Route:  Prussik Peak/W Ridge
Climbed:  Oct 15, 1995


Pitch 1: up ledges, crack, and more ledges and corners, finishing with
nice 20 ft hand traverse.  Full rope length.

Pitch 2: Start with vertical step.  From the belay there are two
possible places to move up step.  The right (near ridge crest) seemed
difficult.  I chose the left route, which protected well 5.6.
Continue the pitch traversing over blocks on the ridge then finish on
ledge.  50 or 60 ft.

Pitch 3: Start up 20 ft of low angle slab to base of "unprotected 5.7
friction slab.  The friction slab protects with an old piton (or cam)
at the base.  Starts with a couple balance moves, then you reach some
good hand holds and the rest is easy.  Move around corner on S of
ridge and make an exposed 30 ft traverse on a small ledge.  Seems to
protect well.  Full rope length.

Pitch 4: easy ledges and class 3 blocks to reach base of summit face.
80 ft.

Pitch 5: From highest easy ledge climb 15 ft crack.  The crack starts
with a hand jam and step up (protects with a #1 camalot).  The middle
is easy.  The finish is a vertical layback then mantle to a ledge
(5.7)(protects with a .75 camalot).  Above the crack traverse right on
an easy ledge to a thin flake.  Climb the flake (layback) 12 ft to
another, smaller ledge.  Traverse right to the end of the ledge climb
up to a low angle slab.  At the top of the slab enter a 10 ft chimney
and climb 10 ft. to the summit.

Descent: 5 single rope rappels, starting from the E end of the summit.
The 2nd rappel is a little longer than 1/2 rope length and requires a
short down climb, class 3.  The 5th rappel will deposit you on steep
snow or easy ledges.

Communication is difficult on pitches 2, 3, and 5.  Protects well with
cams of all sizes, hexes, and larger nuts.  Take about 6 single and 2
double runners.




[Route description written by Tom Unger]