North America, United States, Wyoming—Tetons, Avalanche Canyon

Publication Year: 1981.

Avalanche Canyon. Several new climbs have been discovered in the general vicinity of Lake Taminah in the north fork. The larger of two steep buttresses directly north of the lake now has two routes. In August, 1978, Yvon Chouinard, Kent Lugbill, and Rich Perch completed a five- pitch F9 ascent starting to the right of the obvious gully at the left side of the face. Subsequently Lugbill and Wendy White returned to make a second route near the right edge of the face. After scrambling up the toe of the buttress, they found F8 and F9 pitches leading to the top of the same buttress. A third climb, Yukon Jack Arête, was made on July 29, 1979 by George Montopoli and Bob Howard. When one ascends the talus field below Lake Taminah, this sharp arête is seen 1000 feet above the gully blocked by a huge block. From Taminah a traverse below the cliffs to the north was made to enter the gully above the block. Then three leads were made, the second up a very fine dihedral in white quartz rock. This F7 lead was followed by an open book and overhang of equal difficulty.

Rising south and slightly east of the forks of Avalanche Canyon is Abandoned Pinnacle, the location of two additional climbs. The first, Lost Route, was climbed on July 7, 1979 by Mike Munger, solo. The climb started in a group of dead trees and involved F9 moves in three out of four pitches before exiting in easier rock leading to the summit of the pinnacle. Six days later Munger returned with Buck Tilley to make an even more difficult ascent, Alone Route, to the right of the previous climb. After starting from the same place, just east of the canyon forks, an F8 diagonal traverse up to the right brought them to an F10 headwall. The remaining four leads were progressively less difficult, F9, F8, F6, and F5. Descent from both ascents was made easily down to the southwest.