wdimpfl - Dec 22, 2017 6:46 pm Date Climbed: Feb 15, 1978
Fall on Pinnacle Gully
Mike Syvanen and I hiked up the road to the Harvard Mountaineering Hut near Huntington ravine from Pinkham Notch on Mt. Washington. The next morning we continued up to the base of the Gully. I soloed up the ice at the bottom to establish our first belay, staying to the left to avoid the water ice in the middle. I reached out over the ice to place an ice screw for the first belay and started to loose my balance. I jumped out on to the ice to catch my balance, but my crampons didn't bite into the ice (I should have sharpened them since climbing Denali the previous summer). I immediately accelerated down the ice, falling about 400 feet before I came to snow that slowed me to a stop before coming to the rocks lower down. My crampons catching in the snow had sprained one ankle and I had wrenched my shoulder. I still wanted to climb the gully so I worked my way back up to where I had fallen. My ankle wasn't too painful, but I asked Mike to do the leading because I didn't trust my ability with the injuries. 2/3s of the way up Mike asked me to take the lead, which I tried, but found to difficult with my injuries. Mike finished leading the climb, but at the top of the climb I found the pain unbearable when I put weight on my heel. I ended up crawling back down the ridge to the Harvard Hut. Other people at the hut arranged for a snow mobile to take me back down the road to our car. We made it back to Boston where I was able to join a party for Graham Arnold, who was finishing up his PhD in Professor Jim Kinsey's research group in the Chemistry Department at MIT.
mtneering - Feb 20, 2013 1:56 am Date Climbed: Mar 1, 2001
Great route, mixed snow and ice! Tried to summit Mount Washington from top of Pinnacle but was shut down due to high winds and bad visability!
paulbalegend - Jul 25, 2011 4:03 pm Date Climbed: Mar 20, 2011
Supaphat
Climbed with Brian, 3 long pitches. Summitted via the slopes dead-ahead, descended Lion's Head.
paulbalegend - Jul 25, 2011 4:01 pm Date Climbed: Mar 9, 2011
phat
Climbed with Kevin, 3 long pitches. Great conditions en route. Walked across Alpine Garden, then summitted and descended via Lion's Head route.
gcap - Jan 18, 2010 10:39 am Date Climbed: Jan 16, 2010
this is ALPINE!
what a gorgeous line! lead 3 pitches with partner Marc. Sunny and warm at the start, blustery and white out at the end. went left on pitch 1 with difficult ice instead of more moderate but wet/damned right side. descended via Lion Head. another awesome day on the hill!
bird - Oct 31, 2009 7:55 am Date Climbed: Nov 19, 2008
Scotland?
Climbed in "Full" conditions, -6 degrees, 50mph winds. Running water under ice. Made for an interesting day.
MRoyer4 - Oct 21, 2009 10:34 pm Date Climbed: Mar 7, 2009
Fat
Drove through the night from PA, parked at Pinkham, wasted some time finding the climb in the dense fog. Super fat conditions made the climb less challenging than expected, but the atmostphere was still great. Weather was beautiful. Climbing entangled with two other parties sucked. It'd be nice if people had some patience and waited in line like we did for the group ahead of us. Got back in the car at the end of the day and drove 10 hours home. Nice day-trip!
Parenteau - Mar 31, 2009 3:49 pm Date Climbed: Mar 7, 2009
Pinnacle
Definitely a classic.
kpthomson - Jun 12, 2008 12:29 pm Date Climbed: Jan 1, 2002
THE winter climb on Washington
Have climbed this route a dozen times over the past 6 years.
Always COLD, WINDY and crowded.
Seth Maciejowski - Mar 9, 2008 9:55 pm Date Climbed: Nov 6, 2004
Always fun!
2" thick max. Always fun at this time of year. Also fun in April when it's 20' thick and easy plastic swingin'
October 14, 2007 - she no go!!
Brad Marshall - Feb 24, 2008 9:26 pm Date Climbed: Feb 23, 2008
Pinnacle Gully
Hiked up from Pinkham Notch and met two friends at the Harvard Cabin. Climbed Pinnacle in fat conditions but had a late start (12:30 PM) after waiting for a slower group ahead of us. Another gully climb descended in the dark via the Lion Head Winter Route.
stevepack - Mar 8, 2007 4:06 pm Date Climbed: Dec 27, 1983
Nice...and thin
My introduction to NE ice. Nice climb, a bit thin that year.
