Half Moon Peak, West Face. One of the last unclimbed faces in the Washington Pass area, the slabby west face of Half Moon, on Kangaroo Ridge, was climbed by Tom Stewart and me on September 11. A total of 33 pitons were used, all being for safety except two moves that required aid. The face is about 900 feet in height and is composed of sound granite, though we encountered some crumbly material when jamming cracks. The most difficult sections were two rightward traverses, one of these being above the overhanging chimney and poorly protected; and a long, exposed crack that had some thin handholds at the crux sections. A final summit headwall, where cracks and the rock became superb, was climbed just before dusk. Four rappels took us down the east face.

Fred Beckey