Yesterday Charlene, David, and Sam returned for an Ice Climbing 201 Course. A few weeks ago they went through our Winter Climbing 101 course and I posted that trip report here. With the basics out of the way we made our way to the famous Willey’s Slide in Crawford Notch.
Leaving the parking lot ready for anythingWilley’s Slide is a II Grade 2 ice climb, 4-6 pitches in length. Average angel is about 40 degrees but steeper bulges keep it interesting
After practicing some self arrest we roped up and made our way up the right hand side for 3 full pitches of snow & ice climbing.
Sam won the award for best color coordination. (She also climbed quite well!)The left side was busy with multiple partiesAt our high point we built a V-thread and rapped three times back to the base
I’m looking forward to my next day with these three in late March when we make an attempt on Mount Washington. David’s heading back to Rainier in August and I can’t wait to hear about his trip!
Today I had a day off, so long time friend and climbing partner Tom C., store manager for EMS Nashua, met me for a day of cragging at Frankenstein. We headed toward Standard Route.
Bluebird everywhere today!Tom gets us up Standard Right all the way to Penguin P2
My first time on Penguin this year and the crux is definitely the first steep bit. A little brittle and awkward but once you reach the upper pillar the climbing is fantastic. Plastic fresh ice and bomber gear brings you to the top.
Tom tops out Penguin
We headed down the descent trail, which is in the most technical conditions I have ever seen it. No snow in the gully makes the “gully proper” look like a valid grade 2 ice climb in its own right. I think the easiest down climb leaves the ridge a bit early rather than working down to the weird step down with great dry tool placements. YMMV.
We moved over to Dracula which had a party finishing the left side and a strong climber firing a steep line far right while a photographer on rappel snapped away. Once the left side was clear we cruised a very fun line in less than 20 minutes.
First screw for me near the ice encased pin anchor then 5 more up steep, but hooked and easy to stem terrain
I lowered Tom and dropped the rope for him to coil while I hustled back down the descent gully. We considered hitting Pegasus Rock Finish on our hike out but our growling stomachs beat our motivation and we retired to the brewpub after a quick drive through the notch to check on other route conditions.
I’ve eyed this line (to the right of Elephants Head) for years and it looks quite reasonable right now… but food & beer won out… if it lasts a couple more days I might be able to get on it
The ice is in fantastic shape right now, except for those south facing routes (Bob’s Delight is DONE)…. warmer temps bring softer (aka easier) ice climbing conditions, but keep your wits about you on anything getting baked above you.
This past Friday I co-guided a group of 8 guests to the summit of “the rock-pile” to spend the night in the famous Mount Washington Observatory. This is really one of the most unique trips EMS Schools offers. It combines a typical Mount Washington Ascent with a very atypical evening in a weather station on the highest peak of the Northeast, commonly referred to as “Home of the World’s Worst Weather”.
This opportunity allows guests, after climbing the mountain, to step inside a weather station that feels like it could be in the middle of the North Pole. We get to interact with the staff and learn about their important work in regional forecasting and research. We’re fed a hearty dinner and relax in a cozy lounge equipped with classic old books on mountaineering along with modern amenities like a Keurig & Netflix. While this was the only “Obs” trip I’ll be a part of this season I was reminded of what a unique experience each and every trip up there has been, and I look forward to the next opportunity to return and introduce more of our guests to such a wickedly awesome place.
EMS Schools Guide Justin explains the differences in crampons before we head to the mountainAfter reaching treeline we continue to climb to Lion’s HeadJustin close to Lion’s Head with Boott Spur Ridge in the backgroundThe group pauses below Lion’s HeadA couple of steeper moves before reaching the small Lion’s Head summitA size-able crown line is visible from a natural avalanche in “The Chute”, the 2nd from the left gully in this photoThe summit so close yet so farMoving on from Lion’s HeadWildcat Ski Area behind us as we continueIn the distance Cranmore Mountain and North Conway far belowAt the base of the summit cone. This stretch is probably responsible for the most people getting disorientated in poor visibility conditions. It’s about 287 degrees to Split Rock, and about 107 degrees back. Bearings one should know if taking this route unguided.Visibility on our ascent was excellent however, so no compass needed as we reach Split Rock (our descent the following day would prove otherwise)Reaching the summit was cause for some celebrationIt’s a good feeling
We entered the Sherman Adams Summit Building at about 4pm. Kaitlyn O’Brien, Co-Director of Summit Operations, greeted us and welcomed us to the “MWOBS”. After an orientation and safety briefing we relaxed in the new guest lounge located in the new “Extreme Mount Washington” weather museums.
