N ridge of the Pfeifferhorn

I managed to sneak in one more stellar Wasatch scramble during my last couple days here in Utah.  I approached the Pfeifferhorn via Maybird, elected to bypass the lower portion of the ridge (not wanting to tackle a 5.5 gendarme downclimb in running shoes), and thus climbed a couloir/gully to gain the ridge just past the second prominent gendarme.  

first glimpse of the N ridge

gully/couloir I used to access the ridge

The upper ridge was spectacular, with solid rock, abundant jams and nice exposure on the 4^th/low 5^th class terrain.  The final few hundred feet was loose talus (scary loose in a few places) but easy and I summited in 2:44.  

upper N ridge

one of a few stellar crack climbing sections

red pine lake on the hike down

I descended the E ridge and out redpine, maintaining a hiking-only pace the entire way (race in 3 days).

Stats: approx. 9mi/3500vert/4:50 car-car at a very casual pace

Rose: the couple sections of nice crack climbing

Thorn: the final loose 200 ft

Bud: returning someday to climb it again in winter/spring conditions (which is apparently the more popular option)

Thoughts: this ridge scramble is really good – I enjoyed it more than the “classic” S ridge of Superior, class 4/low 5 scrambles are really fun