Labor Day weekend: Maiden Rock(less), Humbug Spires, hotsprings, crystals and camping

Manfred and I got to spend 5 nights on the Big Hole river over labor day weekend. The idea was to get a bunch of climbing in but the weather decided not to cooperate. I spent a day (Thursday) looking for some climbs on a rock called Maiden Rock but I found nothing. I have since learned where it actually is. Lucas and Bailey showed up Thursday evening and we cruised over to Jackson Hotspring for a soak. Friday was all Fairmont Hotsprings complete with a couple of water slide rides which were the cause of our premature departure. Without Bailey's blessings, Lucas and I jumped in the slide right behind her and exited as a large group. That was our last ride. We were asked to leave. Sam and Terra showed up Friday night and we partied as a large group. Saturday was another pooky weather day so we threw the shovels and gold pans in my truck and took a beautiful drive down the Pioneer Scenic Byway to Crystal Park. Crystal Park is a hill that is covered, and I mean covered, in quartz crystals. Like the kind used in jewelry. We all just picked a spot at random an began digging. The crystals started showing up immediately! Digging for crystals turned us all into little kids again! It was exciting! We found some monsters and we really didnt have any idea of what we were doing. Elkhorn Hotspring is just a short jaunt further so naturally we stopped for a soak. Three different hotsprings in 3 days; its not climbing but Im not complaining. Sunday we awoke to good weather and took off for the 400-600' Wedge in the Humbugs. Lucas and Bailey went up the Mutt and Jeff while Sam and I went up the SW face. Super duper fun climbs (I have done them both as well as the SE chimney to the top). Sam's biggest climb to date! Terra and Manfred hunted timber griz while we climbed. Monday was departure day, always a sad endeavor.

If you want to know where the climbing is not....

I have spent my entire life in MT. I couldnt possibly count the number of cattle guards I have crossed. Never have I ever even seen a cow stuck in one. Then there was this guy. He got stuck, nobody got him out. He died, nobody pulled him out. He has since completely rotted away and nobody has removed him. Im no more than 1 mile from a paved road.... I dont get it. Sad.

The Gypsy Wagon 

THE Maiden Rock proper has no climbing on it. It really has no potential for climbing either. The rock is mostly crap. 

Chillin, beer, dogs, climbing. Im easy to please.

Thanks Anna (and Annas Dad Andy) for getting me a super sharp saw to burry into my thumb. I hadnt even started drinking yet!

Waking up to snow on Labor Day weekend? That snow line cant be higher than 6500'.

When you are indecisive in a place like MT where there is always a million things to do; bring it all. Better to have and not need it than need it and not have it. Climbing gear, hotspring gear, crystal hunting gear, a bike, beer.

300' cliff on the Wise River. Theres no way it hasnt been climbed. Looks awesome eventhough the base is all scree. 

Super generic looking hillside that just happens to be chock full of quartz crystals. 

I like this photo mostly because the guy drilling is smoking a cig. Smoking while drilling holes for dynamite sounds like a good idea! Those crazy a@#holes.

Big Foot Boulder and Overhangatang in Hyalite

Found myself with a couple of spare hours so Manfred and I ran up to Hyalite and sent some routes on the Big Foot Boulder which did not make the new bouldering guide. As far as I can tell, Im the only one climbing on it. For an area that doesnt have much of an immediate boulder scene, Im surprised the Big Foot doesnt see any traffic. Overhangatang has people on it daily. My little secret I guess. Its Hyalite though, Im not sure how many secrets are left up there. After some nearly highball sends, we moved down the road to the Overhangatang and sent it a couple of different ways. There are some other unnamed boulders in that talus field that I climbed. Thanks to whoever cleaned up the landings!

Im 6'2" which makes Big Foot boulder atleast 18' tall at its high point. This thing is like a tower that tipped over; it must be 50yds long! Mostly V0 and V1 but the highpoint has some V2-V3. I estimate that there are atleast a dozen lines on the boulder. 

