A. Wexler's "Center Chimney" Grade Unknown

THE RATING OF THIS ROUTE IS UNKNOWN (Had to enter some grade, 5.7 seemed as good as any given the "high order of difficulty" reported)

In 1945 Arnold Wexler and a group climbed two routes on the "El Capital" cliff of Northwest Basin.

Both started "Near the left end (of the cliff) where "a big gully indicated an obvious route". "Low and at the center [?of the gully?] were two narrow chimneys. One vertical to the top...[the] other diverged diagonally right."

"...we climbed the vertical chimney...wet and rotten and falling rock contributed to difficulties and several tense moments...the climbing was interesting and, in places, of a high order of difficulty. A 30 ft overhanging chimney with loose stone...and disintegrating rock to discourage the use of handholds brought us to the top."

AND, for all of this, it might not have been a FA since Wexler states: "We ran across a piton." !

Quotes are from a typed page of what was believed to be a private communication from A. Wexler to Bill Phillips, et. al. of the Boston AMC sometime during the 1950's or early 1960's. Later it was discovered that Wexler published details of his 1945 trip in 1946 Appalachia article.

usual rack