In early August Jim Koewler, Steve Kragh, and Dave Reimann from the Wilderness Encounter Program at Southwest Minnesota State College (Marshall) and I explored and climbed in the jagged “Fry Pinnacles” or Leaning Towers, east of Kaslo, B.C. The 13-mile pack-in up Campbell Creek, over 6750-foot Pinnacle Pass, down to Pinnacle Creek, and up to a 6800-foot high camp in the southern end of the range took 18 hours during the period August 8-10. From there on August 12 we made first ascents of both 9600-foot summits of the Molars. Kragh and I also completed an eight-lead fourth-class rockclimb of the steep but broken southeast face of the 9750-foot Wisdom Tooth, also a first ascent. Two days later we were defeated on a roundabout attempt on the 9800-foot “Pulpit”, but did climb a minor summit between Sharkshead and Bivouac Tower. The return pack-out was made in about 14 hours spread over three short days. A more detailed account will appear in the Canadian Alpine Journal.

Curt Wagner