OlegV

Sweet!

Hmm, just called the Jenny Lake Ranger Station and EXUM. Both are sceptical about any ice presence in the Black Ice Couloir in July. They had hot June. Maybe on the Enclosure couloir and the Northwest couloir of Middle Teton. I am thinking the North Face of Grand Teton should be in better shape. Any experiences up there in summer?

Thanks, Couloir. We chose not to do the 'standard' cleaver because of the substantial rock fall. My partner was nearly hit by a big rock. He dogged it, and the rock actually scratched his boot. The temperatures stayed way above freezing even during the night.

Great job Sky! - as usual . Sick too

Curiously, they still have Black Ice Couloir in their guiding program: http://www.exumguides.com/elite/alpineice.shtml

Thanks! I'll probably need to get a book first and read up on the routes you recomended before asking stupid questions. Biving in snow caves in Idaho! What a cool idea Does it mean the ice got thinner all other the Tetons Range, or just the south-facing slopes? Global warming sucks.

Planning my first climbing trip to Teton range in early July. Interested in moderately hard mixed routes, like Black Ice and Enclosure Couloir. Anybody climbed these or similar routes in July? I heard it gets much icier later in season. Is July too early for this? Thanks!

Thanks for the compliment, Nordicpunk! The book describes it as dangeous, so people avoid it. You probably saw the trail of debries at the base of the climb, the proof of its violent nature. But I think by staying to the left, one can avoid icecliffs. There is rockfall though.

Great job, guys! We climbed Nisqually Cleaver few weeks ago. I am surprised this aesthetic route doesn't receive much traffic - it's the only semi-technical route on the south side (Muir approach) of Rainier. I can’t believe majority of people take the DC route - it maybe good for the West Butt training but not for enjoyment of climbing. In terms of danger, the DC has plenty of ice and rock fall potential. Back in the 50s, Nisqually was heavily traveled. The cleaver potentially has multiple lines of ascent, some are very steep.

So, are there trully mixed lines on Grand? Probably in winter?

I feel you pain, man. We spent the last 3 days postholing 6000 vertical of 1-2 ft deep snow on the west side of Rainier.

Hey Chad, You, dudes are fast! Nice work up there! The pictures are very cool. So, how much of actual rock climbing did you have?

Pandora, you did a great job up there! I salute your guts crossing Nisqually crevasses. I imagine they were filled in when you did the cliff. We found lots of open holes and the ice shelf looked kinda broken. Oleg

I might be interested.

good motivation, great job

Hey Chad! Just by looking at the pictures, I'd say the climbing technicalities approach the NF of Hunter: steep, sustained and lots of fun! Great job, guys! The pictures are incredible!!!

Very very nice!!!

Awesome trip, great pictures guys!!! Well done! I want to do this route one day

Here is some better images of the route: Approaching lower ice cliffs Crossing the upper shrund: Climbing the cleaver: Climbing the upper part of Nisqually Ice Fall

Thanks! The line we climbed, I think, is an undescribed variation of the Nisqually cleaver, because we never set our feet on the ice cliff traverse and continued to climb up along the right slope of Nisqually Cleaver. Besides, we avoided the top of the Gibs Rock and traversed across to meet the DC at 13500 feet.

... they climbed with much less sofisticated equipment: single long axe, static ropes, hooks and no gortex.

just witnesses I recall

agree; favorable strength/weight ratio plus motivation

Pandora again... we were continuously looking for her footprints - they all gone, of cause. Actually, the way this route is shaped right now, would make any solo a bad idea. It is not technically difficult, but heavily crevassed - something special about the upper Nisqually. Did she solo it all the way? We found the upper Nisqually requires more concentration than the cleaver. Anyway, it's a beautiful and fairly relaxing line, apart from high objective danger and route navigation. This girls has balls.