Death Canyon, Peak 10,552, “Dihedral of Horrors” On August 18, Peter Avenali and John Behrens climbed a strenuous new route out of Death Canyon of II, F8, A3 difficulty. After the first two switchbacks of the Death Canyon Trail one can see a high tower leaning slightly left with a prominent open-book; this tower is capped by a large, layered roof. After several hundred feet of talus and gully, the climbers entered a couloir of good rock which was followed until it narrowed to a width of three feet. Then they moved out to the right to a large bench from which a direct F7 climb of 150 feet led to the base of the open-book. An F7 lay-back crack on the right side of the book then allowed a move left around a corner to a 15-foot crack from the top of which they climbed directly up an overhanging F8 face. Using aid (A3) for 15 feet they reached an 18-inch down-sloping ledge for belaying. The final lead began with a broken crack on the right side of the book to the roof, which was passed with aid ( A2 ) to reach a small ledge. A direct climb ( F6 ) up the overhanging layered rock took the party to the summit of the climb. Descent was made by walking up and right to a point from which a 150-foot rappel brought them to some grassy benches and a grassy gully leading down to the initial talus.