11. The Low Horns
From Big Windy Canyon, which divides the Rabbit Ear Group from the rest of the Organs to the south and extending to the lofty tooth of the Spire lies a series of low jagged summits, the six Low Horns. The numeration is not too consistent, for example: Low Horn #3 is merely a subsidiary tower grafted onto #2, while Low Horn #5 is a trifurcated peak with three well separated summits. These spiny needles are seen to best advantage from Topp Hut. They lean uniformly to the south, so that nearly all ascents are effected from the north, and all descents via the south sides must be made via rappel. Their traverse from north to south is an enjoyable day. Flanking Big Windy Canyon on the south is the buttress of Gerch's Folly. Its magnificent SW Face, 800 feet of nearly vertical rosy granite, is one of the great climbs of the Organs.
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11a. Gerch's Folly, SW Face |
Class: high 5 |
4 1/2 - 5 1/2 hours |
First ascent: 1962(?); P. wohlt, R. Ingraham.
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From Topp Hut take the approach of Route 10a as far as the draw which cuts the welt descending from Gerch's Folly, then mount this welt to the base of the SW Face. Get into the great crack which splits the Face slightly to the right of center either directly at the bottom or by traversing into it from the left over inclined slabs. Climb up it to the first belay spot, a fine grassy niche below and to the right of a massive balcony. Continue up the crack about 125 feet, then traverse out of it to the right to a good belay spot. Continue up for three long pitches over beautiful rock with firm holds, tending back toward the crack, to a spacious ledge below a large overhanging step. The crack has turned into a right angled open book by this time; it breaches the step in a surprisingly easy chimney. Climb this chimney, then continue up a moderately inclined slab to a belay spot just beneath another overhanging step. The next pitch is the crux. Go around the corner to the right, traverse out on a tiny ledge until a giant step over the abyss places you on a steep shelf around to the right under the lip of the overhanging step. Traverse around this shelf to where, by stepping up on an outbulging part at the limit of friction you can reach a hold above the step. Above this, another step is encountered, but with less angle and exposure and better holds. Above this a short scramble over easy slabs puts you on the summit.
Descend by walking down the back (N) side of Gerch's Folly into Big Windy Carryon (one does not have to go all the way to the NE end of the Buttress to get down if he is lucky enough to find a 3rd Class chimney leading down into a large cirque with rather steep walls on the N Side). Then drop down the Canyon and out onto the welts to the north, where the approach route for the Rib Cage Area (see Route 15c) is joined. Or, return via the approach route for Low Horns #1 - 5, (see Route 11d).
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Ridge Variation |
Class: medium 5 |
4 - 5 hours |
First ascent: 1962(?); P. wohlt
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This variation avoids the rigors of the last pitch. From the "spacious ledge" beneath the first overhanging step traverse left under this step to a point on the W Ridge near the top. Continue on the Ridge to the summit.
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b) W Ridge |
Class: low 5 |
4 - 5 hours |
First ascent: 1958(?); R. Ingraham, D. Boyer.
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Take the approach for the Long Rib (see Route 15c) but several hundred yards below the rock of the Rib Cage bear right over two gullies and into Big Windy Canyon. The climb starts at the bottom of the slabs on the southeast aide of the Canyon at a point roughly due west of the W Ridge. Scramble up easy rock by a number of feasible routes to the base of the W Ridge proper. (If it is desired to start the climb here, the approach for Route 11a should be used.) Go up an easy staircase and ledge on the NW Face to a sizable niche split by a vertical crack. Climb out of this by starting on good holds on the left side and crossing the crack at the top of the niche. Continue up over steep, somewhat loose rock to a small cave-like niche above. Exit from this along its right edge, to emerge onto a broad ledge overhung by the slabs of the NW Face. Climb up behind a large flake, then with hands on the top of the wall traverse left a few feet and surmount it. Or, from the ledge go farther right and climb a short vertical section with tremendous handholds. This places you on a prominent shoulder on the Ridge, from which a grassy esplanade runs almost across the NW Face. Continue up the Ridge on beautiful rock; some small holds and friction climbing. The top of the Ridge is formed of a succession of great layers, lying one on top of the other, of some of the finest rock in the Organs. (These layers form the series of overhanging steps which make life so difficult on the SW Face climb, Route 11a.
