Flying Solo in Ekutna Canyon

I am so excited to be on spring break!! The ice in Ekutna Canyon is hero, I did Annie, Boones, and Ripple, car to car in two hours....it was fantastic to feel like an ice climber again!


TJ Swann and an Open River

 

To see more pictures of route conditions click on this album

Eklutna Canyon

Gravel Creek Approach and Kid's Corner Comraderie

Friday morning dawned warm and beautiful. The skies were clear and the sun was beaming, truly a perfect day to go climbing in the Matanuska valley. So Lynn, John, and I made plans to go climb the Gravel Creek Pillar. After a fun snowmachine ride in, we gazed up at one of the most aesthetic climbs I have ever seen. Two hundred feet of blue, steep fun, encased in steep canyon walls, it looked like a line out of my dreams, but I was awake. Right as we pulled up a big whorl of spindrift settled over the climb, the sun had just started to hit the canyon wall. We all looked at each other, talked about the unsettling lack of a deposition zone at the bottom of the climb, tucked in a massive avalanche gully. We looked at each other some more, the climb, the loaded snow slopes above the climb in the sun....then I stepped off the machine into the snow...not very encouraging, about 8 inches of heavy snow on top of a foot of facets that looked like bugle chips. An incredibly perfect upside down snowpack, and an avalanche waiting to happen. We talked about how stupid we would feel if we got caught. I racked my brain for excuses of why it was safe. Its hard to walk away from a beautiful climb on a sunny day, but thats what we did.

Lynn the Beautiful Alien Head

 

The Banks of the Matanuska River

 

Lynn in a Sno Go Snow Swirl

 

The Goods

 

The Goods on Zoom



So after bailing on the climb, we went and giggled our way up kids corner....or I should say Lynn and I giggled, and John the token male didn't giggle, but laughed at and with us. An awesome day out, albeit an easy climbing one, and difficult decision making day.

I Want to Wear a Bikini When I Climb!!

Over the last week when I should be studying I have been overwhelmed with the need to organize my digital photo collection. Literally thousands of my pictures are out of place, duplicated, and disorganized. So I have been looking at pictures that I've taken over the last six years, mentally traveling back to the beaches in Thailand, the Safari in Kenya, climbing in New Zealand, and playing in South America....maybe its the fact that I won't be able to take a trip for a least another 2 years that makes me overly fond of these amazing places I've been, maybe its just that those experiences are the highlights of my life. Or maybe its because today its minus 9 outside and I just want to go outside without 2 pairs of long underwear, a the rest of my fat suit ensemble!

Bikini Climbing in Thailand

 

The Tan Skinny Version of Ry and I

 

Thai Man on Tonsai Beach

 

I LOVE the Highway

I left the house at 3pm today and still managed to sneak in almost 500 feet of ice before dark....there is a benefit to being able to park and climb. I went down and did the short Candy land climbs, then reparked and did the taller versions...it was pretty stellar.

My Top of the Climb Self Portrait

 

Pyramid Peak

 

A Satiated Junkie

I have been dreading going out in the freezing cold, dealing with dinner plating ice, frozen hands, and hard to place screws....but yesterday I reached my threshold of holding out for warmer weather, in about ten minutes I became a woman possessed by inner ice climbing demons. I HAD TO GET OUT!!! So I went. And to my great surprise the ice was great, the sun was warm, and I didn't even have to deal with placing gear.

My Standard Top of the Climb Ecstatic to be Alive Self Portrait

 

View from the Top of Roadside Attraction

 

White Trees

I have been so uninspired to venture outside in this cold snap....and even less inspired to take pictures in it! I only managed to take my camera out once all day, which involves unzipping numerous layers of clothing. Despite the frigid temps, its actually pretty warm once I start skinning up hill....until I stop.

Beautiful Frosty Trees

 

Another Pretty Tree Moment

 

Above the Clouds on a Beautiful Sunshine Filled Day

I love going out skiing with my friend Kellie. She's a total crackup. We had a super mellow tour that only involved three runs, lots of chatting, and only being a half hour late back to the car (I had a group project to get too). We got to ski in the sun, which was absolutely glorious. The clouds parted for us on the way up, and stayed below us while we skied.

 

Kellie demonstrating her idea of the "new technical", instead of merely skiing with your poles in your hand, you step on it when you lock down your heel, so you can add some "extreme" to your ski adventure! Did I mention she is an "extreme" skier? :)

 

 

Looking up at our tracks coming down Super Bowl, it was so fun I couldn't help but sing the whole way down....I'm a bit embaressing to be out with, but it was pretty brilliant.

 

Skiing....Brrrr and Beautiful

It was above zero yesterday....barely, and with wind chill, it was definitely below zero. I have devised a method to selecting my outdoor activities based on temperatures. Below zero + climbing = hypothermic Sherrie. Below zero + skiing = cold but not hypothermic. Based on this simple calculation I can more easily decide what to do for the day. This is where past experience becomes a blessing. I have spent more than a few days shivering myself into a deep hypothermic stupor, doing the windmill, and belay dancing. Those days are over! I have a rad back country ski set up now!

