North America, United States, Colorado, Mount Vigil, Southwest Face

Publication Year: 1971.

Mount Vigil, Southwest Face. Mount Vigil is one of a group of granite monoliths which form the southern-most extension of the Pikes Peak massive, southwest of Colorado Springs. Located in a heavily climbed area, the southwest face had remained unclimbed mainly because it is hidden from view from the normal roads and trails. On February 28, Molly Higgins, Chuck Berensmier, and I climbed a long high-angle arête which sweeps up the center of the southwest face. The route follows a wide crack for 300 feet to a point where the crack veers away from the arête to the right. A thin, mixed aid and free lead to the left requiring a cliff-hanger on a blank section, gives access to a new crack system. Two long pitches up the crack terminate the climbing on a scramble boulder pile leading to the summit. We used 3 pitons, 12 nuts, and one cliff-hanger. NCCS III, F8, A3.

Gary Ziegler