Natural Bridge climbing

Kyler, Manfred and I got out of work early enough to fly over to Natural Bridge Falls State Park to climb some limestone. We warmed up on two new routes on the river side of the pillar, 5.9 and 5.11 before Kyler started working on Whitewater 5.13b(?). I spent a few minutes trying a (the only) 5.12 I have ever climbed but I wasnt really even getting close.

Some new routes run up this face.

The biggest, baddest line in Natural Bridge (if you ask me). Kyler is up there sussing it out.

When lowered from the top of Whitewater, look how far away from the base of the climb you are! (The climb is behind me taking this pic)

Gallatin Tower

Wanting some multipitch practice, Emily and I decided to climb the 5.8 standard route up the Gallatin Tower. This was my second time up it, Emily's first. We hungout on BBQ ledge and drank some wine and scored a couple of pics from some fellow climbers.

BBQ ledge requires no ropes, no shoes, no problems.

Our first selfie.

The photographer said "do something cute." Emily didnt like that.

"What! C'mon!"

The second and final rappel to the ground.

Climbing Moose Rock and Canusa Rock in the Village with Emily

Emily got to make her first trip out to the Village with Manfred and I. We went straight to Moose Rock to give her a great introduction to the style of climbing encountered in the Village. We climbed all 4 routes on Moose Rock, both of us leading each route. Then we capped the day with Skateboard Contessa 5.10 on neighboring Canusa Rock.

Emily on Dumb Moose 5.8

And thats a wrap!

Cooke City BC Skiing: The Fin

After climbing Cleos, my friend Luke called me and asked me to join him for a Cooke City mission. Having never been to Cooke City in the winter, I had to go. I didnt really know where to go, I just knew you could start skiing from where ever you slept (ex. me in the snow by the dump). Sunday morning was beautiful and sunny and we could see Republic Mountain and the Fin from camp. It looked perfect and straight forward so off we went. We swapped leads putting in the skin track through very punchy snow. About an hour or two and a couple thousand feet up, I got a bad feeling in my gut for no real apparent reason. The snowpack was stable, the weather was getting worse but still not bad, I wasnt physically or mentally taxed and there was no looming objective hazard above. Even still, every bone in my body wanted to turn around. But I kept going until we were on top of the first shoulder of the mountain, looking at the Fin face. We hung out there for a while to see if I could relax but I couldnt turn it off. Luke and I parted ways; he went up, I went down. Not an ideal scenario but this isnt the place to air dirty laundry. I made it back fine as did Luke so all's well that ends well right?

The Fin

The snowpack totally changed right here and we had to plow/crawl through waist deep snow for maybe 50yds but it took us half an hour.

Looking at the Fin from my high point.

Epic turns (look closely, some people skied it early that day)

The Cooke City snowpack is legendary.

The wind and snow picked up big time by the time I got down. We skinned up and skied down the avy path in the middle of the photo up to the tree line. From there, you have to ski down a tiny ways then skin up the right side of the Fin.

Hyalite Ice: Cleos and Airborne

Cleopatra's Needle WI5 has to be the most impressive, intimidating and beautiful chunk of ice in Hyalite Canyon. I really dont have a good reason for why it took me so long to climb it. I have climbed the first pitch a few times to access other climbs but I never climbed the money pitch. So, on the last day of the Hyalite season, Cleos was the target. I was joined by Matt and Gavin. Matt also had never climbed Cleos. While roping up, another party of three showed up and the party began. Gavin gunned the rope up the first pitch and I took the second. It was one of the best pitches of ice I have ever climbed. The other party put a rope up on Airborne Ranger WI5 which was touching down and in fat conditions. I got to top rope it. All in all it was a fun day hanging out in the belay cave with 6 guys squeezing everything out of the last ice climbing day of the year.

Cleos climbs the left side. Airborne Ranger climbs the pillar on the right side.

Hyalite Ice: Upper Genesis

Sam and I cruised the upper Genesis classics for mileage the other day. We started with Upper Greensleeves left 70M WI3 (probably 4 this day). Then moved over to the Hangover 45M WI3 and climbed a new formation to top out. We finished with G2 for a full afternoon.

Upper Greensleeves in huge condtion

The Hangover

G2

Mummy 2 with Emily

I got to take Emily out for her first and second days of ice climbing. This was day 2. There was nothing but us and sunshine, weird for a Saturday in Hyalite. I set up the rope then Emily climbed it using ski boots and crampons that didnt fit. My hat is off to her for fighting through it all the way to the top! I cleaned it and that was that.