The Blue (Ice) Canadian Rockies Part 1

Spring is really the best time to go ice climbing in Banff. There is more daylight than the winter months, warmer temperatures, and very few people. In fact we climbed nothing but classics and saw only one other party the entire trip, never put on a belay jacket, or turned on headlamps. It was perfect.

After getting a good avalanche forecast for the Icefields Parkway, we decided to climb Kitty Hawk, a classic WI5, to start things off.



The climb went down in two pitches. Typically there is a WI3 pitch at the bottom which we climbed solo. Also, there is a final WI3 pitch at the top which we skipped. The final crux pitch starts out on ice mushrooms which aren't normally part of a WI5's repertoire but are standard ground on harder climbs. The ice was great and the mushrooms were stable, but it made the climb seem much steeper. Here Chad finishes off the first pitch.



After driving 5 hours to-and-from Kitty Hawk we needed a closer objective. Spray River Falls fit the bill. We knew there was a boot-track in place. However, the snow was completely baseless and it was a miserable approach. The climb is avalanche threatened so we were paying close attention to the conditions. A snow squall came in and we rapped off the climb. Then the snow squall left and we went back up, just to end up bailing before the final curtain. Its a great climb, but best done before snow falls so you can approach easily.



After two hard days with lots of driving and approaching we needed a real low commitment day. Haffner Creek is a ten minute walk in and the climbs are all one pitch so you can bail very easily. Here's Kyle tackling one of the hardest climbs in Lower Haffner.



Me on not the hardest climb in Lower Haffner.

SLC

In the grand scheme of things, the PNW has some pretty bad snow. It usually falls as half-rain and rides like mashed potatoes. Going to Utah is heavenly, the snow is consistently amazing. Jake and I rode a couple days at Alta. The first day they "only" got 6" overnight, but if rode like a foot. We got over 20 runs in. The second day they received almost 2 ft. the day/night before, freaking incredible.



Jake tracking up the powder.



The cold temps which make for such nice snow, also form up some ice. Utah was having a good year, Maple Canyon was fat, and apparently, it never is. Here's Frankenchrist wi6. I've never spent so much time psyching myself up for a lead, but in the end I bailed partway up.



Andy "warming up" on Get Whacked wi5/6.



We opted for a shorter drive the day after Maple Canyon. Stairway to Heaven is only 45 min. from town. Not bad for a nine pitch wi5. It was warm, which pretty much sums up everyday I've ice climbed this year. I truley believe I am an ice jonah, if I'm coming to town, you might as well break out the beach blankets. Andy on pitch 4 of STH.

NE Ice

The Northeast was having one of its greatest seasons in years. Temps were cold, everything was fat. In fact there was a subzero high on Saturday and I was arriving on Monday. By that Tuesday it was 65 F. Not cool. The January thaw had hit and it lasted only for the duration of my trip. This was all about salvaging something, anything. This was our first day of ice, climbing at Dracula at Frankenstein, NH. Notice how delamed it is as Andrew tops out?



The look of abject terror on my face upon finishing the lead.



This is the start of Elephant's Head Gully at Smugglers' Notch, VT. It had an "alpine" feel with the wind and the snow. Also, we used stoppers, cams, pitons and screws for protection. Actually a very fun route on a day when pretty much everyone was getting skunked.



Here's the direct mixed finish we took. Just a thin vein of ice, then shaft torques and turf sticks to exit. Very cool.



On the warm days we did some mixed climbing on road cuts. This is Cascade Lake (?) at the Keene Valley, NY.

Cody Ice

Between Banff and Vermont I had a week and a half. Just enough time to pick up a few shifts at work and sneak in another ice trip. Cody was having a banner year and I couldn't resist. Here BJ and Jennifer cross the frozen Shoshone River to climb High on Boulder.



Marcus leading the 3rd pitch of Moonrise.



BJ reaching the top of the money pitch of High on Boulder.



Here I am starting Left Ghost, one of my favorite pitches.



BJ on the sharp end of the ephermal first pitch of Moratorium.

Another Canadian Rockies ice trip...

My family rented a condo in Canmore during Christmas. I knew that I wouldn't be able to be in the Canadian Rockies and not sneak away for at least one climb. Luckily I met a couple guys off gravsports-ice.com and we planned to run up the Icefields Parkway and climb Mixed Master. The guidebook touts it as the best mixed climb in the Canadian Rockies and it didn't disappoint.



The end of December is a tad late to climb Mixed Master as it tends to come in early and then fall apart as the season progresses. So, we got the climb in spicy conditions. The first pitch which was supposed to go at WI4, formed up as a thin vein of ice, overhanging in sections. Here Pierre tackles a steep section on the first pitch.



Anton leading the first pitch. He definitely had his head screwed on for this lead.



Here's a shot of the leftward rock traverse. The feet were almost entirely sloping slabs and the handholds went from nice edges and pick torques for your tools to stellar laybacking with hands. Unfortunately this pitch ran a tad long, forcing Pierre and Anton to simulclimb. In the process, Pierre took a block of ice to the face. The blood started pouring out and the decision was made to head down. All in all, its a great climb that I would love to finish when I make it up to the Rockies in early season again.

