Summer's High Points- At least some of them

It's been a nice summer with my family. My sons and I did some great travels together  in the hills while they were out on break. Now back in school, I reflect on some neat times together and a few trips on my own or with friends.

Red Pine Overnighter

My 14 and 11 year old and I enjoyed a full moon on White Baldy and then to head up the way too visited Pfiefferhorn. I remember when this peak used to see maybe 100 visitors a year. Now 300/day are on it. What is happening to the Wasatch???

OWEN!! 

Owen and Carson!

Pfief to Lone, Out Big Willow

My oldest son and Vance Twitchell and I went up the Pfief and then he and Alex had to get down for commitments, while I went on to Lone and then out.  

Vance left, Alex right

Big Alex

South Thunder looking at Big Horn and Lone

Rubble piles from Lone

BW

Chasing a Blue Moon- Triple Traverse with Jason Dorais

Our moods got the better of us, we started at 830 PM and climbed Twins, Sunrise and Dromedary under a mystical full moon. It was rad for sure. Got down just before 1:30 AM.

Saddle heading up to Twin- Crazy cool photo- Courtesy Jason Dorais

Top of Twins and Terribly Expanded Valley- Courtesy Jason Dorais

Me, Sunrise Peak and the beaming Tram- Courtesy Jason Dorais

Haunting Shadow of Sunrise Peak, on Top.- Courtesy Jason Dorais

Me, and the Peaks behind, top of Dromedary- Courtesy Jason Dorais

Back Pack Trip to Amethyst Basin

Each year my sons and I do an extended back pack trip. My brother and his son often join us for part of it. This year we stuck around and went into Amethyst. Sadly, we found at least 30 different fire pits, no vegetation in most camp spots and the place terribly overrun. This needs attention. If you go there please use some key wilderness principles. Remember, we are only visitors in these mountains, they belong to someone much greater than ourselves. Besides this, we had a wonderful time together.

My boys and I

Owen and his cousin Ethan

Amethyst Lake, Ostler Peak on the right

My brother in alpenglow

Ostler Peak, on top of ridge

My three sons, packing out on day 4

Tetons- Nez Perce and Cloudveil Dome

This week my family and I enjoyed Jackson Hole, along with a million other folks.  We had a great time hitting some of our favorite spots. One of the days I was able to sneak away for a few hours to touch my last two remaining peaks in my favorite range. Unfortunately I would be solo. On Wednesday morning at 6:20 am,  Marcie dropped me off at Lupine Meadows. The previous night's rain made the air crisp and beautiful. I was concerned that the north faces might hold persistent verglass as reported by the rangers the past few days. 

I reached the meadows then headed straight up the West Hourglass Couloir which was only partially filled with snow and then onto the north face of Nez Perce. The axe and crampons came in handy but the dry sections of the couloir were hateful. I found route finding to be a challenge and spent too much time seeking the correct line on the north face. Nevertheless I kept going, ultimately getting onto class 4 rock and onto the summit. It was an airy summit, with thrilling exposure and being alone, my senses were heightened. I found no verglass on the north face, only wet spots.

I then down climbed the route and traversed over the ridge westward to Cloudveil Dome. The east face was also a bit challenging to stay on route,  and like Nez Perce, when off-route the climbing was much more than class 4, but when on, it was simple. Making it to the top as the clouds began to settle in, the moment was exciting. It as fun to look out at the many peaks, reflect on so many great experiences I have had over more than 20 years of time up here. I then down climbed the east face and dropped into South-Fork and trotted down to Lupine Meadows, where Marcie was right on time to pick me up. She is so amazingly supportive and has been for so many years. 

A shot of the type of weather this week. Grand and Owen soaring in the clouds-Courtesy Marcie Ambrose

I didn't take one so here is an image taken in the Winter of 2012 with Andy Dorais-- Cloudveil Dome and the east ridge

From the top of Nez Perce-- Mt. Buck in the background

Stupid self-portrait on Nez Perce

Looking at Middle and Grand Teton

From top of Cloudveil Dome looking east at Nez Perce Summit

Spring Mountain Travels

The past few days have been really great. Amidst the many responsibilities of life, I have been able to escape to the hills and enjoy the changing season. 

Alex, my oldest son and I were able to get out and climb a mellow but wonderful classic in the Little Cottonwood Gate district. Six pitches of excellent granite helped him to enjoy the activity even more. Climbing as a partnership among father and son is a pretty cool thing. Hearing him call my name in climbing fashion and to see him smile at the end of each pitch is super gratifying. I hope someday he will look back and remember days like these and that they will impact him for good.

