Revenue Village: Moose Terds hunt/cache

Sam, Manfred and I returned to the Village to attempt some more route development. Once again we started in nice weather only to be shut down by the rain. Sorry Sam. We moved the cache towards some new rocks and did some exploring. We proceeded to find 3 moose paddles including a matching set, the moose that most likely dropped them, copious amounts of bear scat, a spring and finally some rock worth developing. This place is wild.

Sam found the whiter one, last years, and I found the pair, this years. The palms are identical but the brow tines differ; Im sure its the same moose.

Piecing together a boulder problem post rain storm.

Moving the cache uphill. Hauling some extra weight!

Sunshine to this... again. 

Revenue Village: Harry Potter rock - 2 new bolted routes, plus one more sport route on an unnamed rock (Friction Impossible)

Manfred and I cruised out to the Village to do some bolting. Th weather cooperated and I was able to develop 3 routes, 20 bolts including anchors.

Manfred busy keeping the bears away while I hang on a rope.

Unnamed unclimbed route 1.

Unnamed unclimbed route 2.

Route 1.

Aint no rain on me, aint no rain on me!

"Friction Impossible" my new project that might go at 5.12 on an unnamed rock.

A cache trip to Revenue Village

Sam, Manfred and I hoped to do some bolting and climbing today but the weather fouled our plans. We were able to use a really cool pack from Mystery Ranch to haul a 37 gallon tub into the Village for caching purposes. We started out in sunshine...

Incredibly comfortable load for being such an awkward shape. 

About 10 minutes later.

We got to point B, the Harry Potter rock, drank our beers, ate our food and got out of there. 

Sunshine when we started remember... Im wearing cotton socks...

Honey Manfred doesnt give a shit!

Revenue Village: Bouldering

Sam, Manfred and I made a day of first ascent bouldering out at the Village. We have been walking by these epic boulders for a couple of years now but not this day! I dont know how many lines or boulders we climbed, but we were spent when we left. Pretty much the first outdoor session for us this year. I think, if you dont count the Pipestone area, this is the best concentration of good boulders around Bozeman. I really like the Locomotives too though; different rock. We celebrated with a dip in Norris and a burger from the Korner Klub.

Ol' Saloon boulder; harder than it looks.

The major weakness on the Church boulder I went up to check out top roping capabilities for the big scary side. 

This is the big scary side of the Church boulder. See the ~5ft fence post at the base of it? A solid 20-25ft V-hard-but-doable highball.

The V-medium side of Church boulder. 

Sam learning his fate on the Fortune Teller patch.

Sam on the premier line of the day (I think): Fortune Teller Crack. 

Me on Fence Line Boulder.

Cant claim a first ascent here! Mr.Rancher crawled up here back in the day to anchor his fence.

Me on Fence Line boulder.

This is the Retirement Home boulder. 3 great lines; 2 have been climbed.

Looking down Boulder Alley.

Looking up Boulder Alley.

Sam on his line on the Retirement Home.

Where the Basset friendly boulders at dad?!

Manfred keeping an eye out for chupacabra.

Ramshorn Peak

While everyone in town was suffering through college graduation ceremonies, Nina H. and I were basking in sunshine in Tom Miner Basin with nobody around but a couple of bears. The last two outings I did not reach the summits due to several factors so needless to say, I really wanted this one. This time, everything (well, just about) came together. The only thing that happened that wasnt supposed to was the road being drifted in a couple miles short of the trailhead. But the weather was fine, my partner is a bad ass and we had nowhere to be but on that summit. So off we went, following Griz tracks up the road. About 5 minutes before we put our skins on, we busted a giant Black bear out of the trees; I love seeing bears, especially when they are on a dead sprint in the opposite direction! We reached the summit with no difficulties in about 4.5 hours. The premier ski line off the summit drops you into the drainage opposite the car so we werent able to ski it. We still managed some fun turns in pretty sticky snow down one of the South ridges. Driving back to Bozeman, we drove right into a doomsday-looking cold-front 'cloud' that looked just like dry ice on water or fungus creeping over something. I dont know how to explain it. I think Nina took a photo; Ill try and get it from her.

Anything but alone out there...

Ramshorn Peak is the snow capped summit left of center. 

Heading up the ridge, glad to be out of the trees and up on the snow!

Our first glimpse of the Taylor Fork.

Looking up at our destination.

Summit proper is the corniced high point. 

Selfies, they're all the rage.

Me with Lone Peak to the right and Sphinyx to the left. 

Our gladed descent. I did most of it in walk mode which is a recipe for disaster; snowboarders cant free heel ski! Nina saw my first face plant but missed the second one.