Parting Shots

Sometimes things just don't go as planned...



Before an aborted attempt on Taulliraju.

Murchison Falls after the approach, and just after some avalanche activity...

After taking a wrong turn in the N Cascades (It's amazing how you can try to convince yourself that your not lost)...



After failing on a 5.11 in Indian Creek...

Tuolume Meadows

My Dad, Hank and I drove from Portland to Reno, met Floyd and made our way down the 395 for a little early fall backpacking. We planned on taking seven days to go from Toulumne Meadows to the top of Half Dome and back via a circuitous route. With the exception of PM rain storms on our last two days we had absolutely perfect warm weather.

Unfortunately for my back, I couldn't pass up some of the peaks we were going by, so I packed a rope and rack for a little Sierra granite.




Floyd and Hank nearing the pass near Volgesang Camp. We went a couple extra miles the first day and camp lower down, at Emeric Lake.



We climbed the Cable Route on Half Dome from our Mud Lake camp (named in memory of the two water filters it killed). Strange to go from complete solitude off the beaten path to the hundred or so people we saw at Half Dome.



Here I am low on Tenaya Peak. I came in cross country from Upper Cathedral Lake joining the route a few pitches up and finished it solo in 15 minutes. The route is fantastic with good friction, great cracks and flakes to yard on. Views of the Cathedral Range all the way to the Ditch.



Here's the route I climbed on Tenaya Peak. Tenaya Lake is below.



Upper Cathedral Lake after one of our PM rain storms.

The Mountains Don't Care

Training is the only edge we can give ourselves in the mountains. All the ambition and desire on earth won't keep you alive when the storm comes in and your too far up to go down. There are no shortcuts. You need to give yourself an edge at home because the mountains don't care.

The Mountains Don't Care

For Time:

Squats x 100

Pull Ups x 30

Sit Ups x 100

Deadlifts x 100

Pull Ups x 30

Back Extensions x 100

Lunges x 100

Pull Ups x 30

Calf Raises x 100

Plank L x 30sec

Plank R x 30sec

Push Ups x 30

Tricep Extensions x 30

Pull Up Lock Offs to failure

A Few More...

A few more parting shots of Mt. Stuart...



Approaching the notch.



Lost in a sea of granite.



The final section before the Great Gendarme.



The southern aspect of Mt. Stuart from the Longs Pass Trail.

Summit Shots

The problem with making summiting is that it makes you optimistic. You tend to forget about all the failures after a little success. Until a couple days ago I was on a losing streak only Cubs fans could imagine. Any way here are a few summit shots to put those failures in perspective...



BJ letting it all hang out on Mt. Stuart.



Stuart, Chad and myself on Colchuck.



My Dad and I after my first Hood climb.



Stones Jones and myself on a wintery SEWS.



Here's one of me on either Lexington or Concorde during an WA Pass linkup.

North Ridge of Stuart

I'm not sure your allowed to call yourself a climber, live in Washington, and not have done the North Ridge of Stuart. After many years of climbing and a couple of prior attempts, lets just say I was on probation. I had to climb this route or leave the state forever...

BJ and I made the long drive, him from Bellingham and I from Camas to the Ingall's Way TH. We left at 2 am and made good time all the way to Goat Pass. We turned off our headlamps around Stuart Pass so we could have left about an hour earlier to utilize every once of daylight but in the end we wouldn't have needed it.

At 7:30 am we were roped up and moving. We brought one strand of half rope, doubled it up, and simul-climbed with 30m between us. I can't imagine having anymore rope out that this. The rope drag can get horrendous at times. 20m might be optimal.

We made pretty good time. By 9:30 we reached the Great Gendarme and two fantastic pitches put us within a few hundred feet of the summit, which we reached at 12:30.

I've heard from many people that the descent and walk out can be difficult, but it was straight-forward for us. Basically you just traverse E around the false summit, crossing a rock rib at about 8980ft (not the 8950 mentioned in Nelson's guide). Then find a large snowfield which faces SE and go down. The Cascadian Couloir ends at a large avalanche carved meadow.

We made it to the car at about 6:00 had a beer and started the long drive home.



BJ approaching the notch at the bottom of the N Ridge.



I'm not sure where this or the next two shots were taken. There's so much immaculate climbing up here, its hard to remember any particular spot.







I took this shot while leading the second pitch of the Great Gendarme. There was some spectacular exposure here.

Peru 2007: Part 5

We didn't have much success this trip, but I've never been more excited about alpine climbing. Plans are already in the works for another Peru trip next year and an Alaska trip this spring. Here's me and Chad killing the last few hours in the Lima airport.



Chad, Stewart, and myself in the taxi right off the plane.



Ah, Cristal la cervesa mas cervesa! Is there a better way to kill time in a leaky tent during a rain storm?



Elias' burro in basecamp. Our route tackled the buttress between the right side of the mountain and the summit. Had we continued up we would have gone up the right hand skyline.



I can't wait to have another crack at Taulliraju. Although I'd like to do a more difficult route next year. This is Chad's picture of sunset on the Huandoys.