What a beautiful day for ice climbing! Better yet, what a wonderful preparation day for Rainier!! Yes everyone, I am in training for tackling Mount Rainier this year. Here is how the day unfolded. Got up early and met a co-worker, Mike Jones, at his home in draper around 8am. From there we headed down to Provo Canyon and met our guide for the day. Once we had met up at Nun's Park located at Bridal Veil Falls, we geared up and started our approach to the ice fall.
Once we arrived about 300 feet above the canyon floor, Eli started the climb to begin us with a top rope. Mike went first, learning the techniques, then I went second. After that we moved over to another route call the Stairway to Heaven. We all did the first pitch then broke for lunch.
The picture below shows the complete pitch. The anchors are set just out of the picture frame.
Once we did this route we stopped for lunch, headed back up to the ridge where we were protected from the wind. Did I fail to mention it was about 25 degrees and snowing? Ya, it was a good exposure! When we finished with lunch we headed back over to the Stairway to Heaven route. By this time there were two other teams who had arrived and started climbing to the right of us.
The next picture will show the two other teams above us. Our rope and anchor location can be seen in the left of the picture. Here's the bad thing: With other climbers above you, they knock down chipped away ice. It's a common thing when ice climbing. Swing your axe and if the ice chips away, strike it again until you get a strong hold. Sometimes very large chunks of ice come off, other times the pick strikes in hard and your set.
We were able to talk Eli into doing a multi-pitch climb. So instead of coming back down once we hit the anchor, we all climbed up to the anchor, and then did another pitch up. Each pitch was about 70 feet high. Here is the beginning of the last pitch, totally on vertical ice! Stellar times!!
Once we topped out mid way up the mountain, a good thousand feet in elevation or so, we rapped back down to the bottom. From there we decided to do one more climb. This time it was our turn to go 5 feet up or so and set an anchor, or ice screw. Mike tried but couldn't find the energy. I went up next and made the first anchor and when attempting to climb up to the next lost all my energy. Down like a ton of bricks I went. Here is the really sad part. Some how my axe stayed planted and my hand came out of the sling. There I was hanging about 15 feet below my axe. I couldn't leave it up there so back up I went, with one axe! It was incredibly difficult. Like I have always heard "FEEL THE BURN, FEEL THE BURN!" And I did, all the way back up, until I got that axe back!
So for now, it looks like ice climbing is in the books of sports done! Will I go again? Who knows, like the Grand Teton climb, things were experienced that will keep me from going again. However, I will never say no if someone wants to go, I'll just hum and haw about it!!! Here is a picture that shows the complete 9 pitch route. We only made it half way up the ice fall. If you look really close, you can see another team about a fourth of the way up on the ice!! This should give you some perspective on how big the climb was.
And after every big climb, you have to look back at the bottom and enjoy the feeling of what was accomplished.
For me, I accomplished the feeling of being on ice, which is good for glacier travel on Rainier. I also accomplished setting ice screws which may some day save my life. I also received the knowledge of techniques due to experience and what to watch for while on ice. Something Freedom of the Hills book will never teach! Till the next training hike/camp (which will be soon!)....
Once we did this route we stopped for lunch, headed back up to the ridge where we were protected from the wind. Did I fail to mention it was about 25 degrees and snowing? Ya, it was a good exposure! When we finished with lunch we headed back over to the Stairway to Heaven route. By this time there were two other teams who had arrived and started climbing to the right of us.The next picture will show the two other teams above us. Our rope and anchor location can be seen in the left of the picture. Here's the bad thing: With other climbers above you, they knock down chipped away ice. It's a common thing when ice climbing. Swing your axe and if the ice chips away, strike it again until you get a strong hold. Sometimes very large chunks of ice come off, other times the pick strikes in hard and your set.We were able to talk Eli into doing a multi-pitch climb. So instead of coming back down once we hit the anchor, we all climbed up to the anchor, and then did another pitch up. Each pitch was about 70 feet high. Here is the beginning of the last pitch, totally on vertical ice! Stellar times!!Once we topped out mid way up the mountain, a good thousand feet in elevation or so, we rapped back down to the bottom. From there we decided to do one more climb. This time it was our turn to go 5 feet up or so and set an anchor, or ice screw. Mike tried but couldn't find the energy. I went up next and made the first anchor and when attempting to climb up to the next lost all my energy. Down like a ton of bricks I went. Here is the really sad part. Some how my axe stayed planted and my hand came out of the sling. There I was hanging about 15 feet below my axe. I couldn't leave it up there so back up I went, with one axe! It was incredibly difficult. Like I have always heard "FEEL THE BURN, FEEL THE BURN!" And I did, all the way back up, until I got that axe back!So for now, it looks like ice climbing is in the books of sports done! Will I go again? Who knows, like the Grand Teton climb, things were experienced that will keep me from going again. However, I will never say no if someone wants to go, I'll just hum and haw about it!!! Here is a picture that shows the complete 9 pitch route. We only made it half way up the ice fall. If you look really close, you can see another team about a fourth of the way up on the ice!! This should give you some perspective on how big the climb was.And after every big climb, you have to look back at the bottom and enjoy the feeling of what was accomplished.For me, I accomplished the feeling of being on ice, which is good for glacier travel on Rainier. I also accomplished setting ice screws which may some day save my life. I also received the knowledge of techniques due to experience and what to watch for while on ice. Something Freedom of the Hills book will never teach! Till the next training hike/camp (which will be soon!)....
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