The Machete Ridge, a West Side Story.

6 May 2001 - by Arun Mahajan

On 6th May, the two of us, Scott Kreider and myself, Arun Mahajan, spent a day in the less frequented west side of the Pinnacles National Monument and climbed the Machete Ridge by way of the 'Old Original' route. As climbing goes, it never gets harder than 5.3 / 5.4 and you go more down than up but it was still a long day.

The Climbers guide to the Pinnacles is dead on. After a couple of false turnoffs from the main trail, Scott guided us to the base of the true climb.