Ry on Corn Bisquit with our Line down Magnum Behind him

 

Our Ski Tracks Down Magnum

 

Beautiful Mountain Lines

 

Nice Powder Turns on Corn Bisquit

 

Slave to the Textbooks

This whole school thing seriously interferes with my climbing pursuits. Instead of going out for long days, and long routes, I find myself with a couple hours here and there to sneak off for a quick ski, or trip into the Eklutna Canyon. After such a stellar December climbing ice almost every day, its harder to switch back into study, sit on my ass all day mode. I seriously start feeling like a crazy lady when I go a couple days without getting out climbing. I know I shouldn't even remotely complain, but this is my blog and my favorite saying is "I'll do what I want!!" So there was my pathetic spoiled brat rant on the injustices of actually having to be productive in life instead of just vacationing and climbing.

Chris Rappelling Down TJ Swann

 

So today I showed up to lab in my belay skirt, stinky poly pro and fleece tights...my partner was like..and I seriously quote, "whats that smell, is it me...I took a shower", and I was standing next to him, smelling my own stench, and said, "no its me and I haven't showered and this is probably the fifth time I've worn this shirt without washing it." I suppose I should care enough to be embarrassed, but I don't.
So I stayed in lab for two hours practicing giving injections, and then bolted out at 11 to head to Eklutna Canyon. I lost the rosh on Ripple, and then we went to TJ Swann. I am SO GLAD that I didn't try to lead it....I would be smelling a lot stinkier now if I had. So instead I threw a top rope on it, and that was exciting enough. It never looks steep, but it felt seriously overhanging going from the dry tool moves to the detached curtain. Super pumpy fun! I wish I could get out more, but I'm thankful that I still can get out and climb mid week at all.

Hunter Creek

One good thing about this 45 degree plus weather is that the ice is HERO!! Even though my ropes got soaked, I got a lot of deep first sticks today. It was fantastic!

A Beautiful Cloud Rewards My Early Endeavors

 

 

Usually I am the only person out that has a camera, so I have a ton of pictures of other people
rapplelling, or climbing, and only self portraits of me at the top. Ry actually took some pics today, and I was so proud, because he usually just carries it around with him, but never takes it out. Although I don't have any of his pics, maybe some day I will.

Lost Chord AKA Ripple on Steroids

 

 

I got to lead lost chord today, and it was so fun. The ice was great, and I took the business side of the climb, which contrary to most climbs actually looks steeper than it is. Great day out!

Skiing with Kellie

I think when Kellie and I go out we probably spend equal amounts of time talking and giggling...which makes for a very fun day for us. This day was no different. It was exceptionally mellow (which an abnormal exception with Kellie) because she had to be back to the car by 12:30 to catch a flight back to the slope. Usually I feel very afraid, but this day I figured since we only had a few hours, I was not as scared.

My Certifiably INSANE Friend Kellie and I

 

A beautiful Peak in the Distance

 

Twin Peaks

 

Avi Class at Hatchers Pass

I was tenth on the waiting list to get into the Avi class this weekend up in Hatchers Pass, so I was incredibly stoked to be called on Monday with a chance to attend. It did not disappoint.
Overall it was a great review on things that I already knew, with a hodgepodge of new info, and definitely an excellent opportunity to refresh on my beacon searching skills. They teach you to be incredibly paranoid and conservative, and I felt lucky that I have enough experience to know when to be that way.
The only bummer of the course was that I got stuck with a mixed group of skiers and slow shoers....slow shoers are well....slow. They can't go up or down the same terrain as skiers, and when on the last day we finally got to travel, we were stuck in slow shoe country.....which I guess was a good chance for me to practice patience and the art of being around snow and not being able to ski it....
With that said, I would however highly recommend the class to anyone that likes to travel in the back country and has not taken this course....there is a lot of good information and skills packed into 3 days of class.


The Historic Independence Mine

 

A Ski Group Heading up the Ridge

 

Big Beautiful Surface Hoar Frosties

 

Road Side Attraction

I think the best time to climb on the highway is about noon, on a weekday. That way you can wail away all you want and not have to worry about taking out the cars below you with rocks and chunks of ice. Roadside was in marvelous conditions. I found myself staring and gooey ice, with a nice baby blue color, and hardly a speck of snow on my line. I went up about where GeorgeAnne is Rappelling down....it was dreamy!

GeorgeAnne Rappelling Down Roadside Attraction

 

Crack of Noon Club

I love Eklutna Canyon for the ease of access and the opportunity to show up at noon and be able to get multiple pitches in before dark. Billmeier and I had weak ambitions and still managed to climb Annie, Boones, and Ripple. Had I not taken my old, no longer capable of being dry rope, we still could have eeked in a top rope on the smear that is TJ this year. As it was the rope turned into a cranky, ice covered cable, and we bailed.

Annie Greensprings!