I wrote a trip report last week because I honestly didn't think I'd be able to top that day by the end of this year's ice season. I don't normally write ones unless I feel like the experience is out of the norm or when I find myself raising my own bar on long, strenuous day where I wonder 'how did I survive that one?' This is going to be a trip report on my day in Huntington Ravine yesterday and I'm going to attempt to mix in my thoughts on climbing.
North Gully with Adam - 8:00-10:00 a.m.
I have never been in North Gully and neither had Adam so it was the obvious choice to start the day. For the day, my goal was to climb Damnation and North Gully. That would have made for a good day out. We started hiking in around 6 a.m. and by the time we were in the ravine, snacked and geared up it was about 8 a.m. The ravine floor was a mix of old surface and wind slab.. we made an attempt to stay on the old surface, something that is much more important higher in the ravine. Once at the start of the gully, we were deciding to rope up and make it harder, or stay solo and motor around the steeper ice sections. Adam at the start of the gully. I preferred to stay unroped, go light and fast, and that was how we climbed it. There were two fun ice bulges near the bottom of the gully and then it became a steep hard packed snow climb. The snow and ice conditions were perfect. North Gully is a crazy beautiful place. Looking down. As we got higher, there were less and less rocks and plants.. the pure white snow and ice steepened and you felt you were in a truly alpine environment. Near the top of North Gully. ~ This gully reminded me of being high in Alps where there's nothing around but rock and ice, but for some strange reason, it's the most beautiful place you've ever seen. You admire it just enough to not lose focus on your hands on the shafts of your tools, or that foothold you've kicked for yourself. Suddenly you realize all that beauty is apart of all you focus on.. your hand on the ice tool, your breathing.. it becomes apart of the same sense of beauty you see around you. ~ There was some wind slabs near the top and Adam went first, knocking off the newer snow for some old surface to sink his ice tools and crampons into. I stayed behind a bit near a rock to give him some space in case anything were to come down. ~ When I had my head down, breathing hard, watching every tool placement and foot placement making sure they are good.. I heard Adam's screws and carabiners jingling on his harness in the background as he climbed above me and there was a sense of security in that. Even though I'm fully aware that as we are both soloing, there's nothing we can really do for each other. ~ The top out of North was glistening. A thin layer of ice had formed on top of the snow. I never had seen anything quite like it. The view from Nelson Crag was very unique and we sat by the large cairn for awhile enjoying the weather and views.
Adam had to head down Boott Spur because his achilles tendon was giving him alot of pain. I felt for him, as problems beyond his control had to cut his day short. We parted ways on top of Diagonal Gully. It was here that we ran into Alan, who had just finished climbing Pinnacle and Odells.. twice. He was well on his way to climbing all the gullies twice in a day. An accomplishment that I stagger to comprehend as I listen to my own body screaming for water, food and any type of muscle relief with my feet half numb and half in pain having only climbed 1/4 of what he did that day. Alan and I headed down Diagonal towards Damnation. I wanted to climb it, but I have never been in that gully and I was hesitant to do it alone, especially with the looming cornices and the view of the steep top out I saw as we passed by on our way to Diagonal. The view straight down Damnation Gully. Alan was happy to climb it with me being he'd have to do it, and then do it again at some point in the afternoon. Down we went in Diagonal. The first of four times I'd do this.
Damnation Gully with Alan - 11:00-12:00 p.m.
We ditched our packs near the base, I lightened the load on my harness and we started up. There were two or three nice ice sections to enjoy, a little steeper than in North. Me enjoying a little swing time. The ice was like butter.. in fact we couldn't believe it wasn't butter. Alan going up and over some ice. My first time in Damnation was very fun. There were cool rock features and a great view of the top from midway up, like Yale Gully. As the norm when climbing with Alan.. I spent most of the time laughing at all the jokes and 'colorful comments' being tossed around. ~ I feel extremely lucky this year having the ice season I've had. It's been a breakthrough year for me. Although I still consider myself not all that experienced, having only climbed for three years, I feel I've improved dramatically this year. This is due to all my friends I've climbed with. I don't hesitant to tell anyone I owe my knowledge and skill to my friends who have generously offered up their own to me. Having those one, two or three climbing partners with whom you trust in and the experiences you share with each other on the mountain is almost as invaluable as your own self-actualization while climbing and reasons why you chose to climb alone. ~ We finished via a little rocky/icy route off to the right to avoid a potential steep snow slog. Alan on the finish. It was a great little mix route that ended too abruptly for me. Picture of me on the finish. But the abrupt ending yielded a fantastic view of the cornices overhanging Damnation. The cornices of Damnation. Alan at the top of the gully, 5 climbed, 5 to go. I felt satisfied having finally been in all the gullies in Huntington Ravine and received a congratulations. But it being only noon.. my mind started working up some plans for my body to endure.
