Pinnacles National Monument. Hard free climbing continues this year at Pinnacles. Reports in Climbing Magazine, January-February 1979, indicate Jim Beyer and Bob Sullivan (unaffiliated) have done several new routes, including Butter (F10), Digger (F10), and Hook and Drill (F9). Jim Collins (unaffiliated) has free climbed an old aid route on the Monolith, according to Mountain 68. Another multi-pitch aid route has also been done free, the 1961 Bradley-Roper-Sacherer route on The Balconies by Chris Vandiver and me in May (F10+). The first pitch is very substained F9 and F10, with one long stem near the top being the crux. Some of the old aid bolts should be used with caution, or replaced.

Thomas J. Higgins