Summary
Shirley & I climbed Serpentine Ridge (III 5.8) route on Dragontail Peak car to car in July of 2005 as a “plan B” option…we were aiming for Backbone but I was not feeling all that strong. On the other hand, Shirley was feeling extra good hyped up on some speed-like medication she was prescribed for her poison oak allergic reaction…that and a Redbull or two at the car.
Photos
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4870-768x1024.jpg)
Cramponing up for the last few hundred feet of snowfield to the base of Serpentine Arete (July 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4703-768x1024.jpg)
Beginning the lead of the crux pitch of Serpentine Ridge (pitch 4). A fairly sustained for the grade finger crack in great rock. Black tower is on the left. The OW machinery was brought but not with this climb in mind (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4710-1024x768.jpg)
Leading crux pitch of the Serpentine Ridge route (pitch 4 per description). Pretty sustained finger crack with an occasional flaring hand jam (stout .8). Nelson and Potterfield guidebook has a photo of a climber on the crack system just right of this one. Not sure if I was off route? Dihedral on left is formed by the black tower mentioned in Route Overview Photos section (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4909-1024x768.jpg)
Shirley jamming the 30-foot 5.8 hand crack near top of pitch 4 of Serpentine Ridge. Top of the characteristic bllack tower (route pointer when approaching) is below on the right (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4912-1024x768.jpg)
Shirley finishing up the excellent hand crack on upper half of pitch 4 of Serpentine Ridge (30 feet of ~5.8 hands). Right side of black tower forms the dihedral on the right. Snowfield is about 500 feet below (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4914-768x1024.jpg)
Shirley at the belay atop pitch 4 of Serpentine Ridge. Colchuck Glacier is in the background. Nelson and Potterfield guidebook claim it's only 30-40 degrees but from here it looked steeper (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4726-768x1024.jpg)
Leading pitch 5 of Serpentine Ridge (5.7-5.7+ dihedral). The final pitch of decent climbing on the route (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4918-1024x768.jpg)
Shirley jamming the 30-foot 5.8 hand crack near top of pitch 4 of Serpentine Ridge. Top of the characteristic "black tower" (route pointer when approaching) is below on the right (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4944-1024x768.jpg)
Shirley on 4th-low 5th class terrain of mid and upper Serpentine Ridge. Once again Colchuck Lake dominates the view from the route (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4954-1024x768.jpg)
Shirley hiking the 4th class upper ridge of Serpentine Ridge. Below on the left is Colchuck Glacier; top of photo shows Stuart Lake (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4977-768x1024.jpg)
Shirley chilling ....errrr..belaying from a notch somewhere high on Serpentine Ridge. Colchuck Lake is below. Amazing coloration - the views make this route worthwhile (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4991-768x1024.jpg)
Shirley coming up to the class 3 ledges at the base of the summit block near top of Serpentine Ridge route. Colchuck is in the background; Stuart is peeping in from futher back (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_5001-1024x768.jpg)
The Fin (note the blocky gendarme) on Backbone Ridge as seen from upper pitches of Serpentine Ridge next door. Photo taken July 24, 2005.
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4742-1024x768.jpg)
Making my way down to the snowfield. Photo taken ~300 feet below summit looking into the Enchantments region (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_5045-1024x768.jpg)
Shirley hiking down the snow slopes on the south side of Dragontail after our climb of Serpentine Ridge. Photo shows how steep the snow gets here - no more than 25-30 degrees max would be my guess (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_5054-1024x768.jpg)
Witches Tower (right, foreground) as seen from the snow slopes on SE side of Dragontail (looking from NW). Little Annapurna is further back (July 24, 2005).
![Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak) Serpentine Ridge (Dragontail Peak)](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_4749-1024x768.jpg)
Dragontail Peak towering above the beautiful Colchuck Lake in the Enchantments...shot taken during our hike out (July 2005).
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