East Face

Approach:

Follow Pete Lake Trail past the lake and through Lemah Meadows to the PCT. Follow the PCT North until the first switchback. From here, head into the vine maple and through the old avy swath to the forest on the other side. From there proceed through blowdown to the river and cross. After crossing, look for flagging and a cairn that mark the beginning of the climber's path. The path is hard to follow in places, but flagging can be found in most areas to help guide you along. Good campsites on flat-topped boulders with abundant water can be found in both the basins at 4600 and 4800 respectively.

From either camp, make your way onto the glacier below the summits of Chimney Rock and work up to the obvious "U Notch" on the south side of the South Peak. From the notch, ascend slabs to the first large ledge and make your way across a series of vegetated ledges on the east face of the south peak. These ledges are not obvious, but they go. Once you reach the area dubbed as "white rocks", climb up to the notch between the south and main peak. From here, pass between two gendarmes and find the reddish "key ledge" that leads you around the summit tower to the base of the East Face route.

Climb:

P1- Start up the vegetated, lichen-encrusted chimney to a belay stance below a slabbier section of rock. Low 5th cl

P2- Climb the exposed slabby pitch to a ledge and obvious belay. 4th cl

P3- Climb the obvious deep chimney to the summit. Low 5th cl.

Descend the route. Bring lots of webbing for raps.

the heart of Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Gear to 3", lots of slings, and bring plenty of webbing to replace the weathered tat.