Rock Climbing – Ice Climbing – Ski Mountaineering
On Sunday June 23rd Justin Gilbert and I clawed up the equally remarkable and unexpectedly difficult 1961 South Buttress route on the 1400 foot East Face of Table Mountain. 10 pitches, 15 hours, 15 miles and 5000 vertical feet later we were slightly busted, but far more stoked.
The Needles host some of the boldest old-school trad lines in the country, with rich history on amazing granite pillars. Bobbi Clemmer, Carl Osterburg, Bailey Haus and I sampled some of the moderate four-star classics over two days, including Threading the Needle (5.8+ R/X), Tricouni Nail (5.8 R) and Tent Peg (5.7 R).
Seizure Disorder is a single pitch 5.10- variation to the original South Ridge (5.9, II, 5 pitches) route on Baxter's Pinnacle. No Perches Necessary is a short but worthy two pitch affair at the mouth of Cascade Canyon, featuring a stellar and sustained 5.9 fist crack, and a bold 5.8R runout slab pitch. On October 20th, 2022 Jordan Creech and I linked the two routes for one seven pitch day of excellent lowland climbing in the Tetons.
Peaches is an adventurous four pitch, grade two, 5.8 rock climb established by Yvon Chouinard and Kathryn Collins in 1980, and has seen few repeats since. Though only graded 5.8, if twenty foot runouts above small brass nuts puts bees in your bonnet, this might not be the climb for you.
The Dike Route is a captivating 3000' alpine climb that ascends the east face of the 12,809' Middle Teton and it's eastern sub-peak, the 12,350' Dike Pinnacle, by way of a striking diabase dike gawked at by Garnet Canyon travelers far and wide. The "climb" is better classified as a full spectrum mountaineering adventure, with technical rock climbing up to 5.6, route finding difficulties, loose rock, several rappels, a runout traverse pitch, excessive third class scrambling, a long descent and mandatory steep snow crossings. On August 20th, 2022 I ticked the long desired beast with my girlfriend, Bobbi Clemmer, as her first grade IV - an epic one to say the least.
A simple photo journal of three great days climbing around Moab with John Modlish and Mila Deych on their way out of town. As a crew of four we climbed two buttes in Canyonlands National Park, Canyon Point and The Sphinx, and enjoyed three days of roadside cragging at Wall Street, where Bobbi Clemmer projected... Continue Reading →
One year ago (Sept. 2020) I bought my first pair of climbing shoes. My cardinal goal was simple - 5.11 by day 365. By month 11 the chains were clipped, and along the way I learned many lessons. From sport to trad, alpine faces to lowland boulders, I pushed my limits. This article is a distillation of my first year climbing experience - the article I wish I read as a budding and infinitely inspired young climber.
Ten Thousand Too Far 