[TR] Dec 1- 6 Bozeman - Cody - Many 12/1/2010

[cfire]

Trip: Dec 1- 6 Bozeman - Cody - Many

 

Date: 12/1/2010

 

Trip Report:

Team Geezer decided an early ice trip was in order to burn the turkey off and get ourselves scared before the end of the year. We soaked ourselves in balm to loosen the joints and gorged on drink and food the week before for conditioning. Geezer1 drove up from PDX and we loaded the Mobile Climbing Assault Vehicle in Seattle for the long drive East.

A late start meant we arrived in Bozeman at midnight and set up camp in the Wal-Mart parking lot and drank a few beers. A restful night sleep interupted by the '67 Jeep truck with a snowplow on the front that the Wal-Mart manager paid $25 to clear ice from the lot ALL night.

 

Since we only planned on one day in Hyalite, we wanted to do something we hadn't climbed before, so we headed to the Unnamed Wall. We loosened the joints on The Fat One, then moved over to The Thrill is Gone. Locals said it was as fat as they had seen. Great fun on mostly ice and a bit of mixed in the corner.

After that we moved further left and jumped on The Good Looking One. Fantastic climb on tenuous icicles!

 

A fine day and it was back on the road to head to Cody. We rolled into town around 9pm and met up with Geezer1's friend Jon and wife Heather that lived there. They graciously offered their parking lot and a plug for the camper and a hot bowl of chili and cold beer for us. Wonderful hosts! We talked about conditions and how dry it was in this area and avi hazards were usually very low. We went to bed, only to wake in the middle of the night to rain?!?!? It rained all night. We left town for the South Fork wondering what kind of luck we were in for.

 

Since neither Geezer1 nor I had ever been to Cody, we were at Jon's mercy to guide us to the best the South Fork had to offer, and did he deliver. With the warm temps, we weren't sure we wanted to brave the river crossing, so Jon suggested Smoked Turkey as a good starter. Lucky for us he was there as the Irishman and I would have wandered around in the sage for hours looking for the right drainage. An hour's hike in the heavy snow got us to the base.

A few steps of WI3 and what seemed like miles of wallowing in waist deep snow up the drainage brought us to Drumstick. The hardest pitch of the week for me followed. A soaking wet cone led to a 18" pillar to overhanging ice. All done with water pouring off of the top. Full value!

 

The next day we decided to go for Mean Green. After tip-toeing across the river, we followed one set of tracks that had thankfully been set the day before in the heavy snow, so minimal wallowing was needed.

Pitch 1

Pitch 3

Pitch 4

2 Geezers and one young buck high on Mean Green

 

 

What a great climb in a fantastic location. A definate must do.

 

The next day, our last, we had visions of coming back across the river and getting on High on Boulder for our finale. Jon had to return to reality and go to work, so it was up to us 2 to find the motivation. However, a night of drinking beers and watching the local scene at Cassies left our motivation the next morning very low. We decided a easier approach climb was in order as Geezer1's head was pounding and I wasn't feeling overly peppy.

 

Broken Hearts

Sweating out beer in the sun

I love the ice!

A nice day to end the trip with multiple pitches of ice and walking to sweat out the beer and enjoy the sun. The descent wasn't very fun though as sliding down steep scree slopes with 6" of slushy snow on top is tough on these old bones.

 

The long drive home came easier after having such a great trip in the best of company. Go do it!

 

Approach Notes:

Crux of the trip...dodging deer on the South Fork rd every morning and evening. More deer than I have ever seen.

[John Frieh]

I see the AirDyne is working: nice lead Donn!

[cfire]

Don't know what the AirDyne is, or who Donn is, but I'll take credit for the lead!!

[sean_beanntan]

Great TR Chris but you left out a photo of the "Drumstick" which had me wanting my brown trousers for sure. It was a proud lead on the wet verticality.

[t_rutl]

[DonnV]

I see the AirDyne is working: nice lead Donn!

So the word "Geezer" makes you think of me, John? Thanks for the props on the lead, but Rodney and I were a couple days behind them on MG.

[genepires]

cody...must be the best ice climbing in lower 48, easy.

[iain]

Looking good for a couple of geezers!

 

Nice to see the pod making an appearance in the first picture too.

 

 

 

Look at your guide... now back to me... now back to your guide... now back to me.

[sean_beanntan]

Hey the patch comes attached to the arm, well at least to the R1 Hoody, what can I say Mr Iain, Its hard to get off the patch....... esp when its cold outside.

 

[John Frieh]

I see the AirDyne is working: nice lead Donn!

So the word "Geezer" makes you think of me, John? Thanks for the props on the lead, but Rodney and I were a couple days behind them on MG.

 

I saw the old school quarks and figured it was you! My bad! Regardless well done on Mean Green dude! Give me a call next time you head that way I'd love to tag along