The Smokestack

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Geography

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Broken Finger Peak-Wheeler Peak Traverse

The Smokestack

Page Type: Route

Location: California, United States, North America

Lat/Lon: 37.41790°N / 118.6977°W

Route Type: Rock Climb

Time Required: A long day

Difficulty: III or IV 5.9 or 5.10a depending on who you ask

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- 4 Votes

Page By: Clydascope

Created/Edited: Mar 21, 2005 / Oct 28, 2008

Object ID: 164410

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Page Score: 86.02% - 1 Votes

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Table of Contents

Approach

From Hwy 395 north of Bishop, head west towards Pine Creek. At the Round Valley School take a right. Upon passing 40 Acres, a small residential neighborhood (please take your time while passing by), follow dirt roads to the west, weaving around a ranch and beneath the Smokestack Gully. Hike across the sage slope and into the gulley. It’s a good grunt for a couple hours up the gulley.

Route Description

The route wanders a bit, but starts in a right facing corner for a pitch or so. It then links cracks upward to the left for another couple pitches. A wide section is encountered before delicate face move lead left into another wide crack. This leads up towards the right for a couple more pitches. Eventually the back-to-back off width cracks finish the climbing.

Descend the gully to the left, a short rap or down climb is required.

There is a Topo shown here.

Topos are also shown in "Bishop Area Rock Climbs" and "The Sierra East Side Rock Climbs"

Essential Gear

It's wide!!!

Beware of the rattlesnakes too!!!

I heard a rumor the old bolts have been replace, which would be nice. There are lots of belay options. The rock is pretty good, some grainy spots but mostly solid.

Update October 28, 2008, dug wrote to tell me "Yes the bolts have been replaced. Can be done in 5 pitches with 60m rope."

Miscellaneous Info

This climb reminded me of the Premier Buttress at Whitney Portal, only longer and better rock.

The first ascent of the Smokestack has a nice story behind it. Galen Rowell and Doug Robinson paired up for an attempt of the tower, only to get turned back because the climb was bigger and harder than they expected. They returned later and succeeded in claiming the first ascent prize. They named it The Smokestack in honor of Smoke Blanchard, a local climber & explorer.

Several other long climbs have been done on Adam's Rib & Wells Peak. There are numerous towers in the vicinity that have been climbed too. First ascenders include folks like Galen Rowell, Fred Beckey, Bob Harrington, Kevin Leary, James Wilson, John Fischer, Jay Jenson, Rick Wheeler, Bill St. Jean, Eddie Joe and a bunch of other eastsiders. Most of the towers were first climbed by Smoke Blanchard

Images