By Reed Cundiff: Dave Hammack and I did the first ascent from the La Luz side (south ridge) around 1960. I got to a point where I had real problems, so I put in a piton, used it for a handhold to get to a ledge. Was able to reach down and retrieve it and didn't tell Dave. He got where I had put in the piton and couldn't work out how to get up further. He was 5" taller and one heck of a good climber. He finally saw the piton scar and I am afraid that I didn't know he had the vocabulary that he used to describe climbers that sandbag their partners.

  South Ridge route is two or three pitches long - three if one starts climbing right off the trail.  We did it in two pitches by first scrambling and bushwhacking to a ledge with a medium sized pine tree at the bottom of a short left-leaning open book. 

  On the climb, we stayed on the south ridge but by doing so there was limited opportunity to set up a belay at our halfway point.  It might work to set up a belay at trees mid-way up the SE face (visible in photo).  Top out via the horn with a few pretty-fun moves.  This route has a fair amount of loose rock. 

  In late March, the South Ridge gets sun around 9:30 in the morning:  possible warm-up to something on The Pulpit.

South Ridge

Name's origin:  According to Reed Cundiff, "Climb is named 'Lost Spectacle' since Charles (Bill) Williams lost a lens out of his glasses on the first ascent from the notch around 1956." 

  Lost Spectacle is a 200 foot pinnacle just to the north of La Luz Trail.  A deep narrow notch separates Lost Spectacle from north side of Upper La Cueva Canyon.  Mike Hill's guide indicates routes on all sides.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Lost Spectacle