Rock Climbing – Ice Climbing – Ski Mountaineering
On Saturday July 13th Bobbi Clemmer and I attempted a Cloudveil Traverse, a classic seven peak link up following the skyline ridge connecting the South Teton to Nez Perce. Due to a few unexpected steep snow crossings and a critical route finding mistake by your's truly we were forced to retreat 150 feet from the summit of the final peak.
On April 24th, 2024 I rose early and kept an open solo itinerary that resulted in a link-up of routes on the Dike Pinnacle, South Teton and Wanda Pinnacle. All three routes had been on my radar for years, and it was especially meaningful to link them in a single logical push.
Albright, Static and Buck is the classic, but I think this one might be more logical, at least for skiing. A ~7000 vertical foot day, somewhere in the realm of 10-13 miles, on the three peaks that crown the Stuart Draw drainage - one of the best this season.
Pre-Sunrise view from the saddle of Darby Canyon's South Fork I first heard mention of the Big Four Traverse, albeit not by that name, five years ago while picking the brain of a veteran lift mechanic over morning coffee at Grand Targhee Resort. He spoke of the four remote, seldom skied and closely grouped peaks,... Continue Reading →
Carl getting a second cup of coffee and watching the sun rise over Baldy Mountain. At 4:00AM Easter morning, Carl Osterburg and I met at the pitch black and unsurprisingly empty Pole Canyon trailhead in Victor, Idaho. We both live in town, so the drive was less than five minutes from the confines a warm... Continue Reading →
Ten Thousand Too Far 