reflection of most the whole cirque in the lake.
ness_dan - Nov 11, 2001 8:57 pm
Route Climbed: East Face Left Cracks Date Climbed: August 1998My partner and I started on East Face Left Cracks but got off-route (big surprise) after the third pitch. Even though this is a moderate climb, we somehow managed to turn it into a mini-epic.
The rock was beautiful, the Cirque is unbelievable, the mosquitoes relentless.
Would love to get back to the Cirque to climb some of the other peaks here.