North Rabbit Ear

Wy’East, Steel Cliff Gullies

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Turkey Monster
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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The Cave Route
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 North Rabbit Ear
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).
The North Rabbit Ear
Shirley and Blondie on the overgrown forest service road in the upper Menagerie Wilderness (Nov. 2004).
The Rabbit Ears
The Rabbit Ears. North one is on the right (Nov. 2004).
The Rabbit Ears
Come on – share!
The Rabbit Ears
Shirley and Blondie enjoying some bread (Nov. 2004).
The Rabbit Ears
So good (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Shirley racking up for The Cave Route on the North Rabbit Ear (left; Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Looking up at The Cave Route from the base (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Blondie chilling at the notch between The Ears (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Shirley at the base between The Ears (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Looking up at The Ears from the base (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Starting the lead of pitch 1 of The Cave Route (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Making progress on pitch 1 (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
The Cave (first belay) is just above me (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Nearing the first belay (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Some wanker at the first belay. This is inside the cave (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Looking out of the cave at The South Ear (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Shirley belaying me on pitch 2 (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
View down from the lead of pitch 2 (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Looking up at the rest of the flakey pitch 2 of The Cave Route (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
More views down from pitch 2 (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Interesting rock on pitch 2 (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Shirley pulling into the second belay (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Views from the second belay on The Cave Route. That’s a piece of the South Rabbit Ear on the left (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
A good day (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Looking back at Shirley from the lead of pitch 3 (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
More views down from pitch 3 (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Summit views from top of The North Ear. That’s the summit of The South Ear across the chasm (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Some of the other formations in the Menagerie as seen from the summit (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Shirley topping out on pitch 4 of The Cave Route (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Shirley on the summit of the North Rabbit Ear. Summit of the south one is in the background (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
The Turkey Monster from the summit (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Some wanker on the summit (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
The Royal Arch Group as seen from the summit of North Rabbit Ear. The largest formation (Royal Arch) is in the center (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Another view of the Turkey Monster (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
The Turkey Monster (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Views from the rappels (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Shirley rapping pitch 3 (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
View of Panorama Point (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Back at the base, between The Ears (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Shirley starting the second and final rappel (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Steep (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Shirley almost down (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Reunited with our girl (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
The Rabbit Ears are conjoined at the base (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Late start and short November days. Time to hike out (Nov. 2004).
The Cave Route
Our girl back home (Nov. 2004).

Go back to Oregon Cascades.