Hyalite Ice: Genesis area soloing and top rope soloing

12.12.17 Free solo'd G1, G2 and the Hangover. I fixed a short piece of rope down the backside of the top of G2 to eliminate the need to climb with a rope and rappel.

1.27.18 Brought the dog and a rope up to G1 for an afternoon of top-rope soloing. I think I got 7 laps in.

I climbed pretty much everything in this pic. You can barely see one strand of my rope on the far left. 

You can see both strands in this pic.

1.28.18 I got to take another first timer ice climbing. Emily has lived in Bozeman for 6 years but had never tried it. I convinced her she would be alright and off to G1 we went. We set up a rope on the left side of G1 and Emily got her first three pitches of ice climbed! I think I have taken at least 15 people on their first ice climb and I get the same wonderful reaction; its not as cold, not as unsafe and not as hard as everyone thinks. So go try it if you haven't! 

2018 Ouray Ice Fest

I dropped Sam off in Bozeman, picked up Manfred and began the long drive to Ouray Colorado for the Ouray Ice Fest. I have been to Ouray before, about 10 years ago but not for the festival. I parked my camper at Orvis Hotsprings and did as much soaking as climbing! Absolutely my favorite hotspring ever. Ouray is a skinny but tall slot canyon with tons of man made ice. Its free and you can top-rope solo so not having a human partner wasnt a big deal. I bumped in to some folks that I met at the Bozeman Ice Fest as well as the North Face climbing team! I got to chat with Renan Ozturk and David Lama whi eventually ended up giving me his sunglasses! The Ouray brewery treated me very well too. The trip was worth every mile. Not very many opportunities to spend 9 nights in a row in my camper! Climbing every day but travel days.

Swung by Independence Monument on the drive South.

Conrad Anker and David Lama

Action shot of ice breaking on DL

Cody Ice

The first stop in Cody was Duck Soup WI3. After a fun 'Cody Rodeo' over the river we found Bear and Wolf track on the way to the climb. And I know why. A Big Horn Sheep either fell off the climb or was swept in an avalanche and died at the base of the climb. Clearly, all the local animals knew about it. There wasnt much left. Its a two pitch climb that I thought I could lead in one mega pitch and did but I wouldnt recommend it. With no rope left I was luckily at a point where I could build an anchor and belay Sam up. This was a fun anchor. I used a rock to pound my axes in to the ice then equalized them. I didnt have any screws left so sometimes you have to be crafty. My axe anchor was just as strong as a pair of screws. I found a nice 6 point bull elk shed on the hike out.

The next day we climbed the Schoolhouse Route WI4 three pitches. I climbed this with Lucas years and years ago and remembered it being really fun and pretty easy. It was still fun and pretty easy. You finish way up high on the mountain which gives it a true alpine feel.

P1

P2

P3

East Rosebud Ice

East Rosebud couldnt be more on the way to Cody so it hard to drive by without spending at least one day climbing. Sam and I spent almost 4 hours hiking over 2k' up just to reach the ice. We wanted to climb the mega classic California Ice. This was my second attempt. Unluckily there were already climbers (from Bozeman) on the route making it impossible to climb safely. The climb is at least 4 pitches long and any ice or rocks that fall down, fall down the whole thing. We sat and watched them climb and the ice fall down and Im confident in the decision we made. Our consolation prize was a 40M WI4 flow to the left that we called Hawaiian Ice. I lead it up to a tree and brought Sam up. It made for some great pictures of the crew on Cali Ice. We were back to the truck before it got dark and took off for Cody.

Hawaiian Ice is the far left flow. Cali Ice is the main flow.

Hyalite Ice: Switchback Falls and Dessert Dance

I think we were short on time so Sam, Manfred and I ran up the the amphitheater and climbed all over Switchback and the new variation that came in to the left. Next we walked over to Dessert Dance, a 5.9 completely dry route protected by a #3 cam then bolts. It was a little bit harder of a lead than I expected. (not pictured)

Hyalite Ice: The Dribbles

Sam, Eric, Manfred and I hiked out to the Dribbles for some multipitch ice. It was the first time Sam climbed the classic route. Eric and Manfred spectated. WI3 4 pitches.