East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
With wet, muddy feet easy class 3 slab is even difficult and these exposed ledges are nowhere to be taking a slip! Depending on who you ask the scrambling here is anything from 4th class to 5.4. Turns out its dang hard when its this wet so we rope up for 3 short but tough little pitches. The most memorable has us jamming various body parts in a wide, slimy crack while receiving a shower from above.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
With wet, muddy feet easy class 3 slab is even difficult and these exposed ledges are nowhere to be taking a slip! Depending on who you ask the scrambling here is anything from 4th class to 5.4. Turns out its dang hard when its this wet so we rope up for 3 short but tough little pitches. The most memorable has us jamming various body parts in a wide, slimy crack while receiving a shower from above.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
The East Ridge of Wolfs Head as seen from the wide ledge below "Tiger Tower", a minor summit between Wolfs Head and Pingora. The alternate approach to Wolfs Head ascends a gully to the Pingora/Tiger saddle, climbs Tiger Tower, and then requires two rappels off the other side.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
The East Ridge of Wolfs Head as seen from the wide ledge below "Tiger Tower", a minor summit between Wolfs Head and Pingora. The alternate approach to Wolfs Head ascends a gully to the Pingora/Tiger saddle, climbs Tiger Tower, and then requires two rappels off the other side.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Calm before the storm. Dominic's about to scramble himself into a jam in the innocent looking terrain above. He ends up having to sling a boulder and rappel to get down! This is clearly not the way!
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Calm before the storm. Dominic's about to scramble himself into a jam in the innocent looking terrain above. He ends up having to sling a boulder and rappel to get down! This is clearly not the way!
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
After re-reading Kelsey's terse route description we locate a series of exposed, zig-zagging ledges that we must follow instead... we think. That means climbing a short but hard little snowbank to reach them. Dominic tiptoes up with confidence. We've left our snow gear down below so I resort to the old rock technique, carving myself some nice little steps along the way.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
After re-reading Kelsey's terse route description we locate a series of exposed, zig-zagging ledges that we must follow instead... we think. That means climbing a short but hard little snowbank to reach them. Dominic tiptoes up with confidence. We've left our snow gear down below so I resort to the old rock technique, carving myself some nice little steps along the way.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic carefully ascending the narrow and exposed, but dry, slabby ledges.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic carefully ascending the narrow and exposed, but dry, slabby ledges.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Wolfs Head/Tiger Tower Col in sight. Pingora behind. Mitchell Peak to the right.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Wolfs Head/Tiger Tower Col in sight. Pingora behind. Mitchell Peak to the right.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Me walking up the exposed ledges.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Me walking up the exposed ledges.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
The intimidating view up the East Ridge from the Wolfs Head/Tiger Tower Col. Time to rope up... again. The approach already has us feeling a little worked. From our research we have decided its best to try to simulclimb the inital pitches as they are apparently pretty reasonable (though wildy exposed!). Seems like a ridiculous conclusion when confronted by this view but we'll give it a try!
Wind River Range, Wyoming
The intimidating view up the East Ridge from the Wolfs Head/Tiger Tower Col. Time to rope up... again. The approach already has us feeling a little worked. From our research we have decided its best to try to simulclimb the inital pitches as they are apparently pretty reasonable (though wildy exposed!). Seems like a ridiculous conclusion when confronted by this view but we'll give it a try!
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Looking up the East Ridge from near the start of the climb.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Looking up the East Ridge from near the start of the climb.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic stops to place gear. This is the last time I'll see him for 4 pitches!
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic stops to place gear. This is the last time I'll see him for 4 pitches!
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Looking back at Pingora. Indistinct "Tiger Tower" is in front of it.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Looking back at Pingora. Indistinct "Tiger Tower" is in front of it.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Some of the steeper climbing on the inital part of the ridge. I wouldn't want to be simulclimbing on terrain much harder than this.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Some of the steeper climbing on the inital part of the ridge. I wouldn't want to be simulclimbing on terrain much harder than this.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Aproaching the first real obstacle on the ridge: Tower One. "Bollinger Peak" is to the right.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Aproaching the first real obstacle on the ridge: Tower One. "Bollinger Peak" is to the right.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Me approaching our first real belay on the ridge.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Me approaching our first real belay on the ridge.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Tower One. Gnarly. What are they talking about "downclimb and traverse on the left side"?! Yikes!
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Tower One. Gnarly. What are they talking about "downclimb and traverse on the left side"?! Yikes!
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
All smiles as Dominic reels me in. The first four pitches have been exhilarating and delightful. Keep your head in check and its an incredible cruise!
Wind River Range, Wyoming
All smiles as Dominic reels me in. The first four pitches have been exhilarating and delightful. Keep your head in check and its an incredible cruise!
