This massive rounded peak, with a wealth of routes, is the most frequented of all Organ peaks. Northernmost of the three Rabbit Ears, it lies in the main line of the Organ Ridge, with only three small peaks of the Rabbit Ears Group and the isolated St. Augustine Peak to its north.
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12a. Awful Buttress |
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Class: 5.8 |
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First ascent: Paul Wohlt and Dick Ingraham | |
Approach by the prominent gully in Rabbit Ear Canyon which leads SE to the base of the NW Face. Go to the far left corner of the NW Face, only 100 yards or so from the Cwm, and traverse right some 100' to the first belay spot. The first pitch goes up an easy slab. Then go right up over some bushy ledges and moss footholds to the base of a short wide crack provided with a loose chockstone about 15' up. Jam up this, which lands you on the spacious Bivouac Ledge (so named because Dick Ingraham spent a chilly and unexpected night there on an early unsuccessful first ascent try). The pitches described to this ledge serve many routes. At the back of the concave middle third of the NRE NW Face there are two great crack systems. The larger, right hand one serves the Pea Pod Route and, at its top, the Chimney Variation of the Awful Buttress Route. The left hand, smaller crack system is the way of this route. Bulging out between them is the Awful Buttress itself.
Take to the left hand crack system getting onto a steep slab to its left just above a chockstone (the belay stance) and conquering a small awkward overhang. Then go up an easy pitch composed of vertical flakes. Above this is an excruciatingly narrow squeeze chimney which can be elegantly avoided by passing on the right, then crossing back left on the top of a large loose-looking flake to a tiny grassy foothold.
Above this a little way is the Garden, a small plot of greenery scooped out of this airy wall. The next pitch is the crux. Chimney up the flaring crack at the rear of the Garden to a chockstone, then face out, take a wide chimney stance and vault onto the Buttress itself. Mount a few feet, which brings you to a slab split by a wide, bottomless, holdless jamcrack. "Jam" up this, using cross pressures as much as possible, with the right foot against a small crack up the middle of the slab. Exit oozing at the top (about 12'-15' up) to the right, using a minuscule flake for a right foothold, and some imaginary fingerholds, and remembering not to fall. This was the original route. A variation continues up the jamcrack several more feet to safety. Another variation goes up a shallow groove in the middle of the slab, possibly using a sling in the convenient bolt there for an aid step. (The bolt provides pretty good protection also for the jamcrack lead.) Continue up exposed nontrivial blocks to a good belay spot under a sort of roof. From here, swing out onto small holds and get into a steep narrow crack, which ends at a narrow platform. An awkward chimneying move for a few more feet (or a little friction slab around the corner to the right) lands you on a spacious level area marking the top of the difficult middle third of the face. All NW Face routes end up here.
The last third of the NW Face lies back in a long series of third and fourth class slabs. Mount to the summit this way or use the fixed rappel point one pitch up which (double rope rappel) puts you at the bottom of the Chimney in Boyer's Chute.
If you go to the top, drop down the S Face on an easy ramp to the rappel point (two fixed pins). A 120' rappel lands you in a spacious scooped out place on the S Face. Coil the ropes and free climb down to a good big rock bollard about 60' above the NRE-MRE col. A single rope rappel from the bollard lands you on the col. Thank Gerch and descend by Rabbit Ear Canyon.
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Awful Buttress, Chimney Variation |
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Class: 5.6 |
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First ascent: George Goedecke and Dick Ingraham | |
Follow the Awful Buttress Route to the Garden. Then traverse around the Buttress at this point on a surprisingly good ledge. This puts you into the large right hand crack system at the base of a very tight, overhanging squeeze chimney. Fight your way up this, then climb easier rock to the narrow ridge of the spur which separates Boyer's Chute from Surprise Buttress. From there drop down some 12' into Boyer's Chute and climb back up a short crack system (which forms part of the last pitch of the Chute Route) to the "spacious level area."
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12b. Pea Pod |
Go up to the bivouac ledge by any of a variety of ways. The route goes up the "obvious chimney" between the first pitches of the Awful Buttress and the Miracle Route. Toddle up the chimney for two pitches to a large ledge (which reaches leftward to the Awful Buttress). From here go straight up the "nasty" chimney or 10' left up an amusing variation. This reaches within 20' of the ridge of the Miracle Route; but no, go up the "peapod"-like crack and up and about a boulder to where we finally meet the confluence of the Awful Buttress and the Miracle Route. From here on, you're on your own, buddy.
