Ouray, Willard and Joe

OURAY:

2 weeks ago Court joined Izzy and Anna and I for a weekend trip to Ouray Colorado.  We drove down early on a Friday and made it into town with time to climb.  Izzy and Anna hung out at the hotel while Court and I learned what all the Ouray hype is all about. Holy Cow. Wow! So imagine a mile long narrow gorge that is over 100 feet deep in the one of the prettiest spots in the Rockies. Then install hundreds of shower heads along one side and freeze. Waalah! Result = better ice climbing than even the the holi-deck on the Enterprise could generate.  I'll let the pics say the rest.

Most routes we top-roped off trees, but that does not mean they were mild in any way.

After climbing we hit the awesome hot springs in town.

Viewing areas on the other side of the gorge where Izzy took some sweet pics of us climbing

  

 My New Friends Willard and Joe:

On Wednesday after work I met Court in Layton and we cruised down to Willard for an evening gulley scramble.  The hike up was 1.3 miles of tracked snow, 28 degrees temps, and overcast skies.

Approach up to the WI 3 falls

Cool Cave by the base of the route

Court topping out the first pitch. Lots of snow on the route

Great Tree Belay

The top pitch. The ice was steep and fat. By the time I cleaned we had to flip on our lamps for the walk off

After cutting our teeth on low angle gullies and farmed ice we felt ready for a Utah Classic Destination, Joes Valley Reservoir.  Joes is huge bouldering mecca, evidenced by the bouldering guide books at the local gas station, but we came for the ice flows that are on their way off the Wasatch Platea down into the San Rafael Swell.  The short drive from SLC makes for an awesome all dayer or overnighter.

We first climbed CCC falls. 2 pitches of WI3 and WI4.  Then the Dead Bolt gulley which had 2 pitches of WI3 and a half mile of bouldering. Then we cruised over to the WI5 Dorncicle main event. Court sent it in style and I followed on brittle ice that turned to soft sticky ice up in the sun. Lovely.
On the way home we pulled off the road after Price, and I lead the WI4 Dirtcicle (Pricicle)

Court rockin the "alpine sit start." typical of the half mile of ice bouldering between pitches up Deadbolt

The Dorncicle WI5

The Dorncicle WI5

The Dorncicle WI5

The Dorncicle WI5

Pic off Mountainproject of the Pricicle

The Pricicle (Dirtcicle) WI4. Great way to break up the drive and round out a day at Joes

    

Stats for OURAY:
12 hours of driving.  11 pitches of Ice (most on TR, but very long route)

Stats for Joes:
6 hours of driving. 6 pitches of ice (all on lead)













   

A Tale of Two Ice Flows

LCC on 1/26/2013

As a rock climber, going up ice has always been a gnawing concept in the back of my mind.  This past couple of weeks I decided that climbing ice is the next step in the progression of the sport (obsession.) ie Top Rope-> Sport -> Trad -> Ice.  Each successive step seems fascinating yet unreachable then not only plausible but necessary.  Anyways, Court and I spent all our tax return monies and purchased some tools, screws, and crampons. Our first destination, Mona Utah.

Temps really dropped toward the end of the week, but we decided to go check out conditions of Frozen Assets down near Mona anyways.  As we post holed up the canyon water droplets on pine needles soaked my shoulders....not going to be good ice today....

When we arrived at the ice flow we saw the hole chute had recently fallen in one big avalanche.  Best guess is that it came down in the past 48 hours, taking most if the ice climb with it.  

Frozen Assets down and out for the count

Racking up for a little wet high ball ice boulder problem

We weighed our options and based on the length of the first step (23 feet) I decided I wanted to lead it.  Oh goody. The pic below is looking down that section.  I got a decent screw in about 10 feet up and proceeded up. Crappy melted ice turned into no ice.  Everything I swung my axe into collapsed and broke off. No chance of any screw placement and no good way up or down the ice.  So I bailed right out onto the rock and made for a ledge 8 feet higher.  With no feet and thin dry-tool campus moves (all arms) I made it to a ledge.  And in the process dropped my left ice tool (axe) and a screw, and my new crampons broke.  Great first lead on ice eh.  I set the TR on some chains for Court, rappelled and we got out of there.  A big falling rock 20 feet to our right hastened our retreat.  MegaBust. But glad we made it safe back to the 4Runner. 

   

Thin crappy ice on Frozen Assets

As we drove back North we decided the Great White Icicle up Little Cottonwood Canyon was sure to have fat ice. We recharged at Arby's and headed up out of the inversion again.  A little tape on my crampon made it usable again and we were good to go.  We knocked out the first 3 pitches of the GWI with fat ice, friendly crowds, and awesome climbing.  

Going the speed limit on the Great White Highway

Court Rocking the First Pitch of GWI

We finished to Courts right with out doing the apron above. Will definitely be back soon.

 Lessons learned.
1. Ice climbing requires ice. 2. Some times bailing is better done before you're stuck up a route with out a placement.  3. The Great White Icicle is an amazing climb, despite the crowds and kick-stepped ice.  Fingers crossed for colder temps....

