Pingora, Northeast Face, Wind River Range. On August 28, Fred Beckey, Franziska Schawalder Garrett and I climbed three long new pitches on the northeast face of Pingora about 150 feet to the right (west) of the classic Daley-Yensan route. After much route direction discussion, a late start and tenuous weather, we rappelled, leaving two fixed ropes. The next day, Dave Madera and I returned under even more ominous skies. We passed the lower roofs on the left and climbed on to some zigzagging cracks in the middle of the route. We then angled left to an obvious right-facing dihedral which led to a pedestal. The “Pedestal Pitch” proved to be a cruxy A2 seam instead of the handcrack we had expected. As we tensioned left to an alcove and an A1 finger crack, which will certainly go free when cleaner, the weather cleared and three more easier pitches took us to the sunny north summit. Four bolts were drilled and seven pitons were left in place. Curiously, a fixed nut was found in the upper alcove, presumably by someone off route from the Daley route. Seven parties were seen on the Daley route the next day! (“Stealing Thunder;” IV, 5.10, A2; 11 pitches.)

James Garrett