Jens Posted July 3, 2006 Posted July 3, 2006 I climbed Willis Wall on Saturday with Loren Campbell. Last weekend while climbing Liberty ridge with Kelly M., I made the plan in my head. I noticed that a large bergschrund ran across the base of the face. I also observed a Hiroshima-mushroom cloud-sized avalanche roar down the face, so the prospect of biving high on the Carbon glacier was not appealing. As a result of those observations, Loren and I opted to climb lower Curtis Ridge and bivy. When the alarm went off, the temp. was a balmy 36 degrees. I had doubts about a July ascent and especially on such a warm night. (We heard constant rockfall throughout the night). From the bivy, we traversed down and out onto Willis Wall above the schrund. There was little moon and the night was completely dark. We were lost on the face! We thought we had traversed to far right as we though we could make out liberty ridge immediatley to our right so we began traversing back left. We traversed left a long ways and when the sun rose, we realized we had traversed all the way back to Curtis Ridge! We had gained little vertical but instead were going back and forth over ribs. We climbed a short rock step on Curtis Ridge and then traversed all the way right again untill we were near the central rib of willis wall (We were stupid traversing back and forth on Willis). We looked up to see the seracs towering straight above us sevaral thousand feet up. We were scared. As the sun hit the face, the face came alive. Every few seconds, rocks would whistle through the air. We climbed endless mixed and ice sections straight up the gully toward the seracs. Loren's many seasons of waterfall ice climbing really came through as we quickly raced through several thousand feet of AI2ish black ice and mixed rock. The rockfall was insane. Loren got hit on the helmet,one tagged the top of my backpack, and really small one bounced and hit me on the thigh. A July ascent in above freezing conditions was clearly a time to climb as fast as possible. We finally reached the "traverse of angels" that is described in Beckey's book. A portion of the traverse had either collapsed or melted out. We climbed a rock step to the right and joined the snow ramp that the "traverse of angels" becomes. We were able to get on top of the middle serrac. (For you ice world cup types- the central serrac could be climbed at AI6 whereas the left serrac would shut anyone down). Above the serracs, a short steep pitch took us through one more overhanging band. Loren's amazing fitness was evident as he blazed for the top out in a near sprint. We flattened out at 13,600 and then traversed over and slogged up to columbia crest and register rock. It was most definitely the most hazardous situation I have ever been in. The descnet down the Emmons was gloppy. Quote
scot'teryx Posted July 3, 2006 Posted July 3, 2006 Holy Crap, I read about you guys here: http://www.randosaigai.com/fuhrerfinger.htm  Way to go Jens and Loren, f'in hairball! Quote
scottgg Posted July 3, 2006 Posted July 3, 2006 I thought I caught you casting a few mischevious glances towards willis wall last weekend! I think the guide books advice on "the wall" goes something like this: "...load up on carbs, throw up a few hail-marys, and dont stop until your at the top!" Quote
Otto Posted July 3, 2006 Posted July 3, 2006 Way to go, Jens! Didn't know I was training with an ice star those few times. Quote
olyclimber Posted July 3, 2006 Posted July 3, 2006 Damn! Congrats on the climb and for living through that! I suppose you were too busy dodging falling crap to take any pictures? Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted July 3, 2006 Posted July 3, 2006 F'n A! Â Find someone to go to the Mordwand with yet? Quote
JayB Posted July 3, 2006 Posted July 3, 2006 Wow. Impressive. Glad you're alive. Â How long has it been since the previous summit via Willis Wall? Quote
CascadeClimber Posted July 3, 2006 Posted July 3, 2006 Here are a few pics:  Directly in the firing line  Fingers crossed as we head up to the Traverse of Angels  Just past the Traverse of Angels. I have a short video from this spot that I'll post later.  Jens turning the last obstacle before the summit ice cap.  I took quite a few pictures between Thursday night, when we left White River, and Saturday when we got back there, but not a ton on Willis itself. For the first two hours it was dark, and for the last two hours we were hauling ass from one pseudo-safe spot to the next. Quote
pup_on_the_mountain Posted July 3, 2006 Posted July 3, 2006 Amazed, I am . Balls of steel, you have . Quote
Jens Posted July 3, 2006 Author Posted July 3, 2006 F'n A! Â Find someone to go to the Mordwand with yet? No. Anyone have 2 weeks off in August? -Jens Klubberud Quote
G-spotter Posted July 4, 2006 Posted July 4, 2006 Damn, that's pretty bold. Especially on a warm day in July. Quote
G-spotter Posted July 4, 2006 Posted July 4, 2006 bold: courageous, daring, foolhardy, brave, etc. Quote
CascadeClimber Posted July 4, 2006 Posted July 4, 2006 Damn, that's pretty bold. Especially on a warm day in July. Â First summer ascent? Â Quote
G-spotter Posted July 4, 2006 Posted July 4, 2006 Did you bring a little bit of ice back for some margaritas? Quote
Gary_Yngve Posted July 4, 2006 Posted July 4, 2006 bold: courageous, daring, foolhardy, brave, etc. Â Antonyms: meek, timid, weak, prude, unadventurous, insecure, cowardly, etc. Â Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted July 4, 2006 Posted July 4, 2006 Antonyms: meek, timid, weak, prude, unadventurous, insecure, cowardly, etc. Â Ew, I like $100,000 pyramid. Â Umm... Things that Gary Yngve is intimately familiar with... Â Quote
slothrop Posted July 4, 2006 Posted July 4, 2006 STFU, wank. Gary-bashing is getting real old. Â Another bold climb from the daring duo. Nice job, guys. Quote
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