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d) Gerch's Little Brother |
Class: high 4 |
3 1/2 - 4 hours |
First ascent: 1963(?); R. Ingraham, G. Goedecke.
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This little buttress lies just south of Gerch's Folly across a profound cleft which defines the southeastern edge of its SW Face. Approach as for the SW Face (Route 11a) but veer right at the top of the welt. Start up its SW Ridge and climb a series of delightful 3rd and 4th Class problems. After three or four pitches traverse onto the NW Face and climb to the narrow summit ridge, which abuts on the bulk of Gerch's Folly proper. Cross this pretty knife ridge and finish the climb up the S corner of Gerch's Folly.
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e) Low Horns #1 - #5 |
Class: medium 4 |
3 - 4 hours |
First ascent #1: 4 March 1956; R. Douglass, H. Davis. |
First ascent #2: 4 March 1956; H. Davis, R. Douglass. |
First ascent #3: 22 September 1956; R. Hahn, T. McCalla, J. Goncz, R. Goncz. |
First ascent #4: ? |
First ascent #5: ? |
Take the approach of Route 11a but leave the welt leading up to Gerch's Folly toward the top and traverse right into a rock bowl between Gerch's Little Brother on the left and a larger, nameless buttress with a nice SW face on the right. Climb out of the bowl at its right rear over 3rd Class rock and turf. (At the top of this pitch there is a bolt for rappel on the return.) Bushwhack up the brushy gully above (Think like a deer!), bear left, and attain the base of Low Horn #1, the northernmost one. Or, continue more or less east and reach the bases of #2, #3, #4, or #5. An equally good approach is to reverse the return route for Route 11a.
The normal ascent route on #1 goes up its NW Side. Similarly for #2; #3 is climbed from the little saddle between them, either up its little NW Face or around the corner via the SW Side. Diminuitive #4, the runt of the litter, is no more than a walkup from the northwest. Low Horn #5 can be climbed from the northwest, although the traverse of the three summits is not so easy as the ascent. A good route on #5 is the traverse of its back (NE) side, starting from the northwest end, around the corner of its SE Side, then dropping down its SW Side to the bottom.
In order to skip any of these towers, you must descend onto the West Side to turn it. The formation of the East Side, strata running the "wrong way" (i.e., roofs instead of ledges) and extending far down on this side, makes turning one of the Low Horns on the east a more serious matter.
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f) Low Horns #5 (Chimney Route) and #6 |
Class: medium 4 |
3 - 4 hours |
First ascent #5 (Chimney Route): 1958(?); P. Wohlt, R. Ingraham, D. Boyer. |
First ascent #6 (Ramp Route): 1958(?);J.M. Adams, R. Ingraham, P. Wohlt. |
Approach as in Route 10a, but once arrived at the slabs below Low Horn #6, climb up them to the saddle between #5 and #6. For the Chimney Route on #5 proceed northwest over a little saddle and drop down a few feet on the West Side to the base of a large crack system splitting the SW Side of #5. The route goes up the main crack and its right wall, turning into a diagonal chimney near the top. To climb #6 by the ramp route start on its NW Side and get onto a rather steep ramp on its W Side. Traverse this, then do a semi-hand traverse into a wide deep crack. Mount a narrow brushy gully to the right, then scale a short slab richly provided with small holds to a small perch on the S Side of the peak, from which the #6 - Spire Col can be seen directly below at the base of the sheer SE Wall. A short easy final pitch northward places you on its rarely visited summit. To descend, climb down its easy NW Side, which also furnishes an easy ascent route.
This material is from "A Climbing Guide to the Organ Mountains", Copyright by R.L.Ingraham, Privately published, 1960's.