Celebrate Summer

This summer has been a whirlwind of adventure. I'm incredibly blessed with such great friends and an unbeatable place to live! Rather than detail all of the last 5 weeks, here are some pictures.

The Enchantments with Peter Hirst... We climbed Acid Baby on Enchantment Peak (III 5.10+) before an onslaught of thunderstorms sent us packing. Next it was Dragons of Eden to the NE Buttress topout on Dragontail Peak (III+ 5.11 C1), before the onslaught of mosquitoes sent us packing.

Dragons of Eden to the NE Buttress

Great stone on pitch #2

Peter on the 5.10d softman variation we established, 30' right of the 5.12 crux.


Pete on the route's headwall, 190' of overhanging granite.


My friends Sol and Jens had just made the FFA of Dragons of Eden, and Pete and I were the third party on the route, not mentioning some mystery aid climbers who left a few fixed (now completely rusted) pieces on the last 2 pitches. These pitches can also be accessed from other routes though.



Then it was on to Squamish, BC with Colin Haley. We arrived mid-heat-wave and sweated and smeared off routes for 3 days. Nightmare Wall, Petrifying Wall, and Cruel Shoes on the Grand Wall area, but the smartest thing we did was spend afternoons swimming at Brohm Lake.



Colin starts the chimney on Cruel Shoes.








We retreat from friction climbing for more reasonable pursuits:


The following week I picked up my better half (Allison) at the airport, and we hung out with wonderful friends in Bellingham.

Brandi and Kristen... On a Boat!

Our Bellingham stay was bookended by two short trips to Washington's granite mecca of Index, where we climbed Godzilla-City Park-Sloe Children, Heaven's Gate, and several other classics.

The endless finger locks of Sloe Children

Allison styling the final moves on Godzilla

From there it was on to Stehekin, a tiny village at the mountainous end of Lake Chelan where I went to 8th grade, and worked for 6 summers. Allison and I put our gear on the ferry boat in Chelan, and drove to a trailhead in the Sawtooth Wilderness area, where we left the car and hiked 18 miles to Stehekin via 7,000' Purple Pass. Huckleberries were the snack of choice for our trip. We had an amazing time staying with friends Bob and Tammy in Stehekin (what is summer without Stehekin volleyball?)









Bob and Tammy have a house on the Stehekin River... it's the BaseCamp.


The item hanging to the right of the door is an "ice screw" which is a section of galvanized steel pipe, cut off, sharpened, and used by Bob as protection on the first and only ascent of a frozen Rainbow Falls.









Here is Bob and Tammy's son (Eli) fishing in lower Rainbow Falls. I used to bike over to go fishing here on recess, about 1/2 mile from school.










Allison learns to row on a boat crafted by Bob


Sahale, Boston, Booker, Buckner, and Mt. McGregor in the distance


Allison and I caught some sun and a light snow flurry during our 2-day backpacking trip away from Stehekin.


The ubiquitous marmot and the less ubiquitous 4-point buck.

From there I was able to meet up with old friends Brandon Workman and Rad Roberts to climb the MEGA-CLASSIC "Passenger" route, on South Early Winter Spire. Though listed as grade V 5.12, we found the climb a stellar grade III+, 5.11c/d and all enjoyed the route immensely.