Kangaroo Temple/North Face

Three rope teams started early on Sunday 7/12, 5am, to avoid "40% afternoon showers". We were camped at Lone Fir after climbing S.E.W.S. on Saturday, so an early start was easy. It was mostly cloudy and cool, with fog drifting around the peaks. The trail up the valley was easy to find so long as you aimed at the base of the talus field. Do not go up the talus at all. Then look for cairns. We started climbing at 7:30, summited at 10:15am, and got back to the cars at 1:30. We all enjoyed the climb and the quality of the rock, especially that long first pitch. No other climbers showed up and we watched three goats on Wallaby Mt across the way. On the ascent, we only did two pitches. We belayed the first pitch at a high rappel station. Then we went over what should be P2 and P3, while dragging the rope onward across the traverse, up the crack, to the end of P3. With triple slings in a couple spots, the rope drag was okay, but one tree got in the way a little. The crack after the traverse gave more trouble than the traverse itself. And there was no problem scrambling to the top as the clouds broke up and we got some sun.

On the descent, we did not set a handline to the first rap station, but we should have. There was one difficult pointy knob that dropped 10' to a bench. I coached two climbers on foot placements, but they were pretty sketched out after getting down that. We weren't in any real hurry, so I should have set the handline. We did one single rope rap to the top of P1, and then a double rope rap to the base. While pulling the double rope, we kept the free end tight until we could see our knot coming over the last major hurdle. Even then the final end of the rope got stuck on a horn about 10M up, and an intermediate scrambled up to free it. I recommend three single raps like most folks do. There was no water after passing the small pond north of Kangaroo Pass, so bring extra on a hot day. After reaching the cars, we took a "bird bath" in the creek about 100 yards from the road. On the return drive, we stopped at Mondo Restaurant in Marblemount. It has American burgers, a good beer selection, and Asian food like gyoza, teriyaki and yakisoba. The prices are much better than the Buffalo Run next door, but Buffalo Run is also a great stop.