Tag: winter

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Climbing

2020-03-07 Santaquin Climbing

Biking approach to the climbs, if only it had worked.

March 7, 2020

Carly, Nate, and I squeaked out one last day of Utah ice climbing on Saturday. Temps were predicted to be warm, but Backoff (WI4+) is not a free standing pillar like the last couple days I’ve been out (1, 2). With the temperatures as warm as they’ve been I thought we might be able to ride bikes up the road for most of the two miles to the climb. This was a good idea for about 200 yards then the road was mostly covered with snow and ice. Nate and Carly had slightly better luck than I did on their mountain bikes. I only have an old 10-speed road bike.

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Climbing

2020-02-29 Second Amendment

She's a great looking line.

February 29, 2020

Saturday Matt and I squeaked out one more day of February ice climbing than normal. Both due to the fact that somehow Utah has had a good ice season this year despite not being a “good” year and that it was leap day. Word amongst the Utah ice climbers in the know is that an “Unformed Hanging Pillar” was touching and fat in the Strawberry Pinnacles zone. The route had already been ticked a week or so ago and given the name Second Amendment (WI5). Matt and I took a leisurely head start there yesterday to find out.

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Climbing

2020-02-28 Angel of Fear 2

Action shot off the second belay. Don't fall please!

February 28, 2020

Nate tipped me off to Angle of Fear being ‘in’ a little more than three weeks ago. Amazingingly it was in and I was able to hold the rope and get dragged up it. Nate is one of the most stoked ice climbers I know. He’s been dreaming of AoF for nearly 10 years, when it was last in. He’d attempted it a few days after Case and I, but the temps were bitterly cold and he didn’t go past the approach pitch. He headed out for a couple weeks of work travel, bummed that he’d likely missed his chance on this classic rare Utah route.

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Climbing

2020-02 New England Climbing Trip

Interesting snow patterns near Crawford Notch. Footprints compressing the snow later had the surrounding snow erroded by the wind.

February 19-21, 2020

During our winter trip planning we decided to put off a New England trip until Carly’s birthday so that we could celebrate with family and also get the extra vacation day of President’s day. Coincidentally, February just happens to be in the thick of ice climbing season just about anywhere and so it was in New England.

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Climbing

2020-02-08 Angel of Fear

View of Angel of Fear (WI6) from the approach.

February 8, 2020

Friday evening I got a call that Angel of Fear was in. This is one of the rarer forming climbs in Utah and is the jewel of the “Holy Trinity” in Santaquin. I’ve never seen it even close to forming before. The previous time I’d seen it sort of form it had fallen down to the road.

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