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12c. Little Question Route |
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Class: 5.8 |
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First ascent: Mike Bryan, solo | |
If you look at the base of the NRE from the RE Canyon, you can easily see large black streaks running up from almost ground level to about 100'. To the right of this is the base of Surprise Buttress. Standing near the base of the NRE, under the black streaks, you will notice that to the right of the black streaks is a brown area and to the right of this the rock is covered with green lichen. In the green area, near the edge is a steep, broken ramp. This ramp, containing a small overhang (about 50' up) is the start of Little Question. The overhang mentioned above can be passed on the right. Ten feet above it, you can traverse 25' right and then traverse 20' back to the left. (Or you can go a few feet right and up.) Now above you is a large cluttered ledge leading left and on it is a large flake behind which you can chimney. From the top of the flake move up and right along a ramp until you find a break in the overhangs above (about 50'). Climb thru the break and onto fourth class climbing for about 60' (until you reach the Miracle Route). Now move down and to the left around a corner and onto a huge ledge, the Bivouac Ledge. This first part of Little Question can be done as an alternate beginning for the Peapod or Awful Buttress. Walk along this ledge until you find a fairly clean, blank area above you (about 40' along). Just past this is a gully (part of the Peapod). Start up the gully and after about 8 or 10 feet move out and to the right onto the blank area. Angle right toward a crack overflowing with moss. Scramble up and left across the moss and then continue up weaving as necessary until you get to the base of a large bush-filled crack. Thrutch (thrash and clutch simultaneously) up this crack about 40' (just past this point there is a distinct break in the bushes). From here you can traverse left on friction climbing. Continue left, toward and up a 10' dihedral. From the top of this, edge left around a corner to an alcove. Go left and up to a jam crack. Above the crack you will find yourself on a broken knife edge. (The Peapod itself is down and to your left.) You are again on the Miracle Route. Finish by moving down and to the right and then back up as you would for the Miracle Route. As for hardware: a selection of nuts including a #5 Chouinard stopper and #6, 7 and 8 Hexcentrics (the First Ascent was done clean).
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12d. Miracle Route |
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Class: 5.5 |
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First ascent: Dick Ingraham and Paul Wohlt | |
Approach and climb as in the Awful Buttress, Chimney Variation to the Bivouac Ledge. But now continue to the right and traverse around the corner, dropping down a few exposed feet to do this, onto Surprise Buttress. Run out the rope and camp securely on the top of a little spur. The next pitch moves to the right some 10' and then up over a short vertical stretch, courtesy of some miraculous handholds. Traverse left up and across a smooth slab just underneath a giant loose flake. Around the corner you find a wide smoothish chimney, which is best done by getting onto its right wall. Then continue on third class rock to the "spacious level area" at the top of the Awful Buttress.
The Miracle Route has been varied by going directly up in an at-first-easy gully at the corner between the NW Face and Surprise Buttress. This runs into some hard chimneys above. It joins the Miracle Route at the "wide chimney" mentioned above.
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12e. Surprise Buttress Direct |
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Class: 5.8 and aid |
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First ascent: Pat Leonard and Paul Wohlt | |
Approach as for any NW Face Route but branch right and go to the base of Surprise Buttress to a point where a crumbly little tower leans against the face. Mounting this tower seems a good idea, and two unused bolts above attest to our good intentions. Instead, start up a narrow, vanishing ramp down and to the left. Negotiate steep slabs and occasional vertical or overhanging bits (slings around knobs) until the Miracle Route traverse is reached about 300' above. According to Wohlt, "when in doubt, go left." The Surprise Buttress is a great deceiver about angle. From a distance, it appears to offer a staircase of good ledges separated by moderate angle rock. With your nose against it, the "good ledges" turn into slabs too steep to stand on, and the moderate angle rock pushes you off.
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12f. Boyer's Chute |
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Class: 5.4 |
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First ascent: J. Urbain, R. Douglass. | |
This great curving slash in the W. Face, visible from Las Cruces, is the easiest way up the NRE (Del Boyer was the first to solo it). Approach as for the S. Face Routes (see Davis Route), but get out of the gully mounting to the NRE-MRE Col at about the level of the mouth of the Chute and bushwack-contour across to it. The Chute is narrow and enclosed and you can't get lost if you stay left. Climb all the way to the summit over a series of third, fourth and easy fifth class problems. The rope should be put on for most climbers when turning a large chockstone on its right about half way up, and for the Chimney, about 20' high, above that. The Chimney is the crux, about 5.4. Watch the loose rock just above it!
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Variation |
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Class: 5.8 and aid |
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First ascent: Pete Rogowski, Paul Wohlt, Tom McCalla. | |
This really deserves to be a separate route. Instead of entering Boyer's Chute at the bottom, walk further north around a big blade of rock and climb a very vertical chimney full of loose flakes and blocks. Surprise Buttress forms the left side of this chimney. You exit into Boyer's Chute a few hundred feet up it.
