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TR: Hyalite Canyon, Montana - Ice 12/22-12/25


jstreet

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About 4 weeks ago, in an effort not to be stranded home alone on Christmas, I emailed an invite to go ice climbing during the 4 day xmas weekend to as many potential ice climbing partners as I could think of. I knew my odds of finding a partner where low because most people have family and places to be on Christmas. Many weeks went by and I still had not found anyone to climb with. I was just about to give up in despair when Tom Lewis, one of the sharpest climbers that I know in the Mountaineers, contacted me and said “Let’s go!”. Yeaahaaa! Let the adventure begin!

 

Originally I had proposed going to Lilloette, BC but we decided to head to Banks Lake in eastern Washington instead because it was closer and easier to get to and we thought that there should be something over there that would be in and that we could climb. So off to Banks Lake we drove early Friday morning. We arrived at the lake in the late morning and were aghast at the essentially total lack of climbable ice. Yikes! What were we going to do? We’re going to drive to Hyalite Canyon near Bozeman, Montana that’s what. But wait… the canyon usually becomes inaccessible by xmas due to snow. A quick call to the local Bozeman mountaineering shop confirms that the road to the canyon is still drivable to it’s end… thank god for the very dry start of winter they are having out there. With the pedal to the medal we make Bozeman, Montana by Friday evening. It’s dam cold, just the way we like it. Let the fun begin!

 

At the crack of dawn on Saturday we drive the long windy road to the trailhead in Hyalite Canyon and do a circuit of climbs in an area of the canyon know as “Genesis” returning to our car just before dark real tired puppies. Back to Bozeman, dry and re-rack and stack gear, soak in a hot tub, eat, and then sleep. Up at the crack of dawn on Sunday we once again arise and travel that windy road back to the canyon in the butt cold. Out of the car and up the canyon we march for a while to attack a 4 pitch route known as “Dribbles” (WI-4). We manage to find “Dribbles” and make our way up it as the glorious sunshine begins to appear for the first time since arriving. From high on our perch of rock and ice the canyon, the mountains, and our tired bodies are delightfully basked in its warmth. Life doesn’t get better than this! Once again we arrive back at our car just before dark and make our way back to Bozeman. This time to a relaxing evening before the long drive home on Monday.

 

Here are some photos…

 

Jeff leads the 3rd pitch of “Dribbles” (WI-4) in the glorious sunshine

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Tom starts his lead up "Genesis I" (WI-3+)

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Tom heads up towards "Genesis II" after leading "Genesis I"

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Tom leads up the steep start of "Genesis II" (WI-3+/4)

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Tom on his lead up "Genesis II" (WI-3+/4) begins to attack the final steep section

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Jeff topping out on "Genesis II"'s final steep section

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Jeff leading "Through Four More" (WI-4)

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Tom pauses in the splendor of the Montana mountains on our way to our next climb

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Tom starts his lead up "Hang Over" (WI-3/3+)

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Tom forges his lead high up "Hang Over" (WI-3/3+)

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Approaching "Dribbles" (WI-4)

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Jeff starts his lead up pitch 1 of "Dribbles"

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Tom starts his lead up pitch 2 of "Dribbles"

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The view across the canyon from "Dribbles" as the sky begins to clear and the sun begins to shine

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Good work guys... Hyalite is always worth the drive if the road is in :tup:

 

[soapbox]Consider writing a letter to the bozeman chronicle about Hyalite access (check out the hyalite canyon thread in this forum)... imagine having to xcountry ski from below the dam to these climbs![/soapbox]

 

Next time you hike up to do dribbles check out RFM... muy bueno :tup:

 

And G2 is a more WI3/3+ than WI4 (especially this year)... still very much a great climb!

 

If anybody is gonna be there this weekend (28th-1st) give me a shout! :wazup:

 

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Being that ice ratings are one of the hardest grading systems for people to get a feel for (espicielly WA/OR based ice climbers) I thought it appropriate to offer some insight into G2's rating before jstreet (or perhaps someone else on this page who saw this TR) headed to Cody or somewhere else and jumped on a 4 there.

 

Was not meant to take away from this great TR.

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No worries about G2 route rating comment John. Thats what I figured your motivation was. Tom took the hardest line up the route which certianly seemed like at least WI-3+ to me. If the steep sections were a little longer I might call it a WI 4-. I've actaully climbed quite a few WI-4 routes and the steeper sections are longer and overall more sustained.

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No worries about G2 route rating comment John. Thats what I figured your motivation was. Tom took the hardest line up the route which certianly seemed like at least WI-3+ to me. If the steep sections were a little longer I might call it a WI 4-. I've actaully climbed quite a few WI-4 routes and the steeper sections are longer and overall more sustained.

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