North America, United States, Wyoming, Tetons, Prospectors Mountain, Raven Crack

Publication Year: 1965.

Prospectors Mountain, Raven Crack. This fine Grade IV route, climbed on August 3 by Yvon Chouinard and Mort Hemple, goes directly up the long black crack, or open-book chimney, on the south side of Death Canyon; it starts near the base of Apocalypse Arête. Some exposed scrambling is required to reach and cross the waterfall couloir to the grass slope which marks the beginning of the chimney. Four pitches of F3 to F6 climbing lead up to a ledge at the base of a gigantic overhang. The crux pitch (F9) passes this overhang, first going left and then back to the right, ultimately making use of a very unstable, detached flake via downward holds. The "Funnel,” a squeeze chimney, leads from the flake to a ledge. After two more pitches involving F7 overhangs and face climbing diagonally up and right, the "Waldorf-Raven,” an enormous grassy ledge, is reached. From the left end of this ledge the two final pitches lead first up a slanting chimney to the right, then a jam crack, and finally a second chimney which narrows to a layback crack before reaching the tree-covered ledge which marks the end of the climb. The first ascent party walked left (east) along this ledge before selecting a large couloir for descent to the talus slopes below.