Anniversary Narrows Ridge/South Gate (Lake Mead, NV)

Harlan WS
Dec 01, 2015, 2015

I lost about 24 photos from just before Anniversary Narrows Peak, to the point where I reached my car, so the photos document the first 75-80% of the trip.  This page shows what you are missing (from the photos at point C on).

1ann
The blue track is my route.
The purple track shows the
end of the typical route to
Raven's Balcony, the other
red/orange tracks are
alternate routes that pass
through Anniversary
Narrows. As of 2014, you
have to walk around the
private property to get to
the narrows by the traditional
route.		 DSCN1869
I started up a wash after 8:37,
 view N, about 41F outside.		 DSCN1870
I made good time  in
the wash, soon sighting
Raven's Balcony area.
DSCN1873
The are feline prints,
classic overstepping.
About 1.7-2" long, I'd
guess from a large
bobcat.		 DSCN1875
Raven's Balcony area.
Soon I will head to the
canyon at R.		 DSCN1879
DSCN1882 DSCN1883
I passed the normal
cutoff for Raven's
Balcony, and human
footprints ended. I'd
heard there was an
interesting set of
dryfalls ahead.		 DSCN1884
I had heard rumors about
the dryfalls. I climbed a very
ramp on the L side of the 1st,
and found a hidden handhold
that allowed to me to climb
over the edge...
DSCN1885
...the 2nd dryfall seemed
easier, yet ther was a rap
sling at top (blue, lower L)		 DSCN1893
Now I approached South
Gate, aka point 1078m. In
the poor light, I decided
there might be at least 30'
of featureless wall to
climb, so I decided to try
the NW side.		 DSCN1894
I later saw from the blow-up
(and learned from Crystal)
that there is supposed to be a
crack at the top of the block
indicated by the arrow, which
allows a class 4-5 climb.
DSCN1895
...but anyway, I started
along the NW side.  This
photo is looking UP,
where the cliffs are
overhanging...		 DSCN1899
...but I found a weakness
that allowed a mainly
class 2 zig-zag among
the cliffs, often on the edge
of big drops.		 DSCN1900
View back at Endless Ridge,
over cliffs.
DSCN1903
View N as I break
through cliffs.		 DSCN1905
View S toward
Endless Ridge		 DSCN1907
W to Muddy HighPoint
DSCN1908
Basin to SW		 DSCN1909_stitch
Pano SW		 DSCN1914_stitch
Pano SSE
DSCN1915 DSCN1917 DSCN1917_stitch
Pano ENE. sharp
peaks in distance are
Pinnacle and Pyramid
DSCN1919
View NW.  If I had traversed
another 500' along the W
side of the range, I could
have taken this uncomplicated
but steep loose ramp.		 DSCN1921
View N on ridge		 DSCN1924
View S to a neat
peak (1032m = 3386')
DSCN1925 DSCN1927 DSCN1929
DSCN1930
Still a mile away from
Ann. Narrows Peak		 DSCN1931
View back N