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Sunday, November 16, 2014

Hyalite Ice: East Fork maiden voyage; Horsetail Falls

Sam and I got to climb a Hyalite classic! I had never been in the East Fork period so you know I had to go check it out. A big reason I have never been up there is because the road becomes impassable pretty early in the ice season creating really long (for Hyalite) approaches. The base of the 3 pitch climb was reached in an easy hour. The first 35m WI3 pitch was tons of fun. The second pitch was mostly congested with a down tree but we were able to solo the main step. And then there was the column. The ice was bizarre if not spooky. Looking at it, it seemed very doable for me but after the 3rd screw I bailed. I have never had as much trouble putting a screw in as I did on that third one. I was right in the middle of the crux and it took me atleast 10-15 minutes to get one in that only got through the curtain that looked like solid ice. So I took it out and screwed in my 22cm screw (the longest one made) and it didnt bight either! Imagine a bunch of ice cream cones, styrofoam and christmas ornaments all piled in a huge column but they were only attached were there was contact. There is a large mass of ice but it was airy and hollow and unsafe. Im usually very prone to just climb on but I had no faith in the ice i.e. it felt like any one of my points could bust the ice at any minute. Not good conditions to run-it-out. Every time I kicked it, my boot went in all the way to the shin and my axes would bury all the way in and slice a few connections before they settled. Ill catch hell from some super experienced climbers but heck, I made it home with no injuries and I can always go back and try again.
Pitch 1
Pitch 3 the money pitch

This photo is deceiving; its steeper than it looks!
Sam flaking rope post down climb. 
Sam rapping the second pitch with the column visible above. 

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