North America, United States, California-Sierra Nevada, Twilight Pillar, Clyde Peak, Winter Ascent

Publication Year: 1987.

Twilight Pillar, Clyde Peak, Winter Ascent. In February, David Wilson and I made the first winter ascent of this classic Grade III summer route. A 5.7 pitch directly off the snowfield provided us with the hardest climbing, since it was diagonal and quite icy. Only after we were into the steep rock of the upper arete did we shed our Koflach outer boots and use the Firé Hivernale alpine rock- climbing shoes we were wearing as inner boots. We rappelled to camp with several hours of daylight left, but decided to save our ski run until morning. A storm moved in, dumped eight inches of fresh powder overnight, and gave us the best of all worlds: clear, dry weather for climbing and fresh powder for the 5000-foot ski descent.

Galen Rowell