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12g. Chute Route |
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Class: 5.6 |
6 - 7 Hours |
First ascent: Dick Ingraham and Clem Ota | |
This is a pretty, short, sharp route. Go up Boyer's Chute to a dihedral-crack system on the left wall of the chute which seems to lie back a little toward the top. The first pitch goes up 40'-50' to the top of a sloping ledge on the right part of the dihedral. (It's best to belay here because of rope drag on the next pitch.) Next, cross the dihedral and take to a vertical bit on its left wall with just the necessary holds. About 30' up, go right into the dihedral and belay from a nice little standing ledge about 50' above the belayer. On the last pitch, climb the right side of the dihedral, using good footholds on the left side at a crucial point. Climb left and join the Miracle Route about 50' above the belay. The climb finishes at the "spacious level area" above the Awful Buttress. Go up a pitch and return by a rappel down into Boyer's Chute (see Awful Buttress description).
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12h. West Face Direct |
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First ascent: Frank deSaussure and Betty Davis |
Approach as for the S. Face Routes (see Davis Route) but, as soon as arrived at the SW corner of the peak, take to easy rock and climb up third class to a sloping ledge on the W Face. Put on the rope and traverse left to a slightly difficult little dihedral which leads up to the sloping ledge above. The next pitch is the crux: smooth, slightly overhanging walls bar all progress up except for a steep section just left of a large unsound-looking flake. Climb up this on adequate holds and muscle up a strenuous exit to the right to a bushy ledge. Then head up and leftish, over mixed climbing, including a smooth ramp, whose holds reward a long reach, until the Davis Route is reached on the great shoulder on the SW Ridge of the mountain. Continue as there.
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Variation |
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Class: 5.7 |
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First ascent: Frank deSaussure and Dave Bailey | |
Go up Boyer's Chute one pitch, then exit to the right on steep friction climbing onto the W Face. Above this is a very laborious wriggle chimney after which the West Face Direct route is joined.
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12i. Davis Route |
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Class: 5.3 |
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First ascent: Harry Davis and Betty Davis | |
This was the route by which the North Rabbit Ear was first climbed. Approach by going up Rabbit Ears Canyon as high as the steep, extensive slab system close to Orp. From here take the gully descending from the NRE-MRE Col, and go until an obvious crack system leads up the S. Face. This is near a sizeable scrub oak; do not confuse it with another crack system, steeper and harder, about 100' lower down. Mount this crack system 125' to a sizeable ledge. The next pitch goes up a gully full of awkward moves at the back of this ledge. This puts you on a great shoulder on the SW Ridge. Go onto the W Face and climb an easy brush filled gully-dihedral to the summit. This is a good beginner climb.
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12j. South Face Traverse |
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Class: 5.3 |
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First ascent: Dick Ingraham, George Goedecke, and Bill Moir | |
Climb the first two pitches of the Davis Route. Then from the great shoulder, climb up an easy ramp onto the S. Face, then continue more or less level across this face on a well-defined ledge. This eventually peters out. Possible new routes lead off above and to the right from this point. Take a short rappel into the "spacious scooped out place" on the S. Face described under the Awful Buttress route and descend as there.
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12k. South Face Direct |
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Class: 5.6 |
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First ascent: Ron Hahn, John Goncz, and Rita Goncz. | |
This route simply reverses the rappel route off the NRE. The first 15' are interesting. Above the "spacious scooped out place" one can either follow the rappel route up over steep open book slabs, or (easier) go through a broken up chimney to the right of these.
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12l. Parabola |
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Class: 5.5 |
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First ascent: Dick Ingraham and George Goedecke | |
An abortive E. Face Route, which, however, can be done as a rock climbing exercise. Approach to the NRE-MRE Col, then drop down on the East Side to a point somewhat short of the great gully system of the NRE East Face, where a feasible route seems to go up. Go up two pitches with some interesting small holds moves to the top of a prominent spur. Above this possibly very difficult maneuvers would lead further up the E. Face. Instead, climb up and to the left a bit, then traverse left for a rope length on very steep rock with good holds on the SE Face. A couple of good rappel points can be found, and two rappels land you back on terra firma.
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12m. East Face, Rotten Chimney |
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Class: 5.7 |
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First ascent: Paul Wohlt and ? | |
Go to the NRE-MRE Col, and drop down on the East Side all the way to the major gully system in the middle of the E. Face. Climb up in this gully, bearing left, and if you are lucky, you will find the exit via a rotten chimney onto easier rock. Continue on easy rock until the descent to the rappel point is joined. Incidentally, this great face has a surplus of beautiful lines so far untouched.