powderhound Posted January 9, 2014 Posted January 9, 2014 Trip: Cody, Wyoming, America - Broken Hearts, Festering Ice, Sendero & Dunces Date: 1/1/2013 Trip Report: This summer Colin and I took a trip out to Steins Pillar. Steins is one of my favorite summits in Oregon, providing tool free camping, many pitches through climbing history and some actual decent climbing, I usually make at least one summit a year. As Colin and I were swilling our last sips of PBR and gazing towards the twin pillars we talked of the upcoming fall. Colin starting his first year in Med School and I still fresh out of public accounting were thinking towards winter and icicles. At some point over delicious food cooked on the stove and fires flashing upwards towards the moon we cemented plans for a trip to Cody, Wyoming. I am the first to admit that promises I make over a fire and booze filled do not come to fruition. However, as my life has become more domesticated there has been a strong correlation to how important and cherished I find my climbing trips. These climbing trips allow me to reboot and relish in the simple pleasures in life (for example: taking your boots off after your long first day of flat footing it). Colin and I kept in touch through the fall and around November we were itching for something to look forward to, something to get us through the holidays, tests, and a new job. We committed to Cody, I reserved and threw down the $’s to reserve a loft in town. To sweeten the deal, my climbing mentor and great friend Trevor Bowman was visiting his parents in Sheridan and was stoked to join us in Cody. Trevor and I had not climbed in the South Fork since college and our last memories includes jimmin' our buddy Spencer’s car to get out of the wind and drink his beer as he was epicing on Stringer:) Needless to say we were all very stoked, plenty of text and voicemails later Colin and I rolled east at five am and trucked to Cody. We arrived to a wonderful host, rented this loft a few blocks from the Irma with a full kitchen, tv, shower, everything for about $80. Next time you stay in Cody, consider VBRO or AIRBNB and give your money to the locals, they really appreciate it:) Colin, Trevor and I had a wonderful time in the south fork, we dodged deer, tramped up the drainage's, climbed some great ice, and all really enjoyed spending the new years chasing dogs and dancing at the silver dollar saloon. Overall, this trip exceeded my expectations and am proud to ring out 2013 and ring in 2014 with some truly great humans, thanks Colin and Trevor! Conditions were prime except for the wind……..enough blabbering from Bickle here are the pics: Approaching Broken Hearts Broken Hearts Pitch 1 Broken Hearts Pitch 2 Fun climbing between pitches Broken Hearts Pitch 3 My Only Valentine and something hard Approaching Festering Ice, it was a lot longer from the car than anticipated, or maybe that I sleep at 200 feet elevation Trevor getting the goods on festering ice, we estimated it at 35M but was quite foreshortened, more like 50M. January 1 and Having FUN! On our way across the bench to Sendero Working my way up Sendero! Great ice and sticks, not picked out, however, the dinner plates and 2/3rds bottle of Bulleit Bourbon Rye from the night before gave me a bit of hassle towards the top. With the week coming to a close we decided to head up schoolhouse and try for classroom bully with a full rock rack and heavy legs. Always more involved than it seems from the car Our resident Euro (ColinB) Schoolhouse Pitch 1 Schoolhouse Pitch 2 Schoolhouse Pitch 3 Trevor starting The Dunces Corner Having Fun! What an amazing pitch, took screws the whole way, the steeper ice below was fun and solid the upper bit a bit easier but far more heady. We intended to climb another day but a change in weather forecast prompted a return back to Portland. Can't wait to get back! Gear Notes: Deer Guard: preferably one that scoops them up and puts them nicely in your truck bed to take home for your freezer. Approach Notes: A car that can handle 30mph side wind Quote
wayne Posted January 9, 2014 Posted January 9, 2014 Great report B! Looking forward to my long planned trip there in a few weeks. Quote
spionin Posted January 9, 2014 Posted January 9, 2014 super cool, bryan et al! love the prose in the intro Quote
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