CamelJockey

DUDE!!!! Amazing pics! Even more AMAZING video!!! WOW WOW WOW!!!

Wow, way to get after it! Sounds like a "character building" climb. Way to stay tough.

Nice work guys! We enjoyed watching you get 'err done when we got the ridge!

Nice work!!!

Trip: Chair Peak - North Face Date: 2/19/2011 Trip Report: NOTE: VIDEO LINK OF ROUTE IS BELOW Dana and I had a great climb on the North Face of Chair Peak on Saturday. It was both our first time up Chair. There was a party of 3 in front of us just getting started, so we decided to start off on pitches 1 and 2 on the left side to try to get past them and break the bottleneck. They were nice and didn't mind, and we let them know that if we did get in there way at any point, we'd give them the right of way. Fortunately, we were able to move quickly enough that this wasn't an issue. The left side was a bit steeper and harder to protect, and also more out of a way resulting in a traverse on pitch 3, but it was fine. Pitch 1: I led. Some ice, some steep snow with a hard layer of ice/hardpacked 8" down, and some steep snow with a hard layer of windcrust on top. Placed about 3 screws on first half of pitch, one up higher, and a couple of pickets. Belayed off a shitty tree branch + a bomber picket. Pitch 2: Dana led. 50 degree snow with some ice down low. Slung a tree for pro midway and then built an ice and picket anchor up top. Pitch 3: I led. We now had to traverse hard right to get back on route and over to the final couloir. Place a couple screws and belayed off a big tree. Final push to summit saddle (50 feet or so): We walked up the steep snow. Final push to true summit: I led. Set a picket for a belay and kicked steps up. About 6" of snow slabby rock, but no issues. Descent: Downclimbed easily a couple hundred feet to the notch where the rap station is. Dana did first rap on a single 60m rope and looked for the alleged intermediate rap station but no where to be found. No big deal though. The snow was great so we downclimbed the rest and I was even able to face downhill for part of it. Here is a video we put together - . I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed filming it. 3 hour approach. 2.5 hours to summit saddle. Left car at 7AM, back at 5PM. 10 hours total for the day. Rick and Dana Gear Notes: 60 meter rope. 7 screws (we used about 5). I'd recommend half shorter ones (10s or 13s) and half 16s. 3 pickets - used them all. Brought a rock rack and never had to use it. Approach Notes: Used snowshoes. Deep snow. We carried over our snowshoes as opposed to leave in basin. 2.5 hours to ridge. 30 min to base of route. Moat was a breeze to get around. Just stayed below it. And we descended without snowshoes although putting them on would have helped.

I'm not very good at ratings, but I'd say the right line, where you see my climbing partner in the pic above, is probably WI3 or WI3+. The left line, which you can't fully see in the pic but crosses over the upward & right trending ice depression seen in the pic is less steep overall - maybe WI3.

Trip: Leavenworth Ice - Millennium Wall Date: 1/15/2011 Trip Report: Millenium Wall was still in great shape even after the warm spell that hit the State. Josh and I climbed it on Saturday, Jan 15 2011. The ice was a bit wet but thick, plastic(y), and easy to protect with screws. Enjoy this incredibly cheesy video that shows the conditions - http://www.vimeo.com/18835556. Best viewed while drinking beers and wearing baggy pants from the 80s. FYI - Rainbow Falls looked thinner and was flowing, but potentially still climbable on the left side. We did not walk up to explore. Gear Notes: 2 60m double ropes (the route is just shy of 30 meters from bottom to the tree anchor so a single 60m would be fine as well). 6-8 screws to protect the route (ice is a tad thinner down low so maybe bring 1 shorter screw, but standard length is fine for the majority of the route). Cordelette/webbing for the tree anchor up top. Approach Notes: Bootpack was great. Bring snowshoes though or you'll be punching through every 20 steps.