Rock Climbing – Ice Climbing – Ski Mountaineering
An unpublished account from a two week trip to Joshua Tree National Park in January and February 2024. Two new crack climbers set to work in splitter granite paradise, covering as many moderate classics as possible, and getting sandbagged along the way. A full tick list and recommendations is included for new Josh climbers.
On October 26th and 27th, 2024, Bobbi Clemmer and I did a Saturday/Sunday double dip in Grand Teton National Park, climbing the Reticent Wall (5.8, III) on Saturday and joining Lainey Fellows and Will Dietz for a classic Baxter's Pinnacle lap on Sunday. It's been another wonderful, intense and memorable alpine climbing season in Grand... Continue Reading →
On October 17th Lainey Fellows and I linked Cardiac Aretes, Annals Of Time and Dihedral Of Horrors for an absolutely classic day on three of Death Canyon's finest 5.9 routes - The Ship's Prow Triple.
A manic two day strike to "Idaho's El Capitan" with Jed Porter. Astro Elephant was astronomical - Jed called it Steck-Salathe and Epinephrine caliber - I've never climbed anything quite like it. On the way we climbed an excellent unnamed 7 pitch 5.9 slab on the Super Slab. The Elephant's Perch is a monolithic 1,000... Continue Reading →
We've been climbing in the Tetons all summer - it was time to head west. Bell Mountain's Northwest Face stole the show as an excellent sustained fourth class scramble on a remote and gigantic Idaho Peak, and White Mountain brought a long enduro ridge traverse to the tallest peak in the Salmon River Range.
On July 4th, 2024, Chase Krumholz and I completed the first ascent of Chilly Dogs (5.10-, III), a six pitch extension of Hot Dogs (5.9, I) on the south face of Storm Point. The route features nice selection of exciting and adventurous pitches in an accessible area, with a streamlined descent.
On Saturday September 21st, 2024, Greg Gwinn and I attempted to repeat the long forgotten Vas Defrens on Cathedral Rock, a 1000 foot "5.9 R" established by the legendary Jim Beyer and Buck Tilly in 1978.
On September 15th, 2024, Chris Morelli and I thrutched, wormed and grunted up the Snaz, an old-school, mega classic, ten pitch 5.10- on the commanding 1000 foot wall of Cathedral Buttress. I led all the crux pitches, and eight out of nine total pitches, which provided a far different challenge than swinging leads on the same climb two summers ago.
On September 8th, 2024, Bobbi Clemmer and I climbed the classic Southeast "Buckingham" Ridge on the 12,809 foot Middle Teton via an overnight camp in the South Fork of Garnet Canyon. It was Bobbi's first time swinging leads on an alpine climb, at pretty darn high elevation no less.
On August 15th Drew Grasso and I scurried the Upper Exum Ridge (5.5, II) for his first, and my thirteenth, Grand Teton summit. This was my third time on the route, but only the second with a rope. On this day we aimed to find the perfect balance between minimalism and security for a roped ascent. Here lies an exceedingly nerdy article oriented towards climbers, detailing our light rack and specific techniques for moving through this notoriously long 1000' route with a short 30 meter rope.
Ten Thousand Too Far 