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic at the belay in front of Tower One.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic at the belay in front of Tower One.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Looking back at the crux of the exposed traverse on south side of the ridge. You have to do a hand traverse using the crack in the lower left quadrant while hanging your butt over the abyss! I did not look down and it felt easy.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Looking back at the crux of the exposed traverse on south side of the ridge. You have to do a hand traverse using the crack in the lower left quadrant while hanging your butt over the abyss! I did not look down and it felt easy.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
After the traverse we climbed back up to the ridge via easy terrain and chimneyed through this slot to the next belay. Damn our bulky overnight packs!
Wind River Range, Wyoming
After the traverse we climbed back up to the ridge via easy terrain and chimneyed through this slot to the next belay. Damn our bulky overnight packs!
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Looking staight up at Tower Two which is right after Tower One. This one gets traversed on the north (right) side.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Looking staight up at Tower Two which is right after Tower One. This one gets traversed on the north (right) side.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic starting off on the famous "piton pitch". A slabby 5.6 traverse is protected by several old pitons.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic starting off on the famous "piton pitch". A slabby 5.6 traverse is protected by several old pitons.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Wind River Range, Wyoming
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Slabby terrain below the ridge crest on the piton pitch.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Slabby terrain below the ridge crest on the piton pitch.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Tower Three is my favorite one. Look at that lovely hand crack!
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Tower Three is my favorite one. Look at that lovely hand crack!
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic sewing up the awesome hand traverse. It felt easy except for the exit move which was challenging, perhaps the crux of the entire climb. At the end the nice sloped rock with features for your feet morphs into a near vertical wall. Dominic and I tackled it in two very different ways. He stood up with his feet in the crack and no handholds. I tried that for about one second before I got back on my hands and did a few strenuous mantle moves instead.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic sewing up the awesome hand traverse. It felt easy except for the exit move which was challenging, perhaps the crux of the entire climb. At the end the nice sloped rock with features for your feet morphs into a near vertical wall. Dominic and I tackled it in two very different ways. He stood up with his feet in the crack and no handholds. I tried that for about one second before I got back on my hands and did a few strenuous mantle moves instead.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Bypassing Tower Four on the south side. We have to put our feet into that obvious crack just right of center, lean into the rock, and shuffle across over massive exposure. Its easy but freaky! Dominic doesn't place any pro since it would be a bitch trying to place and remove it by our feet. A fall here would be very nasty. Some people traverse directly from the crack to the notch ahead but it is very runout and Dominic chooses the other option... forcing me to execute a very mentally challenging downclimb to where he is standing in this picture!
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Bypassing Tower Four on the south side. We have to put our feet into that obvious crack just right of center, lean into the rock, and shuffle across over massive exposure. Its easy but freaky! Dominic doesn't place any pro since it would be a bitch trying to place and remove it by our feet. A fall here would be very nasty. Some people traverse directly from the crack to the notch ahead but it is very runout and Dominic chooses the other option... forcing me to execute a very mentally challenging downclimb to where he is standing in this picture!
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic starting up a somewhat obnoxious chinney to regain the ridge. Cool flake above.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic starting up a somewhat obnoxious chinney to regain the ridge. Cool flake above.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
"Bollinger Peak". The guy its named after apparently fell to his death on Warbonnet the day after he summitted this peak.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
"Bollinger Peak". The guy its named after apparently fell to his death on Warbonnet the day after he summitted this peak.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
After the major tower pitches we resume simulclimbing for the final two pitches to the summit.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
After the major tower pitches we resume simulclimbing for the final two pitches to the summit.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic belaying me from the top of Wolfs Head.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic belaying me from the top of Wolfs Head.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
The descent is long and involved so we don't stay long. The first rappel is 5 feet from the summit.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
The descent is long and involved so we don't stay long. The first rappel is 5 feet from the summit.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic rappelling down the West Face.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic rappelling down the West Face.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
After a couple rappels we scramble along some ledges to find the next ones. The route is fairly obvious.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
After a couple rappels we scramble along some ledges to find the next ones. The route is fairly obvious.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Wind River Range, Wyoming
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic rappelling above Shadow Lake.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic rappelling above Shadow Lake.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic scramblling 3rd and 4th class terrain toward the Wolfs Head/Overhanging Tower Col. Overhanging Tower, Sharks Nose, and Block Tower can be seen in the background.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Dominic scramblling 3rd and 4th class terrain toward the Wolfs Head/Overhanging Tower Col. Overhanging Tower, Sharks Nose, and Block Tower can be seen in the background.
East Ridge [5.6]
Wind River Range, Wyoming
View of Wolfs Head's East Ridge on the descent into the basin. We dawdled a bit to watch several parties on one of the traversing pitches.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
View of Wolfs Head's East Ridge on the descent into the basin. We dawdled a bit to watch several parties on one of the traversing pitches.
Wind River Range, Wyoming
Our route up the grassy ledges leading to Wolfs Head's East Ridge. Kelsey warns that this approach is not a good option when snowbanks above are "melting profusely". We found out its also not a good option when the snowbanks are melting "less profusely".