West Face

This is a classic route with nice exposure and a variety of climbing styles (face and crack climbing, traverses, dihedrals and steep overhangs). The rock quality is mediocre (particularly on the lower half of the route) but not that bad for Oregon standard. The climbing is technically not harder than 5.8 and it's a good introduction to harder climbs in the Menagerie, but it's not a climb for novice trad climbers.Bolts on the first two pitches with a few options to add protection. Mostly good protection can be found on the last two pitches with a bit of a runout after the first bolt on pitch 3. Start at the notch between the rabbit ears.Pitch 1: (5.8) Climb up 25ft near the arete (2 bolts) to a ledge and traverse about 30ft (passing a few bolts and an old piton). Climb up a small groove for about 15ft to a belay below an overhang.Pitch 2:(5.8+) Climb the overhanging crack passing one bolt to a good ledge and the next belay station. This pitch is less than 30ft long and can be combined with the first pitch if the rope drag isn't too bad.Pitch3:(5.8) Traverse a few feet to the right and than straight up a fun crack system (one piton on the way). The pitch ends with a small but easy overhang with nice exposure.Pitch4:(5.7) Continue up the crack system. Climbing gets easier and easier and ends up in a scramble towards the top of the tower.DESCENT: Possible with one 70m rope but be careful. Easier with 2x 60m ropes. The in-between belay spots are ok for anchors but not set up for rapping. We double-fishermanned 2x 60m ropes and made it back to the first anchors. We set up to rap to ground easily enough but he know got stuck in a flake/crack that required reclimbing to free, so be cautious.

Start directly at the saddle between the North and South Ear.

Full rack up to 4 inch.