BO Buttress development day (climbed 6.10.19)

I found a couple of beautiful looking rock ribs that needed to be cleaned and developed last weekend so I grabbed the dog, heavy pack and hiked back out there. The first rib cleaned up really easy and took 8 bolts, no natural gear; Vitamin Steel Sport 8 bolts 5.9? The next rib uphill took a little bit of cleaning but came out really nice; Girl DEET Mixed 4 bolts, cams from 0.3-3 5.9?
Both climbed 6.10.19 McAlpine, Ainuu.

Vitamin Steel

Girl DEET

First Gally Rally of the year: BO, FishFace, Watchtower

Sam, Manfred and I took our 2019 maiden voyage to Gallatin Canyon for a gally rally. Our goal was to climb only routes we have never climbed before. We started at the BO buttress and climbed a 5.6 trad route called Constitution Crack. We moved up the hill and climbed a long 5.8 sport route. Then the rain started. It didnt look like the rain was going to stop so we decided to just hike around and explore. An hour of exploring later we were standing at the base of the Watchtower looking at dry rock. Sam wanted to climb the first pitch of the Standard route 5.5 trad so we geared up and got one more climb in. We didnt climb anything very hard but Sam got to plug some gear on lead and I found some routes to develop. Manfred got dirty.

Sam on top of Constitution crack.

The bolted 5.8 face.

Sam leading the first pitch on the Watchtower Standard route.

Maiden Rock: 2019 Memorial Day weekend, 5 first ascents

Some friends and I spent the long weekend camping and climbing at Maiden Rock. The weather forecast was ominous at best and I figured I only had one climb day so Saturday Eric and I went climbing. I had 6 new, unclimbed routes so we started on those. 5 of them are up on the Backdoor Wall. The first route was Synesthesia 5.6 Sport 9 bolts. Second route was _ 5.8 Sport 6 bolts. Lap Tiger 5.9 Sport 5 bolts. Sad Howse Music 5.8 Sport 8 bolts. After those 4 routes we crossed the canyon and ticked off Beelzebolt 5.9 Sport 11 bolts. Still one left up on the BD wall! As usual, my pictures suck.

Synesthesia.

_ 5.8 Sport 6 bolts.

Mt. Black; Y-couloir

Mt. Black is not hard or technical, but its big and a long, steep way back there. I finally bagged it on my 5th attempt. Two of those previous attempts were spring ski missions to the couloir. The first of those missions ended pretty quickly when we realized some of us were in over our heads. The second got Devin and I at least to the top of the couloir but we couldnt ski it due to a partner left behind on a totally different fall line. This time, by myself, I got it. I think it took me about 4 hours to reach the lake and another 1.5hours to the top of the couloir. Everything came together perfectly and I had one of my favorite ski descents to date.

Looking South towards Mt.Cowen

Bridgers on the left, Crazies on the right.

Pine Creek Lake from the top of the couloir.

I skied the lookers right branch.

Paradise Valley

Village: Bug Hatch Boulder aka Bolted Boulder Jr.

I somehow forgot to bolt this sweet little gem even though I had put an anchor on it. Manfred and I came back and added 4 bolts. We stopped by my project boulder and re-established in my mind that the giant thing goes and is not very hard.

The Church Boulder

Allenspur new route Main Crag 'Jazz Cabage'

I had one more route that I wanted to develop on the Main Crag out at Allenspur so I spent a lovely Friday figuring out why its not bolted and finding a different route to work on. The result is a new 11 bolt moderate 'Jazz Cabage.'

The new route on the Main Crag

Sam's new route on the 711 crag 'Vitamin Steele'

Crazy Peak; North Face BC skiing

BC skiing is a great excuse to not go climbing (and re-injure my shoulder) and Crazy Peak has been on my to do list for a long time. Hoping to ski the Crazy couloir, Merilee and I left Bozeman at 4:15am knowing we had a big day. There was too much snow to drive to the TH so we had to walk an extra 1.5hours round trip. It tooks us about 3 hours of miserable skinning to reach the lakes at the base of the mountain. I was feeling fairly defeated because the snow was sticking to my skins and each ski weighed 20lbs or more. Luckily, a crew of four was booting up the North face so we skied over to their bootpack and got in line. An eassy 1.5hour bootpack put us on top of the shoulder. It was too windy for us to tag the summit and both of us had been there already. A pretty steep, wind affected entry lead to some hero turns down in to the bowl.

Looking up at the false summit. Notice the wind scouring?

The top of the ski line. Its all rocks to the false summit from here (5 mins?)

Crazy Peak is on the left. The right skyline is the right edge of the North face.

Allenspur 2 new routes

Im nursing a rotator cuff injury and trying not to climb. Bolting isnt climbing though! Sam, Manfred and I put up a new 8 bolt route on the Obscurity Crag called New Car Smell 5.10a. Then we put 6 bolts in on the 711 crag, 'Vitamin Steele' 5.10+. Both have been redpointed on top rope.

New Car Smell

Beartooths BC skiing; Project X(?)

One of the lower hanging fruits of Beartooth back country skiing is a couloir called Project X (I have also heard it called Professor X, Super Couloir, Lake Couloir, Pencil Couloir) up East Rosebud. Its about as straight forward, in your face as it gets. I made it up to the rock band but didnt take it to the summit plateau (which Im sure it goes). A little taller and longer than it looks! But thats the Beartooths for ya.

I mean, if youre a skier and that doesnt scream "ski me" than I dont know what does.

Chamonix Couloir in the distance.

California Ice

My truck is on the far side of the lake.

Hyalite Ice: Upper GreenSleeves

Merilee, Manfred and I found an afternoon to enjoy some amazing spring break weather so we scurried up Hyalite for some ice climbing. I figured (correctly) that Upper GreenSleeves would be in the shade and have good ice, plus Merilee had never been. The crux of this route is always simply getting to the ice. Which we did, eventually. I led it, left the screws and Merilee pink pointed it (climbed it with pre-placed gear). We had to leave because I had tickets to the G.Love show at the Rialto!

Merilee heading up.

Hyalite Ice: Bingo Cave; New Route 'Shamrock Monkeys'

I noticed that the Bingo Cave ice curtain was really building up thick on the non-traditionally forming left side. So much ice that two new flows/daggers appeared below the lip of the cave. I checked out where the left most route exited the cave to the ice and wouldnt you know it, I had found a new route! Bull Dog world finishes at least 10ft to the right of my line. I returned with my drill after work one day and bolted up to the ice. I used the same first bolt as Bull Dog but added 4 newbies beyond it. I came back to climb it with Jack T later that week. I gave it a go, no luck but I finished the cleaning and got the tick marks all done. Jack made a great effort but had to sit on a bolt or two. He was able to get to the ice however and pushed the route to the top where he installed a chain anchor. I came back the next day, St. Patrick's Day, with Kyler. I gave it a go and got the draws hung but didnt make it. Kyler, like a boss, sent it onsight! Onsight meaning he had zero knowledge of the route and had never tried it. I followed with a hang dog on one bolt and again once I got to the ice. I almost made it to the ice without sitting. Shamrock Monkeys M8 20M 5 bolts was born this day.

These two flows either never form, or never form this big. Im not really sure.

You can barely see my rope running up to the ice. The last bolt is up high in between the two ice daggers.

Kyler on top post Onsight send!

Tate D. quickly repeated the route to the ice but stopped here.