Dreams of Brown Moose

Saturday might have been the nicest day I have ever had climbing in Portage. It was uncharacteristically calm and clear. It was also probably one of the least suffering days I've had with Lynn, we didn't post-hole or bushwhack all day.

I think that walking uphill with climbing gear is a good test of fitness for me, and I am not feeling very fit this season! My climbing pack is feeling pretty heavy. Dreams of Brown Moose is located about 800-1000 feet up a huge avalanche gully. And I huffed and puffed and marveled at how it looked so close but still wasn't getting closer. The avalanche debris was bizarre golf size to grapefruit sized balls. It reminded me of a pool of plastic balls at kids play zones. They were pretty uncohesive and anywhere from 1 to 20 layers thick.

Lynn walking up the Avalanche Gully

 

Lynn Leading the Second Pitch

 

I keep hearing about how fat Dreams was in this year....but I think everyone has their own definition of "fat", because when I can look through the climb and see the rock, or feel like if I kick too hard I might fall through the climb, I really just can't say its "fat". The bottom pitch was definitely more "fat" than the top, and it was all climbable, but I couldn't help but think how subjective ice climbing descriptions are.

Lynn and I at the Top of the Last Pitch

 

It was a super fun climb, and thanks to the parties before us we didn't even have to set one V-thread all day. Definitely one of those climbs you want to do when it hasn't been snowing! (READ: huge avi gulley)

We made it out just as it was getting dark and were treated to mountain views with the moon coming in and out of wispy clouds. The car beers weren't even frozen! Great Day out!!!