Chipmunk Stampede

jack and I put up what we think is a new route on the west shoulder of the Main North Face of Elkhorn Peak just east of Harney Peak. We are calling it Chipmunk Stampede It is a 400ft 3 pitch route that is all crack with great gear. The first pitch is a 160ft dirty looking chimney that actually climbs quite cleanly with great gear mostly in a finger and hand crack on the right. It looks like it will be some serious mungeneering but really isn't because you can climb on the outside by stemming on nice holds and cracks 5.6. The second pitch goes left a bit for about 25ft and then hits a splitter crack to a ledge 5.7, 110ft. The third pitch continues up the splitter crack for another 120ft to the top of the wall 5.8+ with a tough offwidth for the last 30ft. Belay in a huge pothole at the top. We then did some 3rd class across the ridge to a needles style rappel off the back. This was done ground up with no fixed gear.

We did a needles style rappel with one rope off a car sized block to the south after 3rd classing for 100ft to the east on the ridge.

On the West shoulder of the main north face of Elkhorn Peak. Hike up from the road or take trail 8 to trail 9 toward Harney Peak from the Horse Camp across from the KOA. You can save about 3/4 of a mile by hiking from the road about a half mile from the KOA.

Full rack to a six and a couple extra hand size pieces