Quick Canyon Climbing

Now that I live in Eagle River, Eklutna canyon is only 10 minutes away, its hard not to take the quick and easy approach....if you climb all the lines it adds up.

Caitlin Rappelling Annie Greensprings

Caitlin wanted to try leading, and Boonesfarm is about the best first lead out there.  She cruised it.

 

And a quick session on TJ Swann ended the afternoon.

 

Eklutna Canyon with the Ladies

Awesome day out in Eklutna canyon with Merrick and Caitlin.  TJ Swann was in huge and the line up the front was a pumpy warm up.  

Caitlin on TJ Swann

I usually don't feel like a mother hen, but going out with Merrick who is 35 weeks pregnant and still wants to get after it was a little nerve wracking...She definitely was toned down from normal, but the NICU nurse in me was nothing but paranoid!

The Amazing Pregnant Merrick 

 

Eklutna Canyon

There is a sketchy log crossing Eklutna River, I didn't like the way it looked but Bill had already walked across and it was solid. I made it with no wet feet, but didn't really enjoy it.

 

I've never done the dry tool routes at the end of the canyon and have always wanted to. I got so flash pumped it was pathetic. Dry tooling is super hard. I was only half way up and already had hung on 2 bolts. I came down to let Bill have a go, I'd like to try again with a little better style.

Poor Ryan had to belay me, then Bill, but he was a pretty good sport.  Too bad he tore off a crucial hook at the bottom....maybe it won't be easier next time.

This route is really well bolted but I just couldn't get my gumption up to keep going.

Bill cruised the bottom section but didn't make the top section look very easy,  when I did it on top rope I totally felt vindicated for bailing off the route.

Bill's Turn 

I tried the butt scoot method on the way back, it was a little technical and not very graceful but I made it across without wet feet.

 

We climbed Mad Dog on the way out and it felt so easy with all the enormous hooks and icy ledges for my feet.   If there is one good thing about dry tooling its that it makes regular ice climbing feel so much more secure.

 

A Quick Trip to Mad Dog

I've been hoping for years to turn Kellie into an ice climber, this season she has come out more times that all the years I've known her combined. We did a quick top rope session on Mad Dog, I'd much rather come here than go to the gym.

Kellie Rappelling down a very picked out Mad Dog.

 

First Day of the Ice Season

Mad Dog hasn't come in this big in at least 10 years. We threw a rope down it and ran some laps.

 

Eklutna Canyon

Usually I've been to Eklutna Canyon at least 10 times by this point in the ice season, but this year has been different, and this was my first time back. I won the rosh for Ripple, but forgot my crampons, so lost it in the end. It's so annoying to forget key pieces of gear.

Ripple on a Diet

 

Ryan and the Dam

 

Mad Dog was in its usual anemic state, TJ Swann had a little curtain, but no pillar, Boonesfarm was huge, Annie Greensprings was thin at the bottom and fat up top, and the Dam was in with a huge pool of water below the ice. I need to remember that going climbing is only partly about the climb, but also about the nice walks through beautiful canyons, and I definitely need the exercise!

Eagle River Valley and Eklutna Canyon

I've been seriously lazy this March, which is pretty lame just because it is the most worthy winter recreating month of the year. But I have either not been feeling it, or events have conspired against me. On this day though, I was about ready to jump out of my skin if I did not leave the house and get outside for some exercise.

I love the ski in and climbs back in Eagle River, plus the sun was hitting the valley floor the whole way back to Echo Bend. When I first saw Three Ring Circus I was greatly disappointed, it looked more appealing as a ski run than ice climb...the cherry on top was the shade that enveloped that whole side of the mountain. It was an easy decision...no way was I going to climb in the shade up a snow ramp.

Looking Down my Skis

 

I skied back a little past echo bend just enjoying the sun and occasionally questioning if the snow on the climb was really as deep as it looked. I just couldn't make myself do it, it looked that unappealing.

