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The Rabbit Ears.
Shirley and I drove out to the upper TH for Menagerie on Friday night (November 5, 2004) after work. Unseasonably warm night preceded a beautiful, spring-like day. After oversleeping, we altered our plans and decided to head for the Rabbit Ears. Climbed The Cave Route to the summit of The North Ear. The first pitch was OK though I did have to rest a few times. It’s steep but fairly juggy. Beautifully bolted. The second pitch was awsome in terms of exposure but much harder for me than pitch 1. The 10a face traverse followed by a burly entrance move into the easy final crack/groove was hard.
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North Ear Summit.
Watch for very interesting/loose rock “plates” as you move above the Cave on pitch 2! Pitch 3 was a trivial run up to the summit. Beautiful views!
PS As I was belaying Shirley on pitch 2, we heard what seemed to be a huge and prolonged (~3 sec) expolsion or series of explosions off in the distance to the south. We thought that either an airliner crashed or a meth lab blew up.
Photos
The ~300-foot North Rabbit Ear (South one is directly behind it) in the morning glow as seen from the trailhead at the end of FS road 856. This is looking approx. SE (November 6, 2004).
Shirley and Blondie on the overgrown forest service road in the upper Menagerie Wilderness (Nov. 2004).
The Rabbit Ears. North one is on the right (Nov. 2004).
Come on – share!
Shirley and Blondie enjoying some bread (Nov. 2004).
So good (Nov. 2004).
Shirley racking up for The Cave Route on the North Rabbit Ear (left; Nov. 2004).
Looking up at The Cave Route from the base (Nov. 2004).
Blondie chilling at the notch between The Ears (Nov. 2004).
Shirley at the base between The Ears (Nov. 2004).
Looking up at The Ears from the base (Nov. 2004).
Starting the lead of pitch 1 of The Cave Route (Nov. 2004).
Making progress on pitch 1 (Nov. 2004).
The Cave (first belay) is just above me (Nov. 2004).
Nearing the first belay (Nov. 2004).
Some wanker at the first belay. This is inside the cave (Nov. 2004).
Looking out of the cave at The South Ear (Nov. 2004).
Shirley belaying me on pitch 2 (Nov. 2004).
View down from the lead of pitch 2 (Nov. 2004).
Looking up at the rest of the flakey pitch 2 of The Cave Route (Nov. 2004).
More views down from pitch 2 (Nov. 2004).
Interesting rock on pitch 2 (Nov. 2004).
Shirley pulling into the second belay (Nov. 2004).
Views from the second belay on The Cave Route. That’s a piece of the South Rabbit Ear on the left (Nov. 2004).
A good day (Nov. 2004).
Looking back at Shirley from the lead of pitch 3 (Nov. 2004).
More views down from pitch 3 (Nov. 2004).
Summit views from top of The North Ear. That’s the summit of The South Ear across the chasm (Nov. 2004).
Some of the other formations in the Menagerie as seen from the summit (Nov. 2004).
Shirley topping out on pitch 4 of The Cave Route (Nov. 2004).
Shirley on the summit of the North Rabbit Ear. Summit of the south one is in the background (Nov. 2004).
The Turkey Monster from the summit (Nov. 2004).
Some wanker on the summit (Nov. 2004).
The Royal Arch Group as seen from the summit of North Rabbit Ear. The largest formation (Royal Arch) is in the center (Nov. 2004).
Another view of the Turkey Monster (Nov. 2004).
The Turkey Monster (Nov. 2004).
Views from the rappels (Nov. 2004).
Shirley rapping pitch 3 (Nov. 2004).
View of Panorama Point (Nov. 2004).
Back at the base, between The Ears (Nov. 2004).
Shirley starting the second and final rappel (Nov. 2004).
Steep (Nov. 2004).
Shirley almost down (Nov. 2004).
Reunited with our girl (Nov. 2004).
The Rabbit Ears are conjoined at the base (Nov. 2004).
Late start and short November days. Time to hike out (Nov. 2004).
Our girl back home (Nov. 2004).
Go back to Oregon Cascades.