We downclimbed Diagonal, yet again, and I grabbed my pack and decided to head up Yale Gully alone. Alan went off to climb North Gully, then Yale. We'd met up again at the top of Diagonal Gully after he had climbed two in my one.
Yale Gully with myself - 12:30-1:30 p.m.
~ I had only seriously started climbing solo this year.. although I have always been drawn to the feeling. I didn't discover exactly how it felt until recently. I don't solo anything hard, and there's plenty of people who wander around Huntington Ravine without ropes as well. It's certainly nothing extraordinary. But I feel as though an amateur like myself can get the same sense of freedom as an expert climber. Besides, that's why we do it and if I didn't get that sense.. I wouldn't be climbing. For me, there is perfect beauty in the movements of climbing and it is only heightened when climbing without ropes. The only thing keeping you on the mountain is yourself and how you move. You are completely responsible for yourself. You can't be sloppy or lose focus. You need to be good. ~ There was one other person in the gully that I passed after getting to the top of the first ice bulge. Then I was by myself and I relished in that. The snow was still hard and holding up well despite the temperature rising quickly in the ravine. Near the top of Yale, there was the thin shining layer of ice near the top as North Gully. The exposure became greater as the rocks disappeared and the angle steepened. Near the top of Yale Gully. I was the only one around and I felt my grip tighten on my tools. I had one of those 'if I peel off the mountain now, I'm gone' thoughts flash in and out of my brain. Looking down Yale. I moved methodically up. As a bit of adrenaline rushed through my body, my smile only got wider. Going over the lip of the ravine, literally, was very exciting. I reveled in the day as I stood on top.
North Gully with Adam - 8:00-10:00 a.m.
I have never been in North Gully and neither had Adam so it was the obvious choice to start the day. For the day, my goal was to climb Damnation and North Gully. That would have made for a good day out. We started hiking in around 6 a.m. and by the time we were in the ravine, snacked and geared up it was about 8 a.m. The ravine floor was a mix of old surface and wind slab.. we made an attempt to stay on the old surface, something that is much more important higher in the ravine. Once at the start of the gully, we were deciding to rope up and make it harder, or stay solo and motor around the steeper ice sections. Adam at the start of the gully. I preferred to stay unroped, go light and fast, and that was how we climbed it. There were two fun ice bulges near the bottom of the gully and then it became a steep hard packed snow climb. The snow and ice conditions were perfect. North Gully is a crazy beautiful place. Looking down. As we got higher, there were less and less rocks and plants.. the pure white snow and ice steepened and you felt you were in a truly alpine environment. Near the top of North Gully. ~ This gully reminded me of being high in Alps where there's nothing around but rock and ice, but for some strange reason, it's the most beautiful place you've ever seen. You admire it just enough to not lose focus on your hands on the shafts of your tools, or that foothold you've kicked for yourself. Suddenly you realize all that beauty is apart of all you focus on.. your hand on the ice tool, your breathing.. it becomes apart of the same sense of beauty you see around you. ~ There was some wind slabs near the top and Adam went first, knocking off the newer snow for some old surface to sink his ice tools and crampons into. I stayed behind a bit near a rock to give him some space in case anything were to come down. ~ When I had my head down, breathing hard, watching every tool placement and foot placement making sure they are good.. I heard Adam's screws and carabiners jingling on his harness in the background as he climbed above me and there was a sense of security in that. Even though I'm fully aware that as we are both soloing, there's nothing we can really do for each other. ~ The top out of North was glistening. A thin layer of ice had formed on top of the snow. I never had seen anything quite like it. The view from Nelson Crag was very unique and we sat by the large cairn for awhile enjoying the weather and views.
