Avalon Falls

This might be my favorite route. Its about 2,300 feet long, and is a series of moderate to easy ice steps. It just keeps giving the whole way up.

Lynn and I on the First Pitch

 

Ry and Lynn

 

 

This is the best pitch of ice on the whole climb. Its deceptively steep, and a pretty full pitch. Ry won the Rosh, he's on a roll with fate right now.

 

 

 

 

 

Hillside Pillars

Lynn, Ryan, and I have been watching the Hillside Pillars slowly grow over the last month, and yesterday we decided to go check them out. The river crossing was super straight forward and easy. The first pitch was in great and had minimal snow. The weather was partly clear and very calm. The snow was light and fluffy, and there is only a mini cornice hanging above the climbs.

Ry Approaching the Upper Pillars

 

Ry and Lynn standing Below the Left Pillar

 

Ry won the rosh on the left pillar, and got to do a super fun and spicy lead. He managed it in fine style.

Ry at Leading the Left Pillar

 

I got the default lead on the Right pillar. I kinda wanted to lead the proud chandliered line, but wasn't feeling it, so went for the thicker left line, with the obligatory rock wedge. We toproped the middle line afterward, and I was so glad I didn't lead it, I think I probably would have cried. It was wicked steep, and the pro would have been very difficult to manage. Maybe next week!

Ry Cleaning the Right Pillar

 

All in all a fantastic day out with two of my favorite people, on my favorite climb.

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!!!

 

Recon of Arctic Valley

I didn't get done with work and school stuff till 2pm on Saturday, and Ry was at home studying all day, so when I walked in the door, he was like, "lets go skiing!" The obvious place is Arctic Valley, or the rest of the front range, but we have a favorite couloir that is north facing and tends to get filled in. So away we went.

Ryan Skinning up the Valley to Gordon Lyon

 

There was obviously not enough snow up there, our usual path was nothing but bushes. Ryan was his usual optimistic self, "this is awesome, its going to be great up there" as we skinned over grass, wind slab, and breakable crust, the mountains around us scoured by the wind. "uh huh, I think the snow is going to be shitty" I keep repeating. But nonetheless we did agree that it was a beautiful day and that it was worth the excercise.

Our Favorite Grass Skinning

 

We got to the top and looked over the edge with great anticipation...it was filled in....at least for 300 feet. Two thirds of the run looked bare. Ryan was still game, "its going to be sick powder", I threw a rock over the edge, and it sank, the third one made its entrance through an obviously crusty layer.

Our Shadows

 

Unfortunately it wasn't fluffy powder, but variable breakable crust. Out of all the possibilities for snow to lay, this is my least favorite. Ry turned and tumbled, rolled, and made another turn. "Its kinda shitty down here" he says. "Yeah I'm definitely not going down that" I say. "I don't want to go down either" he says. "Come back up" I say. And thats how the day went.

Ryan Skiing

 

Its snowing right now though, and when its good up there, its so worth it. Super fun lines.

Its That Time Again!!

Its been so clear and cold the last two weeks, that I couldn't imagine ice not being in. So Ryan and I went to Eklutna Canyon on Friday to suss things out.

Mad Dog was in its usual anemic form, and we dropped a top rope down and gave it a few goes. We weren't sure what was ahead.

Ryan Rappelling Down Mad Dog

 

We climbed back out of Mad Dog and continued down the high trail to the secret fork. The mini river was flowing fast with no ice bridges, but theres that huge tree that hangs over the river. I was too paranoid to walk across it, so Ry and I got down and straddled it. Very effective!

The Butt Scoot Method

 

The river after the split in the canyon was great. We crossed it back and forth, and didn't get our feet wet once. Champipple was pretty non existant, TJ Swann was formed at the bottom, but not the top, which is different than the last few years, but Ripple made up for them all. Comparitively to what else is in the Canyon right now its huge, thick, and still grade 3. I love Ripple, its my favorite early season warm up.

Me on Ripple

 

After we finished ripple we went to look at Boones Farm and Annie, Boones, was in, its just not a very fun climb, and there was not a single icicle on Annie...totally non existent.

