Our plan: Modest alpine climbing outside the park, starting on the Bird Camp Mine Road.
Our reality: Crowded routes, many of which were only marginally in condition.
Our response: Climbing in the park!
Amazing face across the Mine Road. But, no ice up there, even in The Ribbon.Some big bowls up there.Hairpin turn on the Camp Bird Mine Road.Triple bolts. We don’t mess around.Our master point. “The bigger the knot, the easier it is to untie.”Johnny vaults the railing with elegance and ease.Preparing to rap.Saddle bag configuration makes rapping neat & tidy.Johnny: Embodiment of style & elegance.Sondra builds another anchor under Jodi’s watchful eye.Sondra clips the master point into a screw, making a re-direct around some gnarly ice at the top of the pitch.In the epic battle for supremacy between guide and mountain, Sondra comes out on top every time.Sondra makes this look so easy….T$ swings for the fences.Teresa climbs like a pro.Chris’s reach approaches that of Merle.Chris Hagerty: Miserable.Just totally, completely miserable up here.See why we like to wear eye pro? Allison shatters the mountain.Kim Hess.Crowded today, but enough spacing keeps us safe.Johnny really leans into his work.Sondra Ripperger rocks the belay.Jodi explores an ice cave.Jodi hooks in above a bulge.Ross reaches for glory.Ever the attentive belayer.Tools of the trade.Johnny demonstrates best technique for building an abalakov.We are rapt with attention.Screwing the ice.“Here’s what not to do…”As a parasitologist, I tend to view the world through the lens of worms. To me, this looks like the maw of Ancylostomoa dudenale.Hookworm head. I’m not wrong….Jodi dances on ice.Ross cruises ever upwards.Team Merle on the way out. Allison hauls both ropes. She’s like that.Admiring the ice on our way out for the day.Clear skies above, but the gorge is in deep shadow. Check the climber in blue for scale….Closeup of this climber.
