2nd Apron Left Side

As with the other routes described on the Second Apron, this is a fantastic climb up relatively clean, solid alpine rock. The route generally stays on the left side of the photo below, finishing up the "headwall" which looks like a horn in the upper left of the photo below. The last pitch and a half is above 14K, and you top out right at point 14,256 on Evans' West Ridge. A stroll up the West Ridge proper (if you stay right on the ridge, fun second and third class on solid, sculpted rock) to the summit and a descent of the NE slopes makes for a fun tour of the Evans massif and a relatively short day.

Begin at the left angling crack system on the left side of the snow tongue (no snow there now!) in the photo below, and angle up left to a small overhang. Traverse left under the overhang and over a slab to a right-facing, right-leaning system. Follow this somewhat broken system of cracks, flakes, and slabs for 500-600 feet past mostly solid rock to a large grassy ledge just below the headwall (mostly 5.6 with some 5.7s). Many options exist here, depending on your climbing ability and comfort level. We went straight up to an obvious "pod" in the a crack above the ledge (maybe one move of 5.9), did a delicate hand traverse left (5.8), moved back right on another small ledge to a short finger crack in a dihedral. Ascend this finger crack to a stance behind a leaning block, then climb a perfect, if short, hand and fist crack behind the block to another hand traverse left which deposits you on yet another small grassy ledge (5.8+ in several spots on this section). Another 80-90 feet of 5.6 gets you to the summit from here.

Descent is to the right past the Third Apron, or (recommended) climb the West Ridge to the summit of Evans and then descend the NE slopes (or hitchhike) back to the road and Summit Lake.

Standard rack with wires and hexes. Nothing larger than a #3 Camalot is necessary.