Jason and I, after not having skied together in a while, we were excited to be able to get two great ascents done together. 

On Monday he and I, decided late in the day to meet at 5:30 PM and then go up the South Ridge of Superior. We found the route to be perfect, albeit the winds howled from the southwest. We climbed with complete freedom and enjoyed every move up the ridge. The mountain was glorious with the upper reaches still clinging to the story of the winter's past.  The ridge is super aesthetic and the crux moves were enjoyable. After some great rock, snow crossing and photo shoots, we hit the snowy cap 1hr. 15 mins later.

On Thursday night, I got a text "Chad I am going to talk you into West Slabs and Geurts again." Jason, knew I had PTSD from the last time I did this solo because of the close call with the rattle snake in Tolcat. Jason prevailed and on Friday morning we went for a repeat of the fun link-up I did a few weeks ago.

We climbed the West Slabs of Olympus and then dropped down into Tolcat canyon and then up the Geurt's ridge direct route, along the ridge proper to the the South Summit of Olympus. The Slabs were great as always and the Tolcat section stressed me out big-time (even though I sent Jason ahead of me to protect me from the snakes). Luckily no snakes! The direct and then Geurts were wonderful, with stable rock, an impending rain storm and downclimbing both rappel sections. We topped out in on the South Summit in an icy rain. We had an enjoyable pace, time for photos and visiting while climbing.

My opinion, Geurt's Direct is much steeper than the West Slabs, better rock and a great setting.

Another more important note- See this wonderful and touching video done on the Dorais Family. 

Alex rappelling off School Room

JD South Ridge Superior

South Ridge Cont.

Skiing Suicide Chute

Jason eyeing top part of the Slabs

Steep climbing Geurts Direct, exiting Tolcat-Goodbye snakes!

Stowing his camera before the "Catwalk"and an impending storm

One of the crux sections

One of the best upper sections

The man himself!

Mount Olympus Link-Up- West Slabs and Geurt's Ridge

I completed a link up I have been wanting to do for some time. Taking the afternoon off after all my meetings fell through, I decided today was my day.  I left my car at the West Slabs trail head. It would be a solo day so I had no one to talk to but good to relieve some stress. The snow in the couloir up to the Slabs was slushy, making travel a little slower than I would have liked. The crux move had a bit of water in the dihedral which added to the excitement. The rest of the slabs was was excellent with a hanging snowfield on the last shelf.  On top of the ridge I eyed Geurt's Ridge. That steep west facing ridgeline with two large towers. This ridge is the right ridge when looking at the west side of Olympus.  Mountain Project gives it a 5.5 rating with a couple rappels. 

I descended off the Slabs ridge, headed due southwest into Tolcat and had to negotiate cliffs, nasty bushwhacking and a super close call with a rattle snake that just about got me. It freaked me out. I'm not a rattlesnake fan. 

I worked my way to the base of the Geurt's Direct Route and then moved up excellent, stable, steep rock where I joined the ridge proper. It is a great climb, with some good exposure, mixture of 4th class and shots of 5th class climbing along the way. In keeping with the alpine spirit I donned my 7 mm cord and rappelled off the first 50' overhanging rappel.  The crux seemed to follow that rappel, going 5.5/5.6. The second rappel I down climbed. The entire ridge was really enjoyable and I think it had several great climbing sections making things interesting. All told, it was a great link up and a fun solo trip on excellent rock. I don't know that I would go back into Tolcat for fear of snakes. I then dropped down the standard trail and looped back via Bonneville to my car.

Times:

-Left car at 12:50 PM

-Top of West Slabs 1:45 PM

-Top of South Summit via Geurt's Ridge 3:25 PM

Geurt's ridge as seen from top of West Slabs- my line of ascent in red

Lower part of the ridge and Direct Line I took from Tolcat

The "cat walk" and looking at top of 1st major tower

Looking down Geurt's Ridge and my approximate line of descent off West Slabs

Tanners Gulch to Hell Gate-Making the most of a frail Winter

Yesterday morning Jared and I dropped a car a Hell Gate and then began a beautiful high alpine tour at Tanner's Gulch at 6 a.m. The moon waned with only its silhouette revealed by a sleeping sun. The stars were out and the temperatures had done as we hoped, freezing the snow into a solid snow cone.

