Rock Climbing – Ice Climbing – Ski Mountaineering
The Otterbody Snowfield is a 1,700 foot fairy tale ski mountaineering descent, 7,000 feet in full, on the East Face of the Grand Teton. On March 30th, 2025, I had the pleasure of descending the route with Hayden Evans and Julian Winston.
On May 20th, 2024, I made the third descent of the "Buck Triple", linking the Bubble Fun, Newc and Northwest Couloirs for a near 8,000 foot day of tremendous steep skiing on the north face of Buck Mountain. From what I can gather this is the first time the Buck Triple has been completed solo, and the third descent in total.
Styrofoam Boots, also known as Spinxinated and formally the "Unknown Route", is an ephemeral gem that only forms "every decade or so" on the North Face of Sphinx Mountain. For us it was difficult and testing mixed climb of the highest quality - the route's first ascent of the season and perhaps of many years.
On November 30th Bobbi and I dusted off the Thanksgiving rust with a quick lap on the Tahquitz moderate classic, Fingertrip.
Adventure Punks is a rarity for Red Rocks, with five straight crack pitches, little face climbing and no lead bolts. The first pitch is 30+ meters of the best flake laybacking you'll ever do, but weighs in at the eye catching grade of 5.10b R/X, thereby limiting traffic on this otherwise classic line.
On Tuesday November 10th, 2025, Bobbi Clemmer, Joy Seward and I climbed Edge Dressing via Chasing Shadows on Mescalito Dome. Woah - what a final pitch!
Montana's revered Hyalite Canyon is one of the best North American venues for learning mixed climbing and drytooling, two invaluable skills for serious winter climbers. Below are my five favorite beginner mixed routes in Hyalite, presented as a progression culminating with the "best single pitch mixed climb in the United States" - The Thrill Is Gone (M4+, WI4).
On Sunday November 8th I climbed my 2025 dream route, onsighting every pitch of Rock Warrior (5.10b, 6 pitches, 800') on the storied Black Velvet Wall of Red Rocks Canyon. I was joined by Bobbi Clemmer and Joy Seward, who both proudly flashed the route.
Joy Seward joined the Alpine Peanut and I for a week of climbing in Red Rocks. On November 7th we kicked the trio trip off with Bourbon Street, a varied 700 foot route on the north face of Whiskey Peak, by way of the excellent 5.10a single pitch variation Raindance.
On November 6th, 2025, Bobbi Clemmer and I scored a quick lap on the unique Lotta Balls in First Creek Canyon. The namesake pitch was perhaps the most bizarre I've climbed anywhere.
On our way to Death Valley from a tortoise course in Ridgecrest, Bobbi Clemmer and I impulsively dipped our toes into the renowned multi-pitch granite of Whitney Portal. In two short days we climbed the Beckey Route on El Segundo Buttress, and Nimbus on Whitney Portal Buttress. Both were excellent.
On October 30th I redpointed the notorious Run For Your Life (5.10b R) in Joshua Tree National Park, after taking a huge fall from the final move 24 hours earlier. This article is a trip report in essay form, examining the polarizing topic of traditional climbing ethics.
Spaceshot is one of the classic moderate clean aid routes and introductory big walls of North America, following a continuous 900 foot crack system in the heart of Zion National Park.
Ten Thousand Too Far 