Big Kangaroo, South Face. Although it is probably the largest face on Kangaroo Ridge, the south wall of its highest point is seldom seen by climbers since it is shielded by the crested towers of the south summit ridge. To reach the foot of the wall on May 29, Dan Tate and I crossed the ridge between Half Moon and Big Kangaroo, descended a snow couloir and then traversed north. The route follows the obvious chimney system splitting the pink granite. Dan had the crux lead, a very hard layback problem, all free, on the next to last pitch before reaching the flat promentory under the summit. One more difficult pitch, this one on questionable rock, took us up a knife-edged arête to the peculiar summit block. In all 25 pitons were used.

Fred Beckey