Pinnacle Ridge

Elevation: 13,378 ft.

Prominence: 352 ft.

Isolation: 0.5 miles

Technical Difficulty: Class 4

Pinnacle Ridge Guidebook

Introduction

This many-summited mountain sits on the Divide between Gannett and Woodrow Wilson and is most conspicuous when viewed from camp near the terminus of the Glacier Trail. It is likely only climbed by dedicated peakbaggers or those seeking obscure technical challenges.

General Considerations

Despite its somewhat uninspiring stature, Pinnacle Ridge would make a worthwhile objective for those with extra time before or after climbing Gannett. The author combined these peaks by using Gannett’s southeast couloir (Route 2). Notably, the glaciers around Pinnacle Ridge are much more crevassed than in many other parts of the Wind Rivers.

Route 1: East Couloir – Class 4, Moderate Snow

The first step to approach Pinnacle Ridge is to reach the top of the arm of the Dinwoody Glacier just east of the summit. Coming from the Glacier Trail side, enter the region as for Gannett, then stay north along the edge of the Dinwoody Glacier’s northernmost arm instead of gaining the “upper bench” on Gannett.

Another option would be to climb over Glacier Pass, the col between Pinnacle Ridge and Gannett Peak, starting from the vicinity of Mammoth Glacier. No matter how you approach Pinnacle Ridge, plan on crossing significant crevasses and regions of bare ice as you navigate the glacier.

From the broad swath of the Dinwoody Glacier extending to 13,000 feet, follow a snow hogsback to the center of Pinnacle’s east face below the highest (central) summit. An obvious short couloir leads to the ridge crest, where a short west-side excursion on loose rock leads steeply south to the summit boulder. Mounting the highest boulder is the crux, with a couple moves of exposed 4^th class.

Pinnacle Ridge Map

Click title to show track

East Couloir Route
North and South Ridge Routes

Pinnacle Ridge Panorama

Pinnacle Ridge Photos

Pinnacle Ridge as seen in a telephoto view from Blaurock Pass; the standard route climbs the obvious couloir to the summit tower just left of the top of the couloir (2016)

Pinnacle Ridge is Gannett’s neighbor, sitting just south on the Continental Divide, as seen here from the shoulder of Mount Woodrow Wilson (2020)

Closeup of Pinnacle Ridge’s southeast aspect, showing most of the east couloir route (2020)

Sunrise on Pinnacle (left) and Gannett (right) as seen while climbing Spearhead Pinnacle (2020)

Hiking across the Dinwoody moraine on the approach to Pinnacle Ridge (2020)

Alpenglow hits Pinnacle Ridge (left) as seen while climbing up an arm of the Dinwoody Glacier (2020)

This part of the Dinwoody Glacier is highly crevassed (2020)

Pinnacle Ridge basks in early morning light as we near the base of the climb (2020)

Crevasse field on the Dinwoody Glacier (2020)

Negotiating crevasses on the glacier approach to Pinnacle Ridge (2020)

This is the point where the Pinnacle Ridge east couloir route splits from Gannett’s southeast couloir route (2020)

Nearing the base of the east couloir (on the left edge of the photo), with one of the numerous pinnacles towering overhead (2020)

Snowclimbing in the east couloir route (2020)

From the top of the couloir, a short bit of scrambling just west of the ridge crest leads southward up the summit block (2020)

Looking back down the east couloir (2020)

Scrambling towards the summit block, which is at the center of the photo (2020)

Looking down the loose rubble on the west-side final scramble (2020)

The summit block of Pinnacle Ridge requires a few 4th-class moves to surmount (2020)

Panorama of at least 12 Wyoming 13ers from the top of Pinnacle Ridge (2020)

The ridge connecting the summit with Woodrow Wilson is rugged and narrow (2020)

Descending the upper part of the route back to the col (2020)

Last view of the summit boulder before descending the east couloir (2020)

Descending the east couloir route with the summit tower on the left side (2020)

From the shoulder of Gannett Peak, Pinnacle Ridge is just visible rising above Gannett’s south summit at the center of this photo (2020)

Back in the Wells Creek valley, I sidehilled nasty scree below a cliff band and climbed back up to the Divide at Glacier Pass, seen here to the left of Pinnacle Ridge, my next peak.

The east couloir on Pinnacle Ridge was luckily still holding some snow, though it was getting slushy in the midday heat. The upper section was melted out and horribly loose.

Just like yesterday, the weather is perfect, making for postcard views. Here, the obvious peaks are Febbas, Sunbeam, Turret, and Warren (left to right on the skyline), with Bete Noire, Spearhead, and Miriam stacked up on the right edge.

A short scramble delivers me to the top of Pinnacle Ridge.

Glacial lakes come in such a wide range of colors. This one is Lake 11,598, located near the north edge of the Mammoth Glacier.

Another near-miss occurred on my descent from Pinnacle Ridge. Just as I was about to start downclimbing the couloir, a few hundred pounds of rocks broke lose from the couloir wall and went hurtling down a few feet from my boot track. If I had been a few minutes earlier it might have gotten me. Scary.

Looking back at Pinnacle Ridge and Gannett Peak from the top of the ice sheet. With relief, I clambered onto the talus and hiked up to Woodrow Wilson’s north shoulder.

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