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Peak Mountain 3

Worst Error, Left

FA Warren Harding and Wayne Merry (Sept, '57)
CREATED 
UPDATED 

Description

This is a great and historic chimney climb up the left side of the Worst Error pinnacle. The first couple pitches are sort of blocky and unmemorable. The last two pitches are wild, sustained, and excellent.

Pitch 1 is 5.5 up blocks and one chockstone that you pass by tunneling behind it. Belay at a big ledge.

Pitch 2 is 5.7 with more straightforward chimney climbing ending at another big ledge below the huge and deep chimney.

Pitch 3 starts with a bit of a squeeze and widens as you go up. This pitch is the reason why the climb gets an "R" rating in the Reid guide. It's not actually that bad though because the chimney is parallel sided and has pretty good friction (not water polished like many others). If you want you could probably get a couple big bros in a constriction in the upper half of the pitch. You're supposed to belay on a chockstone ledge with a single ancient bolt, I think. Not a very awesome belay and I skipped it an linked this pitch with the last which required some simul-climbing (an 80m rope might make it).

Pitch 4 starts with a roof constriction that is sort of like Sentinel's famous "Narrows" pitch and is well protected by a #5 Camalot. Then the chimney pushes you out to the edge and becomes an offwidth which leads up to the crux roof. The crux is very well protected by a #6 Camalot, and there are also smaller gear options below that, in addition to an old aid bolt. Once you get yourself up into the chimney the rest is pretty easy, with a bit of stemming near the end since it gets pretty wide before you can mantle onto the top of the pinnacle.

To descend, rappel Hotline. We had two ropes, but it seemed like you could maybe do it with one 70m?

Protection

Pro from 2" to 6"

Extra gear in the 4-5" range and a couple big bros would be good if you're not super comfortable on 5.7-5.8 wide.