Winter Reflections

Winter thus far has consisted of a month long cold/sinus infection, 9 ski tour days (Cardiff, Days, Scotties, Coal Pit, Hypodermic Needle, Butlers, Farmington Canyon, Days again, and Box Elder Peak), 2 ski resort days, signing up for races, and not a whole lot of running. It is very much an understatement to say I am stoked for the upcoming year. My plans are as numerous and vast as the softening calluses on my feet. I have paid for the Antelope Island Buffalo 50 Mile, The Speed Goat 50K up at Snow Bird, and am waiting for the Wasatch 100 Mile Lottery. I am considering the Bear 100 Mile in lieu of Wasatch or perhaps in addition to. I am also stoked for some PRs and long days on Olympus, Ben Lommond, Timp, Kings, Bryce, Uintah Highline, Grand Teton, and tons of other trails and “destination” runs. My training goals are simple; to ramp up the mileage and vertical gain per week, not eat crap, and go hard every run. In addition to all of the trail stuff, I want to run a fast Marathon and set a personal record at the distance. These are all of my PR’s hopefully a couple will fall this year. I’ll start with the shortest lengths (the ones I won’t beat without a time machine)

• ½ Mile- 1:59 minutes
• Mile- 4:43 mintues.
• 5K- 17:45 minutes
• 10K- 39:30 minutes
• ½ Marathon- 1:45(ish) hours
• Marathon- 3:16 hours
• 50 Mile 8:35 hours
• 100 Mile 28:12 hours
• Olympus (6.9 miles): Car to Summit/ Car to Car- 1:23/2:10
• Timp (13.8 miles): Car to Summit/ Car to Car- 1:47/2:48
• Kings (21 Miles): Car to Car- 5:55
• Ben Lommond (14.6 miles): Car to Summit/Car to Car- 1:53/3:20
• LCC Quarry Trail (5.6 miles): Car to Car- 48:25
• Grand Teton Circumnavigation(34 miles)-9:25
• Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim (42 Miles)- 11:37 hours
• Uintah Highline Trail (85 miles) – 6 Days

Winter Pics

ThanksGoodness

Quick Recap of Holiday weekend adventures.

Wednesday: Got out and enjoyed the warm weather in Little Cottonwood.  Court Pace and I hit up the Ultra Classics Crescent Crack and Mexican Crack.  At M C we met one of our hero climbers, Nic Berry. He is a local that climbs super hard (13+ Trad), BD athlete, and nice guy.  After we pulled our rope from the 10d crack. We chatted for a minute then he soloed up the crack nice and smooth, no rope.  Fun to watch. Worth ditchin work for. 

Thursday: Awesome food and fam time followed by freezing my butt off for 5 hours at Best Buy and successfully obtaining a new teevee and xbox for the cold winter ahead. 

Ma and kiddo

feastage

Friday: Family and friends climbing in Zion.  Izzy, Nick, and I got down to the tunnel wall area and cragged at the Confluence while Court, Annie, and Spence rocketed up Smash Mouth (4 pitches 5.11.) Awesome weather and clean beautiful crack.  Then dirt bagged it back on some dirt road on the other side of the river.  Temps not to bad. and Izzy was a great sport spear heading the baby wrangling.  

Saturday: Early rise to begin the main event. Zion Traverse 50 miler (48 to be exact.)  5 of us took off from the East Rim trail-head under crisp frigid air.  11 miles later we jogged into the Grotto.  I came in first at 2 hours.  I tend to fly down the switchbacks more than most.  Gravity is kind.  Izzy and Anna pitted the aid station at the car and then we were all on our way up the Angel Landing trail. Court challenged me to not walk the whole climb up past the Wiggles tell Scout lookout, I paid for it later but I succeed.  And yes, Court I have not forgotten you still owe me dinner.  The rest of the climb up and out of the West Rim area is absolutely spectacular viewage and trail. I was not able to run very much, but Nick and I power hiked it through the dark side of ultra running (ie bonking out mentally, gut wrenching fatigue and ultra euphoria at the same time).  

Best Crew Ever

  We all re-grouped and then pressed on.  I don't think any of us felt 100% and we were not running near as fast as we expected.  Flat stuff I normally cruise was slow going. Spence and I crested a hill and made it to around mile 26, West Rim TH, to another spectacular oasis in the desert, Izzy, Anna, and the 4Runner. 3 finished their journey there, and Spence and I pressed on. It was getting late and by mile 32 we detoured to the road, hitch hiked out, and we all were in Cedar eating greedily by 7.  We could have slogged on through the night, and I really wanted to run the last 16 because it is all trail I have not seen before, but it will have to wait for another day.  (a warmer day with more sunlight) Great Friends and a great capstone to the running/climbing season.        
   

Quarry Trail 5.6 Miles of Blizzardy Goodness

  After I cleaned the house Izzy said I could go play. So I went target shooting with my CZ .22 Long Rifle till my fingers were numb and I ran out of ammo.  Then drove to LCC to run up the Quarry Trail. Driving on the freeway was quite blizzardly so I was unsure how the conditions would be. My goal was to beat Spence's Fireblade 52:04 he ran the other day.  With the conditions such, I figured I would just try to make it to the top through the snow. Surprisingly, I found the trail to be runnable.  I hit the gate at the top in 31 minutes and flew down for a finish time of 48:25.  I absolutely loved the conditions, 5 inches of soft snowy goodness to cushion the flight.  My watch only showed 5.4 total miles and the sign said 5.6... not sure why.  

Splits went 10:13, 12:09, 10:50, 6:23, 6:35 and 2:16 change.   1090 Vertical Gain.

Most shots in the black. Hard to shoot straight with a numb finger and snow flying in your face. Sweet gun.

Motivation I wrote on my hand the day before

Conditions. Virgin Snow

Las Hokas + Snow= Cloud Running