Amazing. Got to the bottom of the falls through mid-calf new snow. Avalanche tracks to the left of the falls. Ice getting thin. The WI3 we went up last time was out, so I looked to the left at a line I thought would go at WI4. Behind DW in this pic of her in her belay coat, starting at her left ear.
My belayer:
Started with an Abalakov at waist height to protect the belayer, up the thin WI4 to a short ramp of WI3- on a rock shelf protected by a bolt. (thanks rockclimbing.com Criscokid)
Stepping onto a very thin, vertical, candlesticked, cracking section (WI5?) I managed to get a screw into an old screw hole and hooked a screamer to it (didn't trust it). About 12' up from it was a tree, so I boogied up to it (well, scratched in terror up is probably more appropriate) and slinged it.
DW on her way up nearing the mantle by the slinged tree. Kissing her life goodbye?
The next 10' is probably WI2/3, BUT, there is no ice on climber's right, only broken rock under snow, and a thin ice ramp above the tree on climber's left. Sticking the pick on the left, and hooking in a rock crack on the right, then mantling, seems to work. But it's not that easy since your feet are in really bad ice, and your butt seems to be hanging 50' or so into space as you try to walk up to the mantle.
DW looking for rock at the mantle:
Smiling at 1: finding the rock 2: getting to wear a sling bandolier
And a classic finish (surviving) to a great first for both of us:
My belayer:
Started with an Abalakov at waist height to protect the belayer, up the thin WI4 to a short ramp of WI3- on a rock shelf protected by a bolt. (thanks rockclimbing.com Criscokid)
Stepping onto a very thin, vertical, candlesticked, cracking section (WI5?) I managed to get a screw into an old screw hole and hooked a screamer to it (didn't trust it). About 12' up from it was a tree, so I boogied up to it (well, scratched in terror up is probably more appropriate) and slinged it.
DW on her way up nearing the mantle by the slinged tree. Kissing her life goodbye?
The next 10' is probably WI2/3, BUT, there is no ice on climber's right, only broken rock under snow, and a thin ice ramp above the tree on climber's left. Sticking the pick on the left, and hooking in a rock crack on the right, then mantling, seems to work. But it's not that easy since your feet are in really bad ice, and your butt seems to be hanging 50' or so into space as you try to walk up to the mantle.
DW looking for rock at the mantle:
Smiling at 1: finding the rock 2: getting to wear a sling bandolier
And a classic finish (surviving) to a great first for both of us:
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