With a good weather forcast and no work until 615 on Thursday, I knew I needed to get up on Hood and get some climbing in. Everyone was busy that day. Thankfully, I got a hold of Colin and he was game to play hooky and go out. It was pretty much a perfect day with a full-moon, no wind, cold temps, and cloud-free sky. We made great time up to I-Saddle and were climbing by 8:30 a.m. after leaving the parking lot at 6 a.m.
I-Rock's east wall was completely bare. We had heard that stuff on the other side (NW?) was fun and not often climbed. With conditions on the front side, we really had no choice but to drop off I-Saddle and find something there. We picked the most obvious line/weakness on the face.
Our first belay was pretty marginal with a picket and two marginal pins. Mentally I was preparing myself for the entire climb to have poor protection. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. I found solid protection (including ice screws!) the entire way up the climb. There wasn't a lot of ice on route, but almost every tool placement was on ice with the occasional pick torque, edge, or hook. It was moderate, fun and in great shape. Honestly a top-5 alpine-mixed day all-time.
I had Colin take a picture of this screw just to prove we actually placed it.
Pitch 2. Awesome dihedrals that were ice up and actually a little burly. Thankfully perfect protection abounded.
Looking down the second pitch from the Skylight. There was a big 3/8" bolt just below this. Maybe this is Wayne Wallace's route North Skylight Direct (or something like that). There was a good #2 camalot-sized crack next to the bolt, but don't get me wrong, I clipped the bolt.
Colin pulling the final move into the Skylight. This actually wasn't a posed shot. The climbing was that good.
This was our second trip to the Canadian Rockies in two-weeks. This November we've put enough miles on Marcus' rig that it needed a oil change and a tire rotation. At least we've knocked off the rust, got on some proud routes and came home ready for more.
Donnie and Sue met us in the parking lot at 5 a.m., and car-pooled with us into the Ghost. They were headed for This House of Sky and we attempting Cryophobia. If you have the right vehicle you can drive in via the Waiporous Creek and reach the climb in just 30 min. Without the requisite monster truck, you have to walk in via Johnson Lakes and the Ghost River Valley. Though the approach is straight-forward, it is 3 hrs long with 2.5 hrs of bushwacking. Remind me why I don't do something easier like skiing?
We finally rounded the ridge and saw this:
The Hydrophobia cirque is pretty incredible. I want to get back there either later this year or in the Spring for some plastic-ice climbing. Hydrophobia is the, ahem, obvious feature on the left. Cryphobia climbs rock that connects the discontinous ice features to the right. I took the first pitch which meant I would also get the crux. Marcus got the second pitch which meant he would climb two M7+ pitches.
Marcus gunning through the roof on the second pitch.
Yep, it is that good...
We didn't get the send, but we did get close to half-way up the route before pulling the plug. On the bright-side we know what areas need work. We have every intention of training hard and getting on this route again.
We didn't get back to Canmore until 9 p.m. After 6 hrs of walking (as well as some hard climbing) we didn't feel like waking up early again. We opted for the B-shift and started up for Guinness Gully + Stout at 11:30 a.m. It ended up being perfect timing as the party ahead of us was rapping the final-pitch as we started climbing it. We did something like 6 pitches of climbing in an easy afternoon that got us back in time for the end of Sunday Night Football.
Marcus and I got an early jump on the ice season. Conditions were a little bit spartan up north, but there was more than enough ice for four days of climbing. More than anything we knocked some rust off, sized up some future objectives and readied ourselves for the Thanksgiving weekend send-fest (hopefully!).
Day 1: We knew Nemesis had been climbed within the last few days but knew WI6 was probably not going to workout for our first day out this year. We wanted something a little easier and settled on Spray Falls WI5. Spray Falls was on the to do list after getting shut down a few years ago on a late season attempt with Chad. It was in very steep, albeit easy condition this year. Went down smoothly but we could have done without the 4-hr wait at the base while a party of very slow Albertans.
Day 2: After hearing of deterioratingavy conditions and that Will Gadd bailed we had to skipped our attempt on Nemesis. Instead we headed to the Ghost where there are no avy worries, at least we thought. Chad and I had climbed the Sorcerer, our intended route, a few years back (pretty good trip now that I think about it, we climbed Carlsberg, Kitty Hawk, Sorcerer in one trip). A massive cornice had formed up this year. Added to that feature was heavy winds and snow deposition that seemed to be loading the cornice. Did I mention the spindrift falling down, and up the climb? Needless to say we bailed. Unfortunately a 2.5 hr drive and 1.5hr approach didn't leave us any time to get on something else.
Day 3: Murchison is another climb that was on my grudge list. BJ and I had been on it but bailed when a nearby cornice collapsed. Marcus and I thought we might link up Murchison with Mixed Master. At 8 a.m. we drove past Murchison with a car already parked. We decided to reverse the link-up and head to Mixed Master. Mixed Master is dry... really dry. I would not be surprised if it doesn't come in this year. We headed back to Murchison. Leaving the car at 10:30 we thought we wouldn't have to wait too long. Unfortunately some guys from British Columbia were setting an anti-speed record on Murchison (what is it with slow Canadian ice climbers?). At 12:00 they were only starting the first pitch. Desperate after being shut down the previous day we got on the unformed Virtual Reality WI6. We only climbed one pitch but it ended up being a 30m WI5 with techy ice. I hope those Canadian brought headlamps because they probably only reached the base by nightfall.
Day 4: As per usual we hit Hafner on the way home. We didn't send anything incredible.... just worked some mixed routes that are pretty boney in the early season.