Adam had to head down Boott Spur because his achilles tendon was giving him alot of pain. I felt for him, as problems beyond his control had to cut his day short. We parted ways on top of Diagonal Gully. It was here that we ran into Alan, who had just finished climbing Pinnacle and Odells.. twice. He was well on his way to climbing all the gullies twice in a day. An accomplishment that I stagger to comprehend as I listen to my own body screaming for water, food and any type of muscle relief with my feet half numb and half in pain having only climbed 1/4 of what he did that day. Alan and I headed down Diagonal towards Damnation. I wanted to climb it, but I have never been in that gully and I was hesitant to do it alone, especially with the looming cornices and the view of the steep top out I saw as we passed by on our way to Diagonal. The view straight down Damnation Gully. Alan was happy to climb it with me being he'd have to do it, and then do it again at some point in the afternoon. Down we went in Diagonal. The first of four times I'd do this.
Damnation Gully with Alan - 11:00-12:00 p.m.
We ditched our packs near the base, I lightened the load on my harness and we started up. There were two or three nice ice sections to enjoy, a little steeper than in North. Me enjoying a little swing time. The ice was like butter.. in fact we couldn't believe it wasn't butter. Alan going up and over some ice. My first time in Damnation was very fun. There were cool rock features and a great view of the top from midway up, like Yale Gully. As the norm when climbing with Alan.. I spent most of the time laughing at all the jokes and 'colorful comments' being tossed around. ~ I feel extremely lucky this year having the ice season I've had. It's been a breakthrough year for me. Although I still consider myself not all that experienced, having only climbed for three years, I feel I've improved dramatically this year. This is due to all my friends I've climbed with. I don't hesitant to tell anyone I owe my knowledge and skill to my friends who have generously offered up their own to me. Having those one, two or three climbing partners with whom you trust in and the experiences you share with each other on the mountain is almost as invaluable as your own self-actualization while climbing and reasons why you chose to climb alone. ~ We finished via a little rocky/icy route off to the right to avoid a potential steep snow slog. Alan on the finish. It was a great little mix route that ended too abruptly for me. Picture of me on the finish. But the abrupt ending yielded a fantastic view of the cornices overhanging Damnation. The cornices of Damnation. Alan at the top of the gully, 5 climbed, 5 to go. I felt satisfied having finally been in all the gullies in Huntington Ravine and received a congratulations. But it being only noon.. my mind started working up some plans for my body to endure.
We downclimbed Diagonal, yet again, and I grabbed my pack and decided to head up Yale Gully alone. Alan went off to climb North Gully, then Yale. We'd met up again at the top of Diagonal Gully after he had climbed two in my one.
Yale Gully with myself - 12:30-1:30 p.m.
~ I had only seriously started climbing solo this year.. although I have always been drawn to the feeling. I didn't discover exactly how it felt until recently. I don't solo anything hard, and there's plenty of people who wander around Huntington Ravine without ropes as well. It's certainly nothing extraordinary. But I feel as though an amateur like myself can get the same sense of freedom as an expert climber. Besides, that's why we do it and if I didn't get that sense.. I wouldn't be climbing. For me, there is perfect beauty in the movements of climbing and it is only heightened when climbing without ropes. The only thing keeping you on the mountain is yourself and how you move. You are completely responsible for yourself. You can't be sloppy or lose focus. You need to be good. ~ There was one other person in the gully that I passed after getting to the top of the first ice bulge. Then I was by myself and I relished in that. The snow was still hard and holding up well despite the temperature rising quickly in the ravine. Near the top of Yale, there was the thin shining layer of ice near the top as North Gully. The exposure became greater as the rocks disappeared and the angle steepened. Near the top of Yale Gully. I was the only one around and I felt my grip tighten on my tools. I had one of those 'if I peel off the mountain now, I'm gone' thoughts flash in and out of my brain. Looking down Yale. I moved methodically up. As a bit of adrenaline rushed through my body, my smile only got wider. Going over the lip of the ravine, literally, was very exciting. I reveled in the day as I stood on top.
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