Mount Harmon, Olive Ridge Spires and Black Fang, Scottish Peaks. The Scottish Peaks rise from the Catamount Glacier about 15 miles south of the Bugaboos. Although smaller and lower than the Bugaboos, their rock is of the same excellent quality. We spent a week in August among the spires of this lovely range. Chris Seashore, Jon Turk and I climbed the southwest buttress of Mount Harmon, the highest of the range. We chose the only buttress of the three that leads directly to the summit. The route began in a steep crack system on the southeast side of the buttress. The cracks led to the backbone of the ridge in a single long pitch. Five more fine, moderate pitches led to the summit. (III, 5.9.) A ridge of sharp spires rises directly behind the new Olive Hut on the east side of the Catamount Glacier. Hank Abrons, Eloise Thompson and I climbed two 5.8 pitches on the east face of the first sharp, distinctly separate spire, a half mile from the hut. We found no signs of previous visitors to the summit. (II, 5.8.) Later the same day, Abrons and I did an excellent three-pitch 5.10 route on the west side of the second spire. (II, 5.10.) Turk, Abrons, Lili Thompson and I next climbed a mixed route on the north face of Black Fang on the southeast side of Catamount Glacier. We followed steep snow to rock gullies and deviated onto the east side of the peak for the final 100 feet. (III, 5.8.)

Gray Thompson