Follow the Powell Peak Trail to the basin below Peak C and Powell.  Leave the trail at ~11,500 and head for the Peak C-Powell saddle. Before reaching the lower saddle, head south around a gendarme to the upper/southern Peak C-Powell saddle.  The first roped pitch, 5.2, starts up a small gully on the left/east side of the ridge.  The first pitch is also right of a deep gully blocked by a chockstones.  Climb ~50-70 feet up 5.2 on somewhat questionable rock to a ledge.

From the ledge, head right and climb a short class 4 chimney to another ledge.  Traverse left/east on a ledge to the upper part of the deep chockstoned couloir.  Climb on class 3 terrain for ~100-200 feet up the gully and look for a large headwall on the left.

Head towards the large headwall and climb to the base of the headwall on friction Class 4 slabs.  From the base of the headwall, follow a dihedral up along the headwall.  As the dihedral steepens, the climbing becomes 5.2 friction climbing until reaching another ledge.

Once on top of the friction pitches, climb straight up blocky class 4 terrain and finish the blocky terrain with a short 5.4 crux.  After reaching a ledge after the 5.4 section, head left and follow the west ridge, class 3, to the summit.

Descend either the west ridge or west couloir which is located south of the summit.

Northwest Ridge

Ripsaw Ridge

The traverse includes Peak C, D, E, F, and G. C', H, and Black are optional. The Rockinghorse Ridge picks up prior to West Partner, and then the Partners Traverse.

Start at Piney Lake and gain Peak C via the NW ridge (5.4), the West ridge (class 3), the West couloir (moderate), or North Face (5.7+).

Traverse the ridge in classic Gore style, staying proper or utilizing bypasses on the right/West side as necessary - choose your own difficulty, but expect 5.0 minimum depending on route finding.

The talus filled gully between F and G makes for a miserable but reasonable descent to the Piney Lakes trail. Further along by H and Black, the descent is easier.

A register or two might peak a historian's interest.

This is probably one of the more frequented Gore traverses and a lengthier version of the popular Grand Traverse.

Description

Protection

Routes in Peak C