Pinnacle ascended April 21, 2019 (Easter).
Original story written for Facebook April 22, 2019

18 years ago my friend Neo (Nicholas Oxentenko) found a pinnacle in the Superstition Mountains AZ that was unclimbed. The day finally came where he randomly called me up and said "let's go on a adventure!!" Neo kept saying that he knew where a pinnacle was that has yet to see a first ascent. I already knew that the Central AZ climbers from the 1960s were all over the Superstition mountains peak bagging all of the obvious pinnacles, and it was hard to believe that a pinnacle still was untouched. So I was in for sure!!!!
The adventure begins by hiking around the left side of this HUGE mountain. Nice flat ground at first but then the hillside comes quick. There are lots of Horny toads running around on the trail and many people out enjoying the day. Neo and I kept stopping on the trail to catch our breath, while we were entertained by a 70 year old guy doing laps on us. Once higher up on the hillside the crowds halted their ascent and Neo and I had the rest of the mountain to ourselves. But still another 45 minutes of hiking to go to reach our destination.
Once we hiked a few more canyons over and headed further up the canyon wash, the pinnacle came into view. At first I was in full applause as the pinnacle high-fived me back. But then I was seeing that the pinnacle was not a solid structure, but was more made of stacked up blocks. Let me also include that the pinnacle seemed to be leaning..... more than a little. Hmmmmmm...  The scenery was absolutely beautiful and the day was still somewhat cool, but that AZ April sun tends to sneak up with its warmth.
Once we hiked around the base of the pinnacle and further uphill, we really got a good view of the south side of the formation and what we were up against. The pinnacle we are going to climb is the furthest right in the photo. Wow that pinnacle is really leaning and somehow that bus-sized block, the one that is  separated and balanced on the top, is still holding it's throne! My insides were cringing thinking not of the climb, but more of the required rappel off of that top block to get back down to the ground. I believe this is where I took a knee and said a prayer of safety. No kidding!!
We found a perfect shady spot in the notch between the pinnacles which became basecamp. With us is plenty of gear and even a bolt kit so we were going to get to the top of the climb one way or another. The only thing which will make us retreat, is the amount of water we brought along. The day was heating up and we could feel it. In climbing, ascending pinnacles is a different challenge since as you climb further up you can only hope there will be somewhere to place protection, especially when you are the first person ever on the pinnacle.
The plan was to find the shortest way to get to the top, "The path of least resistance." Since this pinnacle was Neo's find, Neo gets the first crack at it so he anxiously and nervously geared up. At first we tried to traverse across to the ledge that meets the pinnacle, but the short down drops were too unprotected so we bailed on the traverse idea. We moved downhill to a short headwall that led to the ledge and pinnacle which looked like it had possibilities. But if the leader failed, the leader takes a partial ride down a 45 degree hillside of loose choss before being caught by the belay.

For the belay I was able to get two cam devices in a crack, one being really solid. Ole reliable BD gold #2, Oh yes!!! I was totally psyched since if the cams blew, we were going to eat 40 to 80 feet of that hillside of rock and cactus. Right at first I could feel the sun cooking me and I knew I may be in this stuck position that I was in for a few hours. So I used the rope tarp as a tent, and even though I still felt hot, I didn't let the worry take me over. We are going to the top!

The fun came quick as Neo sent a few microwave size blocks down the hillside on the first moves of the route. Also in our view was many balanced columns of rock higher up that we could see sunlight through. Second round at the headwall, still can't get any protection in and it is obvious that the leader has to go for it unprotected. Neo goes for it and gives a big yelp when he reached the ledge, and a second yelp when he got a few pieces of gear protection in. Once Neo got around to the lower angle side of the pinnacle (East face), the climbing became easy and Neo cautiously made his way up to the top!!!
My turn to climb!! Without my continual encouragement given to Neo as Neo climbed, I would have never got this Top Rope ride to the summit of this pinnacle and share the claim of a First Ascent!!! In the photo I have just reached the ledge of the headwall where you can see the exposure. The shady side from me already is 100' drop.
The first moves on the headwall felt like solid 5.10 or 5.10+, and it's only a three or four move somewhat thin crux. However the rock lower on the formation is total choss. If the leader fell it would be game over! I was on top rope and had no gear weight on me, but as I was doing the climbing moves on the headwall I was telling Neo to keep me tight. Stop, take a breath, and continue on!!! Traversing around to the east side of the pinnacle has some danger stuff there going on as well. Big 6 foot columns of rock that simply could be kicked off of the pinnacle, but at the same time serve as the foot holds. Once on the low angle east face the climbing becomes really enjoyable. Totally solid stone with nice pockets and optional cracks to place protection. The view is incredible, but it's the exposure, "well.... along with the someday possible collapse," that gives the route the applause.
Summit celebration!!! FA!!! FA!!! FA!!!
I'm proud of Neo for keeping it together throughout this climb. So cool that he kept this find a secret for 18 years just knowing that he would be the first to ever stand on its summit, and then he did it!!!
Time to Rappel.
Click to watch video.
Neo on rappel
5.10+ Neo and Marty's Excellent Adventure

Superstition Mountains, Arizona