The uber-slow Albertans on the crux of Spray Falls.
Marcus heading up a WI4 leading to the crux of WI4.
Me posing for a picture just below the crux of Spray Falls. Not that I'm right at a screw or anything...
Me learning something about techy ice on Virtual Reality.
During the past six months I’ve organized my training into a periodization scheme. I’ve consistently worked out for the past three/four years and have always made gains in times/weights/grades. However, my scheme has always been random and not focused on any goal per se.
Since, I’ve changed to a periodization scheme I have seen some incredible gains. These gains have are especially evident within any given period (i.e., strength, power, power/endurance, endurance). During each phase I have had dramatic improvement in my benchmark workout. • Strength Phase – Increased dead lift 1 RM by 20% • Power Phase – Increase output in benchmark WOD by 14% • Power Endurance Phase – Decreased time in benchmark WOD by 22% • Endurance Phase – Decreased time in benchmark WOD by 10%
These numbers are too good to be true. There is no way I am 10% stronger, powerful, faster, etc. in any one-month period. To what extent do these numbers represent habitulization, familiarization, and practice?
Currently, I’m working on the second cycle of periodization (i.e., I’m on my second power/endurance phase). I repeated my benchmark WOD from the original power/endurance phase. I was 13% quicker than my original effort during the first power/endurance phase. However, I was 10% slower than the final effort of the power/endurance phase. Does this mean I am 13% stronger or 10% weaker?
Since I am doing this for climbing maybe I should let my climbing do the talking… right? I’m still working on breaking through the plateau… maybe I need another cycle… maybe I need more climbing time?
For now, I’m just working on crushing my one-month phases and hopefully that will break me through plateaus and make me stronger/fitter over all.
Rodney earning full style points on the 10d traverse.
Nothing but exposure and run out traverses.
Given the solid high pressure and cool temperatures, Rodney and I were able to work on our tick-list a little bit. Barad Dur has always been touted as a serious hardman' climb, I think both of us had probably thought it was a bit over our heads. However, with sending temps we thought better of it and gave it a go.
I know that Wolf Rock is a volcanic plug but the rock seemed to range from junky basalt to almost a sandstone-esque type rock. There is really a good variety of cracks, slabs, incuts, open hands, etc.
It’s kind of hard to describe how big and rotten those roofs look from the ground. But I assure you they are huge and oh so rotten. In general the rock is solid and protectable when you really need it. Be prepared to solo or essentially solo 5.10.
Rodney took the sharp end linking the first two pitches. Really excellent run out open handed climbing. I got the next two pitches. The first was excellent quality but that’s where things changed. The fourth pitch was scary. I felt like I was playing one of the Super Mario Bros. levels where the blocks will fall away if you stay on them too long. Probably the worst pitch of the climb. Rodney got the 10d traverse and earned full style points. This pitch was pretty junky as well, but only after the crux. I gave it a go on the 11b pitch but had a take at the crux after botching the sequence. The traverse out right looks completely improbable and it took me a while to commit. Finally I took of the blinders, found the key features and protection and was able to mantle up. An incredibly exposed handrail leads right. I placed a nest of flared gear to protect from a 50 ft. swing into the wall… ouch.
It was an incredible climb. I can see why people will come back and repeat it time and time again.
Sneaking in just after a rain storm and immediately before a stint at work, James and I had a good couple of days alpine rock climbing in the Stuart Range. We were a little apprehensive due to reports of a fresh foot of snow in the area, but the sunny weather resolved the situation quickly.
After an Inversion IPA induced late start, we set off for the snow creek wall hoping for an enchainment of Orbit and Outer Space. Outer Space had a party armed for bear, roping up at the first pitch. Orbit was empty so we headed that direction.
James climbing a splitter moderate crack on Orbit. I think Orbit is a better climb overall than Outer Space. However, Outer Space has a couple amazing pitches.
We finished Orbit quickly, but two more parties had gotten on Outer Space. We watched the lowest party as they spent nearly an hour leading a 30m 5.9. We were positive they were going to spend the next five hours on route, so we headed out for Gustav's.
Next up was the classic climb, Backbone Ridge. Neither James nor myself had climbed any rock routes on Dragontail. Essentially we had to get this classic off our ticklist. Teams seemed to take about 15 hours on route. Titans-Steelers had a 5:30 kickoff so we opted for a 3:00 a.m. start. We actually arrived about an hour too early to start climbing. We weren't sure how to get on route so we waited at the morraine until it was light enough to see.
It's actually quite easy and intuitive, but it looks improbable from a distance. The off-width felt a little spicy, but probably because I didn't lug up the requisite protection. Unless you want to take multiple large cams, which I did not, you are required to run the pitch out. A newer-generation #5 protects the first 50-feet with some slung chockstones. You have to leave this piece at halfway and go unprotected for the last 50-feet. I think a new-generation #6 might protect from 50-75-feet out, leaders shaky on off-widths will certainly want one. It felt a lot like 5.7-5.8 rather than 5.9.
From here on out, you just follow your nose, don't stray from the ridge crest too far.
We got confused up on the fin. I'm not sure Nelson's route description is based on reality. We couldn't find any of the feature he describes. In the end we climbed the fin in three pitches. We followed face cracks and left facing corners for two pitches, then James got the plumb pitch following flakes and face moves to the crest.
A couple more pitches took us to the summit and the long descent down Asgard pass.
James on pitch two just after the off-width.
James two pitches up the Fin, Colchuck Lake in the background.
The fin. We conected the left facing corners in the center via face climbing. The final pitch took us just left of the smaller gendarme on the right side of the Fin.
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