Overhangatang

Pasture Gulch and Green Canyon Limestone climbing

A new guide recently was published that detailed a few, actually a ton, of climbing in the 'big empty' of central Montana. Being someone that thrives on new-to-me terrain, plans were made for a visit. Saturday night, Sam and I got 4 routes in on the Pasture Gulch craig as we watched the sun set. The hardest route we sent was a 5.10c/d called Cracks in my Confidence. Sunday Sam and I hiked into Green Canyon for some more Limestone climbing. Imagine Indian Creek (MT) in a lush backcountry slot canyon setting. Awesome. I am a big fan of granite and find myself usually targeting it but this trip got me re-stoked about Limestone. I started things off with a mixed lead of Cowography 5.8 9 bolts 120'. We rapped over the Ponderosa Wall and found some routes we just had to try. So Sam lead Bonanza 5.10a 8 bolts. Then I lead, though not cleanly, the ultra-classic Come Full Circle 5.11a/b 11 bolts. We were on a time crunch so we only got those 3 routes done but all are considered by Brunckhorst to be classics and I completely agree. Those were some of the best limestone pitches I have ever climbed. More in the sense of fun and featured than purely bullet-proof rock like Wolverine Bowl. The setting was a big contribution too; I wonder if anybody besides Brunckhorst's crew has been back there? Make an extra effort to check it out if you are ever in the area. My poor photography skills do this place no justice.

Da Gypsy Wagon

Pasture Gulch Craigs are an easy 5 minute walk from the road. 

Walking down into Green Canyon.

Cowography

Looking 120' down Cowography. Did I mention its a slot canyon?

Bonanza

Come Full Circle

I spy a keyhole! There is a 3 pitch climb called First Anniversary that goes right over top of it! 

Mason Lake Bouldering

The Tobacco Roots are my favorite mountains. Lots of reasons why. One of them is the untapped rock climbing. I probably shouldnt say that but if you can find the stuff I havnt climbed that I want to, kudos to your adventurous spirit! I would never discourage someone from being adventurous. There has been this looming 'big wall' rumor circulating around for years that I just had to investigate. So Sam, Joe and I took the bouldering pads and cameras for a walk. Said 'big wall' happens to be in a newly developed bouldering area dubbed the Mason Lakes boulders. We found and climbed several boulders on the way to the easily identifiable cliff on Hollowtop. Our first stop was at the Circus Cluster. There are 7 total problems from V0 to V5. I flashed everyone of the problems except a V1 called Step Right Up. That was the second or third time I have ever flashed V5! Next we walked up to the Black Beauty area so I could try a V6. And try is all I did, again and again and again... the V6 Interplanetary Insanitarium became a project. We waffled around on some other problems before ditching the gear and heading up to the cliff. We found some old bolts and pitons in a couple of different cracks. I knew there was no way in hell that Bozeman climbers hadnt been there. I have since learned of a couple of the original climbers. I dont really care that it has been sent though. It such a pretty place to climb on impeccable rock that is so easy to get to. I like that kind of climbing. Ill let the pics do most of the talking on this one. (I did not have a camera for this trip; pics courtesy of Sam)

Sam sending Circus Slab V0

The cliff band. The tallest section is straight down from the skyline highpoint. 

This lower right section has some superb looking single and two pitch trad routes.

Lower right hand buttress

The crack that is essentially coming straight pu tof the top of my head is continuous ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP! There is atleast two pitches that cant be seen; a ramp to an upper headwall.

Before I die, I will set my hammock up under that roof and attempt to sleep. 

Zoomed in on the upper section of the previously mentioned crack; notice its continuity!?

The crack of interest runs up the grey slab left of center. The old pins are on an old aide route that goes just left of the great roof.  There was an old bolt left of the crack of interest as well. 

The cliff is just above Joe at upper Mason Lake.