Eagle River Valley Animal Tracks

 

Little River Ponds

 

It was early in the day so instead of continuing up river I turned around and drove to Eklutna Canyon. Sometimes the best thing about the canyon is that its so highly trafficked that there is no snow on the climbs, and a bomber trail. I started with Annie, but decided it was too steep partway up, then did Boones and Ripple.

Self Portrait in the Canyon

 

Checking up on Conditions: Eklutna Canyon and Hatcher Pass

Things are still growing in Eklutna canyon, the warm spell was good for some of the ice back there.

TJ Swann

 

Looking Down Boones Farm

 

After my quick canyon tour I met up with my friend Rapheal with the intentions of going up the Hillside Pillars. A scouting trip up the road showed a large cornice and rather snowy filled upper bowl that has not slid this season. The ice looked unchanged since our last visit, and the lurking cornice in the sun above a snow filled bowl clearly presented a hazard...we walked up to the mine instead.

 

 

Tracking: Eklutna Canyon

Things are growing out in the canyon....

Ripple

 

The Dam

 

Eklutna Canyon Top Rope Mania

With only a half day to play with the perfect option was Eklutna Canyon. I've only climbed there once this season, and it was a long time ago. Ry, Merrick and I rapped into Mad Dog, it looked pretty skanky from a ice climbing/leading perspective so we just turned it into a fun top rope.

 

 

Then we went down the way and all concurred that the overhanging crack looked like a fun top rope. For only being about 20 feet of steep climbing I was so gripped, and dropped my tool 3 times, its been a while since I've felt that pathetic....its great to get humbled.

 

 

Ripple I Love You!

I went out to Eklutna Canyon as part of a recon day....and to my surprise there was another person in the parking lot with the same idea. His name was John and he had a rope and full rack, we decided to explore together. I took the secret trail, humped a tree and made it across the side fork. TJ Swann is not in at all, Champimple was dry, but Ripple was great...I got to lead the pitch...and was happy to have a belay....it was protectable, and had the standard early season wet unconsolidated rocky top out...

Ripple Early Season

 

It was a good day out.

Eklutna Canyon

Ry and I got to the Canyon at 5pm, and I'm now convinced that's the perfect time to show up. There were 3 different parties leaving as we were walking in. Ry wanted to check out the new dry tool route at the end of the canyon. It looked fun, but we decided not to do it.

The Dam

The sun was hitting Annie Greensprings as we walked up to it. I won the rosh, the rock has been crushing my opponents lately!

Annie Greensprings

I'm always surprised at how steep the middle line is. This climb always looks way more mellow than it is.

Boonesfarm is still huge, and kind of like a ladder. It was hilarious how many ice screw holes there were on certain ledges, lots of people have been climbing it. We also threw a top rope on Maddog on the way out. The right line is pretty thin, and the left line had a super crusty, hollow, skinny pillar coming down. Super fun climbing.

Eklutna Canyon on Ice Steroids

One of the things that I love about ice climbing is how much the same climb continues to change throughout the season. I was shocked by how large Ripple has become since the last time I was in the Canyon. Its such a beautiful climb, I never get sick of it, and I win the rosh on it at least 98% of the time : )

Lynn Rappelling Down Ripple

 

The bolted anchor that Ry is rapping off in this picture is now buried under ice. The pine tree on the far left isn't even in this picture because it was so far away from the ice. Amazing.

Ripple October 31st 2008

 

This pink rope had some weird juju going on. Before we even left the house we had to get a figure 8 out of the middle of the rope, from the last time we climbed. After doing ripple I found the craziest knot about 60 feet from the end of the rappel line. Then when we did Annie, there was another crazy knot, but again only in the pink rope...I hope it got what it needed to out of its system : ) because there is no way it could all be operator error!

The Naughty Pink Rope

 

Lynn Heading Up Annie Green Springs

 

Only Lynn Would Smile on a Hanging Belay

 

What a great day out. I got to lead Ripple, Lynn lead Annie, and Boones. TJ Swann looked scary to even toprope, and we thought about doing Mad Dog, but were both indecisive. So we did the rosh of fate, and twice got shut down for Mad Dog, I bet the pillar would have fallen on me!



PS: I can't get pictures to post side by side, anyone remember how to do that?