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