The Front Range mixed ice season has gotten off to a rather wobbly start. Ever since my return from Canada things have seemed a bit off. And it was not to long after my return that the first sharp blow came. My good friend and climbing mate Chris Mason had taken a near life-ending tumble on the North Chimney of Long's Peak. It was his first go at the casual route on the Diamond and he was more than prepared having recently lead most of the pitches up 'Birds of Fire' on Chiefshead. As best we can tell, he took a direct hit from rockfall while simul-climbing and fell unconscious until the rope went tight. He is on the long road to recovery, thankful that he will have another chance.
Then came the rain...setting records all along the Front Range. Our streams and creeks became raging waterways. Homes in Boulder, Lyons, Longmont and numerous mountain towns were destroyed or damaged by the onslaught. Major highways accessing the Estes Park Valley were washed away. Boulder Canyon, Eldorado Springs and Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park all shut down and inaccessible.
Blow number three...our friends in Washington D.C. refused to raise the debt ceiling and pushed non-essential government services into shut down.
Despite these setbacks, the climbing life goes on...and the adventures continue...
Billy and I made our first foray up to the Mt. Evans cirque to check out some possible mixed lines as our warm-up for the season.
The climbing was all dry tooling, with the ice smears only thin dribbles. I don't believe this gully has a name but it yielded 3 easy pitches of M3-4 and with a short scramble put us on the 14,264' summit of Mt. Evans. On the hike out we noted the top out of at least three interesting gullies starting from the upper Chicago Lake, which we believe are known climbs and might make a nice future outing.
Billy works his way up the broken terrain.
Me on the summit.
On the 29th of September Martin and I headed South to Pike's Peak. The classic 'Total Abandon' routinely comes into condition this time of year. Even with an early start we were the 2nd climbing party in line waiting for the Pike's Road gate to open at 7:30am. Reaching the base of the climb as the 1st group started gave us a little siesta time. Martin bravely started up the 1st pitch as the first group's second began following the 2nd pitch. Martin took a couple direct hits from ice falling above, one pineapple sized chunck hitting him square in the pack! A good reason to wear a pack?
I took the rope for the 2nd pitch up the chandeliered chimney. Not too strenuous if you just 'put your back into it'. Screws went in, but airy ice isn't very nice. WI4
After topping the curtain I lead up to an awkward iced corner that required some delicate stemming moves to overcome. Martin attacked this corner with the direct approach. M5
The last pitch looked fairly straight-forward, but required more dry-tooling over solid chockstones. M4-5. This ended with an easy snow climb to the walk off ledges.
Martin takes his posed top-out stance.
And me, with fantastic weather
rewarding us after leaving the
shadows behind.
And yesterday, Oct. 1st, I hear that the Smear of Fear is IN and being climbed. But the Park is now officially closed due to political bickering. And finally one small note of wisdom, don't forget to double-bag your pooh, I'm just saying...