Up Tanners we found granite boulders littering the first 500 vertical feet. In reaching the snow we welcomed icy texture upon which to travel. Unintentionally we hung far right up the couloir, driving us directly up to the east shoulder of Dromedary. We reached the top of the gulch around 7:30 a.m. Happily then we skied fresh powder (4") down to the east shoulder of Sundial. It was amazing to see Blanche already shedding her blanket of ice.

We moved from the West drainage of Mill B South over to the East drainage, finding a steep narrow notch that turned into a really neat couloir maybe 10 feet wide and 50 degree pitch. Jared entered using his whippet belay off a tree and then linked beautiful turns.  We then beheld the massive cirque, holding Monte Cristo and the beauty of the cottonwood ridge. Entering the cirque, there was a sense of reverence, silence and splendid loneliness.

Our aim was the "Heart of Darkness" couloir which would take us up to the short, exposed ridge-line that would get us onto the Cottonwood ridge. Like a junk show, I dropped my ski crampon right at the base of the Heart and got to run down on rock hard snow to retrieve it. Jared laughed, saying I should've had my BD Cyborg crampons on during my descent.  Up the couloir we went, and luckily there was enough ice to justify crampons, maybe not so burley like my Cyborgs, but nonetheless, patches of great moderate ice.  It was beautiful to top out in the sun.

We then worked up to the summit of Monte Cristo. It felt quite appropriate to stand atop "the mountain of Christ" as we gratefully celebrate his triumphant resurrection this Easter Season. The view back to Dromedary was as always brilliant.

We skied Monte Cristo's "edge of the world" on perfect corn.  Mount Superior was our last high point of the day. Descending south Superior we found a mixed bag of moguls, corn and ice. The day concluded at 10:15 a.m. with smiles. It was another amazing tour that will be forever filed in the cabinet of our minds.

Dromedary's East Face

Shoulder of Dromedary. Heaven.

Entering East Fork Mill B South

Jared, East Fork

A lonely skinner- Courtesy Jared Inouye

Jared eyeing the Heart of Darkness

Me up the Heart of Darkness- Courtesy Jared Inouye

Jared, Monte Cristo and the backbone of Cottonwood Ridge

Looking back

White Rim- Family, Friends and Food

Last weekend, my wife, son and I found ourselves hanging out with a great group of fellow mountain cyclist amidst the always hypnotizing red rock of Utah. Jared put the whole thing together and all of us benefited greatly. While my family and I only knew Jared and his oldest son, it made for a great outing with happy people.  The food was so good I gained weight.

We broke the 105 mile Canyonlands' White Rim Trail into two days.  It was special to watch at a distance while, Alex (my 15 year old), Ethan (Jared's 13 year old son) and Stevie (Lance's 15 year old) cast a dust trail together along the scenery loaded environment. We road the incredible loop clockwise, with day one ending at Murphy's.  A star studded sky, laughter and brats helped our amazing day reach a glorious crescendo.

On day 2 we concluded the remainder of the loop, riding from Murphy's through potato bottom, sand and up Mineral Bottom.  There were a lot of smiles at the top of Mineral, with a few gasping for new life as the 10 mile road back to the car made the sting bite a little harder.

My Shout outs:

-Stevie, the 15 year old young Jens, who absolutely attacked Mineral Bottom.

-Ethan, the only 13 year old I know to ride clean Murphys and actually laugh when he got on top!

-Alex, for your undaunted spirit entering the unknown and conquering challenges at a young age of 15.

-Marcie, for showing true grit in riding it home as a 41 year old mother of many. 

-Jared (not the Samurai), the oil-less virgin, who kept us all laughing 

-Bridgette, drove the support vehicle nearly the entire way. When asked if she could drive down Shafer, she responded "I don't know what I am getting into."

-Emily, probably the most flexible of us all and saw it through to the end. I think this was her first time mountain biking in years. But you wouldn't know it if you saw the way she scaled Mineral.

-Nanette, speed demon downhiller, mother of 2.

-Tyler, for a roadie, he took very well to the mountain clad in zinc and dust.

-Lance, the dad of mini Jens with a keen sense for locating Indian granaries

-Jeff, one of the craziest down hillers, on a bike unlikely equipped for the speed he laid down

-Landon, eight year old soccer monster, co-pilot to Bridgette

-Samurai Jared- For everything! Thank you for putting it all together.

Here's a video taken from a 15 year old's perspective of the descent of the Shafer trail (Alex)

Muscleman Arch

A few of folks on top of Murphy's

A few at the finish