Trip Report

Party assembled Saturday morning at Eugene at 9:30 a.m. We drove to Sisters, where we picked up Erik Lee, the assistant leader and a friend of Erik's who accompanied the party to base camp and remained there during the climb. From Sisters we drove to Pole Creek Camp and from there we hiked westward approximately three miles to a high camp just above timber line. The climb was started at 4 a.m. the next morning, breaking camp at 4:45 a.m.

The route followed the customary eastside Villard Glacier Route directly beneath Gleason. Upon arriving at the moat at the base of Gleason, the party traversed west at the top of the snow field, using the moat for belay positions and then dropped over the North Ridge at the notch. From the notch we dropped down and traversed to the east side of the summit Pinnacle, mounting the pinnacle via the east side chute. The first rope arrived at the summit at 10:30 a.m. and the second rope, led by Erik Lee about 45 minutes later.

The party spent about 1½ hours on top and then descended via the Lee Way which rejoins the regular route on the south side of the pinnacle snowfield. We then descended via the regular south route for a distance, then traversing eastward until the party could drop over the southeast side, until the party could glissade down the snowfields to Mud Lake. From the lake we returned to camp and then hiked to the cars, arriving at 6:00 p.m.

Snow conditions for the climb were ideal, both on the ascent and on the glissading descent. However in a lighter snow year this climb should ordinarily be scheduled during the first week or two of July. Climbing were Wes Brooks, Jim Cagle, Lee Erik, Brody Washburn and Karen Washburn. Leader Jim Harrang.