Lizard Head Peak, Northeast Corner. From July 21 to 24 Michael Jackson, Stephanie Petrilak and I climbed a new route on the 1800-foot northeast corner of Lizard Head Peak (12,842 feet). Each of the three previous unsuccessful attempts had high points slightly above our first bivouac. The route follows the northeast skyline as viewed from the cirque lake under the north face. We started at a small saddle on the northeast ridge, 200 feet above the lake. We climbed directly up the ridge to near the top of a pinnacle, which we bypassed on the left (south). We then ascended to the base of the east face and climbed diagonally right to a ledge on the northeast corner, where we bivouacked. On the second day we climbed some four difficult pitches (F8 and F9, A2 and A3) on or near the northeast corner. We bivouacked hanging in a miserable wet alcove, a rope-length below a large ledge. Above the ledge the climbing became somewhat easier although at one point we had to traverse onto the north face on a ledge, which was dangerous, rounded off with loose, wet rock and moss and no protection. A gully led to the exposed summit wall (F8). From 20 feet above a hanging belay, it was a scramble to the top. We reached the summit at 6:30 P.M. Descent was by the north ridge, a poor choice with snow, loose wet rock and mud. We bivouacked for the third night above slabs on the north ridge. NCCS VI, F9+, A3.

Michael Williams, Only Footprints