“La Fiamma”. The first ascent of this spectacular pinnacle was made on September 23 by Fred Beckey, Steve Marts and me. “La Fiamma”, named by our party, is near the end and just west of the ridge leading south from Packrat. From the notch between it and the hillside we angled up the broken face to another notch on the north side and traversed on a flake around the west face to a chimney, which split the pinnacle (class 5). We climbed this narrow chimney to within about 20 feet of the top and then the west face to the top of the south part of the pinnacle (class 5 with several direct-aid pitons). From here we stepped across the top of the chimney and completed the climb on the upper west face of the main pinnacle (class 6 with a few very poor bolts and pitons). The climb was continuously difficult class 5 and 6. The pinnacle itself and the parts split away from it are so thin and overhanging that one wonders if one’s additional weight might topple them over. Fortunately the rock is very solid.

Dan Davis