An Improbable Day: Hunter Creek

As I parked yesterday at Hunter Creek I felt like I must be crazy for thinking that it was still ice climbing season. The sun was HOT, the pavement DRY, the snow GONE, and the river completely OPEN. All sorts of things that usually don't align in an ice climbers day out. But I figured I might as well go for a beautiful walk, and usually in Hunter Creek you get shut down so early that I thought it was worth stretching our legs.

Beautiful Spring Day at Hunter Creek

 

So my surprise intensified the farther in I walked, alternating from river bars to ice shelfs. There were some moments of doubt as I crossed ice bridges baking in the 50 degree sun...but they held!

Bridgette Navigating a Narrowing Ice shelf

 

Hollowhead finally appeared high on the canyon wall, fully frozen and HUGE! We stood underneath it and I knew that we would be climbing ice today as improbable as it felt at the parking lot.

We ended up climbing Lost in Space, which was tucked away in the shade and had very high quality blue plastic goodness.

Bridgette was visiting from Juneau for the weekend. She did awesome. It was cool.

Capturing the Moment

 

Bridgette Stylin it Out

 

Across from lost in space there was another beautiful looking climb baking in the sun. It was different from the climb across lost chord, and I had never climbed it before. Bridgette didn't know any better to tell me "no", so off we went! Starting up after 5pm....Have I mentioned how much i love spring?!! The first 350 feet or so was pretty much grade 1+, and the top pitch looked really short and mellow too. But is was actually kinda steep, a great end to a beautiful day.

So as the sun finished setting we finished walking out of the canyon....it was 11!!! I love spring!!!

Spring in Hunter Creek 2008_04_19