Four Gables, East Face. A very complicated mountain, Four Gables has at least four well-separated summits. A large cirque to the east ends in upper Horton Lake, and the longest, most continuous wall is north of the lake, just out of sight from the outlet. In June 1971 Jeanne Neale and I climbed this face up a prominent buttress on its right edge. Cracks and chimneys lead for ten pitches in nearly a straight line for the summit. From two-thirds of the way up the route, we saw something fall through the air very near us. It was brown and appeared to be a strangely shaped piece of wood. Another similar object followed soon after, and before we had time to figure out what had happened, the first plummeting object spread its wings just above the ground. The second followed suit and a pair of golden eagles climbed past us on a thermal, happily chasing each other. The strenuous route ended at 13,000 feet late in the day. NCCS III, F8.

Galen Rowell