a new england classic and many people know it. very crowded and very funneled. start early or late but dont follow. late applies to the more advanced climber
wdimpfl - Dec 22, 2017 6:46 pm Date Climbed: Feb 15, 1978
Fall on Pinnacle GullyMike Syvanen and I hiked up the road to the Harvard Mountaineering Hut near Huntington ravine from Pinkham Notch on Mt. Washington. The next morning we continued up to the base of the Gully. I soloed up the ice at the bottom to establish our first belay, staying to the left to avoid the water ice in the middle. I reached out over the ice to place an ice screw for the first belay and started to loose my balance. I jumped out on to the ice to catch my balance, but my crampons didn't bite into the ice (I should have sharpened them since climbing Denali the previous summer). I immediately accelerated down the ice, falling about 400 feet before I came to snow that slowed me to a stop before coming to the rocks lower down. My crampons catching in the snow had sprained one ankle and I had wrenched my shoulder. I still wanted to climb the gully so I worked my way back up to where I had fallen. My ankle wasn't too painful, but I asked Mike to do the leading because I didn't trust my ability with the injuries. 2/3s of the way up Mike asked me to take the lead, which I tried, but found to difficult with my injuries. Mike finished leading the climb, but at the top of the climb I found the pain unbearable when I put weight on my heel. I ended up crawling back down the ridge to the Harvard Hut. Other people at the hut arranged for a snow mobile to take me back down the road to our car. We made it back to Boston where I was able to join a party for Graham Arnold, who was finishing up his PhD in Professor Jim Kinsey's research group in the Chemistry Department at MIT.
mtneering - Feb 20, 2013 1:56 am Date Climbed: Mar 1, 2001
!!!dozens of times over the years
lutty11 - Oct 16, 2012 3:45 pm
The Nacle!Great route, mixed snow and ice! Tried to summit Mount Washington from top of Pinnacle but was shut down due to high winds and bad visability!
paulbalegend - Jul 25, 2011 4:03 pm Date Climbed: Mar 20, 2011
SupaphatClimbed with Brian, 3 long pitches. Summitted via the slopes dead-ahead, descended Lion's Head.
paulbalegend - Jul 25, 2011 4:01 pm Date Climbed: Mar 9, 2011
phatClimbed with Kevin, 3 long pitches. Great conditions en route. Walked across Alpine Garden, then summitted and descended via Lion's Head route.
gcap - Jan 18, 2010 10:39 am Date Climbed: Jan 16, 2010
this is ALPINE!what a gorgeous line! lead 3 pitches with partner Marc. Sunny and warm at the start, blustery and white out at the end. went left on pitch 1 with difficult ice instead of more moderate but wet/damned right side. descended via Lion Head. another awesome day on the hill!
bird - Oct 31, 2009 7:55 am Date Climbed: Nov 19, 2008
Scotland?Climbed in "Full" conditions, -6 degrees, 50mph winds. Running water under ice. Made for an interesting day.
MRoyer4 - Oct 21, 2009 10:34 pm Date Climbed: Mar 7, 2009
FatDrove through the night from PA, parked at Pinkham, wasted some time finding the climb in the dense fog. Super fat conditions made the climb less challenging than expected, but the atmostphere was still great. Weather was beautiful. Climbing entangled with two other parties sucked. It'd be nice if people had some patience and waited in line like we did for the group ahead of us. Got back in the car at the end of the day and drove 10 hours home. Nice day-trip!
Parenteau - Mar 31, 2009 3:49 pm Date Climbed: Mar 7, 2009
PinnacleDefinitely a classic.
kpthomson - Jun 12, 2008 12:29 pm Date Climbed: Jan 1, 2002
THE winter climb on WashingtonHave climbed this route a dozen times over the past 6 years.
Always COLD, WINDY and crowded.
Seth Maciejowski - Mar 9, 2008 9:55 pm Date Climbed: Nov 6, 2004
Always fun!2" thick max. Always fun at this time of year. Also fun in April when it's 20' thick and easy plastic swingin'
October 14, 2007 - she no go!!
Brad Marshall - Feb 24, 2008 9:26 pm Date Climbed: Feb 23, 2008
Pinnacle GullyHiked up from Pinkham Notch and met two friends at the Harvard Cabin. Climbed Pinnacle in fat conditions but had a late start (12:30 PM) after waiting for a slower group ahead of us. Another gully climb descended in the dark via the Lion Head Winter Route.
stevepack - Mar 8, 2007 4:06 pm Date Climbed: Dec 27, 1983
Nice...and thinMy introduction to NE ice. Nice climb, a bit thin that year.
eric b - Nov 27, 2006 11:02 pm
pinnaclea new england classic and many people know it. very crowded and very funneled. start early or late but dont follow. late applies to the more advanced climber