Big Bend National Park High Point Trip Report
Emory Peak
Date: December 31, 2001
Author: Jerry Brekhus
I headed up the Pinnacles Trail shortly after 9 o'clock. Trail starts at 5385 feet elevation. The gentle
switchbacks lead up to Pinnacles Pass at about 7,000 feet. About 0.1 mile beyond the pass there are heavy
metal bear lockers which provided a safe place to stash my day pack while I hiked the remaining mile to the peak.
About 11:30, I reached the end of the trail. This is where I turned around three years ago. This time,
thanks to confidence gained on Electric Peak with Bob Packard and Dave Covill, and more tips and encouragement
from Dave in September in Wyoming, I did the bit of rock scrambling required to reach the summit where
the radio tower is.
At 11:43, I waved my arms, and Betty, by binocular, saw me from the deck of our room some 2400 feet below.
On the descent, another climber misstepped and narrowly avoided a serious fall, coming to rest in a prone
position on a ledge. I made the return trip to the lodge without incident, even remembering to retrieve my
day pack from the bear locker.