[TrailPair]

We had an opportunity to try a new adventure with Seamus (Bob's co-worker) acting as instructor and porter, and headed for our first rock climbing adventure at the Tooth.

Pineapple Pass from trail above Source Lake

Pineapple Pass

It was a wonderful, warm day. The snowmelt created hundreds of waterfalls around Source Lake. We left the Source Lake trail at the boulderfield, contoured the valley, and then had a short, steep climb to a lovely basin below Pineapple Pass. The route climbs straight up the snow to a notch between the Tooth and a small spire to the south of the Tooth. We followed the scramble route around the back side (west) of the Tooth to begin the roped climb.

Lunch break

Steep snow

K and Seamus

K and Seamus below Pineapple Pass

Seamus at the notch

Trail Pair approaching the pass.

At the base of the Tooth.

Seamus did all the work with the ropes, leading the climb. K quickly discovered that her bad shoulder (scheduled for joint replacement in November) would not allow her to climb, so she stayed back and took photos. With Seamus's guidance we ascended in two long pitches and one short scramble to the summit, then quickly rappelled back to the staging area. Since it was just the two of us, the climb took 1.5 hours.

Bob on belay

Bob rappelling

Bob's summit bicep pose.

Seamus on summit

From here all three of us rappelled down a narrow, steep gully to the snow below, by-passing the scramble return route. The snow was in great shape for plunge stepping and glissading.

K rappelling the gully

Kolleen and waterfall

Back down to the snow, Bob and Seamus

Even for non-rock climbers, the hike to Pineapple Pass is lovely.

[puzzlr]

Sounds like a fun outing - best of both worlds. Good rock climbing and good sliding.

[EastKing]

The Tooth, Chair and North Ingalls are on my list for rockclimbs. You had an awesome day! Great job and awesome accomplishment!

[ragman and rodman]

Isn't it fun to have friends who can stretch your imagination...

[TrailPair]

[wildernessed]

Nice ! Good luck with that shoulder, I can't lift much of anything with mine and I can only tighten down my right shoulder strap, so it shoulders all the weight. I may be on the surgery list soon.

[Snowdog]

very cool guys! I haven't rapped off anything in a long while- need to remedy that perhaps!

[Cale Hoopes]

I'd love to do something like this... I haven't done any real outdoor rock.

[Cale Hoopes]

Hey, I don't know if this relates to you, but I thought I'd post it just in case: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/968450/Re_Found_Cargo_shorts_at_the_b#Post968450

[BadDog]

Now that's a proper summit pose ("Bicep Bob"). You don't expect me to look at any other photos after you put that one up, do you?

[TrailPair]