Zion Maximization

Friday: 

I hoofed it up to Willard Falls and watched Jack be nimble on the first pitch of fat ice.  We swapped pitches twice more ending the route with a sweet easy WI3/4 section on great ice.  Even placed a BD goldilocks (#2) cam on pitch 2 and found my slings from last winter on a tree belay….

Saturday:
Took off on the Chinle Trail from Springdale with Pete, Court, and Spence dog. Destination Kinesava then West Temple summits. Super rare summits for anyone to attempt and not really any trail. After .5 miles we left the Chinle and headed up a random wash, then up a ridge with a some what navigable trail. Once up we cut towards the Cowboy Ridge and scrambled up on the blocks. The ridge continues up up up on narrow blocks and cliffs, past a few short class 5 sections, including a sweet 30 foot hand crack. Court and Spence soloed everything and I hauled up Pete on belay. Once on top of the ridge we ran over and up Kinesava. Great views, Great Summit. Next we continued the link-up by dropping down off the east side in a gully for 1000 feet then back up onto the SW Ridge of West Temple. Summited the 7800 ft peak (Tallest in Zion) in about 5.5 hours 6000 vert. Great Views. We then reversed the ridge using the rope at one spot to assist descent. Made in down off the ridge and ran a view miles across the desert back to the car. I beat Spence to the car by .0045 seconds. Something like 8.5 Hours 14 miles and 7000' of Vert

Sunday:

Got charged at Church in Springdale, both cell phone and soul.  Ate a monster hoagie in the parking lot then drove out to Wildcat Ridge. Tagged Pine Valley Peak then meandered down to the start of the Subway.  Really enjoyed going slow and taking in the brisk air. 

Monday:

Started up the Overlook Trail after the tunnels towards East Temple peak.  A rare desert gem that few ever summit. We ran up left across sweet red slabs.  Then followed the herds of desert sheep higher and higher.  The route then drops down a huge gully then climbs a sketchy crappy gram cracker rock surface for 1000 feet.  Pete decided he had had enough of the steep bad rock. Spence and I pressed higher past some airy scary traverses to a ramp 200 ft below the summit.   3 pitches of bolted slab halted our climb.  I will cruise up easy class 5 but definitely not down climbable for us.  We headed back down. Smart move. With lots of sun left we went up to Keyhole slot canyon and did a fast lap through the icey slot.  18 minutes of out of control awesomeness. Breaking through ice, swimming in freezing water, running, and flying down cliffs. I enjoyed it so much I did it again with a cool dude that stopped on the road to see what we were up to.  15:30 the second time through.



LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO of Ridge Scramble