Ryan Rappelling Ripple

 

Shut Down

It was dark when I woke up on Saturday morning, and only the thought of climbing some ice motivated me to get out of my big, warm bed....its been months since I have swung my tools, placed a screw, or flaked out my ropes. After many cups of coffee, Lynn and I headed out to the Glen Alps parking lot, with the hopes of climbing O'Malley Falls.

Little did we know that as soon as we left the safety of the trees the wind would smack us down and make us cry for face masks and goggles.

Self Portrait with Lynn in the Background

 

We took our approach skis and wore our mountaineering boots. On the beautifully flat, groomed snow, I felt like a skier....as soon as I entered the land of tundra bumps, rocks, and a trail I couldn't pizza pie on, I started having spectacular wipe outs. At one point I got turtled, rolled around this way and that,but couldn't stand up to save my life, until I took my pack off...I think Lynn really enjoyed the show, because usually she's eating shit on skis, and I'm laughing. So eventually we both ditched our skis and continued down the valley.

Stormy Day

 

The farther we headed back the worse the weather and trail got. It started snowing, and kept blowing harder, and gusting even harder. Our faces started freezing, eyes squinting, and of course the trail disappeared underneath wind drifts...but we kept going....Lynn and I have the knack for enduring ridiculous conditions together...I think most people would have the good sense to turn around, but somehow our enthusiasm powers us through horrible terrain.

The Moment of Clarity

 

About three hours into our approach to the falls we started stopping, turning our backs to the wind, to give our faces a break, and started questioning the worthiness of our objective. In the end it was deemed not worthy enough for the suffering involved. With face masks and goggles it would have been much more pleasant, and next time it will be in my arsenal.

Skiing with the Big Boys

Ryan, Zach, Mike, Hugh and I had a fantastic day of early season powder skiing. It wasn't easy keeping up with such a fine group of fit men, but the view from behind wasn't bad...until they were out of site : ) ! Its not often that I go out with all boys, not that I mind, its just that I am lucky to know cool chicks who like to rally outside too.

I didn't hit one rock all day...it was wonderful. The hoar frost is building into a fine feathery layer that makes a beautiful tinkling sound when you ski through it...its music.

Hugh Crossing a Homemade Bridge

 

Ryan and Hugh Looking Down the Run

 

Me after the Run

 

If you look close at this picture of beautiful lines, there is a small slab slide that went to the ground...

Beautiful Powder Lines

 

A Bluebird Day at April Bowl

The skiing at Hatcher Pass is shaping up into fantastically fluffy lines. Although it doesn't look like there is enough snow, there actually is. We made four runs, and I only hit one rock all day. A huge improvement!!!

Ryan and Mike on the Ridge Above April Bowl

 

Wind Scour on Ridge

 

I Like The Textures

 

Ryan Heading Up

 

The Lane Glacier

Although there is new snow on the ground today, last Saturday the "front range" mountains were wind abused, with only pathetic strips of snow left. Ryan of course only wants to ski..."what else could we possibly do right now", and Saturday is our one day to play together right now...so I took one for the team, and ventured back out to Hatcher Pass to assess the damage. We drove up toward the upper parking area past wind scoured slopes, and looked up at our "run" out if we went to April Bowl...dismal....the road had snow...but I didn't want to ski that. So we turned around and decided to try the Lane glacier. All the way down Archangel valley road Ryan muttered obscenities about lack of road maintainence, as we bucked in and out of car swallowing pot holes....I kinda like the road, especially when I'm not in my car.

Ryan Heading toward the Lane Hut

 

The sun came out for about 15 minutes and it was amazing, Ryan and I sat down, ate snacks and reveled in the Vit D.

Ry and I

 

Its a really long approach to the Lane Glacier, it just keeps going and going, with some really festive moves on skis in the boulder fields...keeps things interesting.

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Ryan had his camera with him...which is pretty unusual...I skied with my bike helmet, because I don't like the way my ski helmet fits, something is better than nothing right?

 

First Day of the Ski Season

Last weekend Ry, Lynn and I drove up a very dry road to Hatcher Pass. I was feeling pretty skeptical of the snow, and after skiing over a few hundred rocks, it was justified. Still a great day out, plus Lynn is starting to make the transition to skis which is very exciting!

Ry and Lynn Heading up to the Pass

 

 

Lynn Skiing!!