Guest lounge at 6,288 feet
After a very hearty ham dinner served promptly at 7pm we took a tour of the weather room.
Answering the question “So why is Mount Washington so unique?”
Some participants took a tour of the weather tower and got to climb up into the “parapit”, the highest point on the summit about 30 feet higher than the geological summit. It is quite the experience. Others relaxed and watched a goofy comedy in the lounge before turning in. The weather for the next day was quite different, and many wanted a full night’s rest.
The next morning a hearty breakfast of bacon, sausage, pancakes, eggs, and toast was served by the excellent MWOBS members/summit volunteers who were spending a week up there cooking and performing light house keeping for the staff. We then geared up an prepared to descend with this weather outlook:
“In the clouds with snow early… Winds S shifting W at 4-55mph increasing to 55-75 mph w/ gusts up to 90”
We had a couple 70mph gusts just as we were leaving…
The winds were manageable for most, but the visibility was about 40 feet at best. Staying on the trail from the summit to Split Rock was quite challenging and a few corrections with compass bearings brought us to Split Rock. From there we nailed the bearing to the Alpine Gardens Trail and made it all the way to Lion’s Head before encountering our first “up” traffic of the day. A Saturday at the end of a holiday week is sure to see many parties on the mountain and today was no exception.
Climbing down through “the steeps” of the Winter Lion’s Head Route we encountered parties of various experience, from guided groups who were moving efficiently to those realizing they had bit off a bit much we did our best to descend without impeding on their progress. Inevitably we hit a couple bottle necks, especially at the lowest technical portion, jokingly referred to in the local guiding community as “The Hillary Step”. This portion of trail, while no steeper than 45 degrees, can challenge people not familiar with moving in steep terrain with crampons and ice axe. I’ve seen groups paused on this .1 mile stretch of “trail” for the better part of an hour while new climbers cautiously negotiate 50 feet of climbing with limited experience.
Our group of 10 pretty much split in 2 with half of us down climbing the step with coaching & spotting by Justin while the other half went down a steeper alternative after receiving instruction on the esoteric skill of “arm wrap rappelling”.
Our strategy worked and we cleared the up going crowds without losing to much time. Two hours later we were back at EMS North Conway turning in gear with many sharing contact info to trade photos & video they had taken during the two day adventure.
A day later, after spending a day with some returning clients out climbing on Willey’s slide today (post tomorrow), I find myself reflecting about what a cool opportunity this is for aspiring new climbers and just those who want to try some thing new. To sleep on the summit of the highest peak in the Northeast, to learn about what makes this mountain so intense, to form a common bond with strangers though such a challenge… well it’s something I think should be on everyone’s bucket list.
If you’d like to see a bit of video about this opportunity here ya go!
We’ve only got a few spots left in the last trip of the season (April 9-10). If this sounds like something you would like to experience you can learn more (and book) right here.
Willey’s Slide trip report tomorrow… thanks for reading!
Yesterday concluded our first AIARE 2 Avalanche Course of the season. Despite less than optimal field conditions the course was super productive in large part to the considerable amount of experience brought to the classroom discussions by the varied participants. We were fortunate to have 8000m veteran expeditionary leader Phil Crampton, owner and operator of Altitude Junkies, in attendance.
Phil’s resume of high altitude peaks is amazing and his personal experiences with massive Himalayan avalanches and vibrant story telling ability led to more than one topic derailment. These vivid first hand accounts were more than welcome however for both their educational real-life value and entertainment.
We also had Jerry Isaak, Chair Associate Professor of Expeditionary Studies at the University of Plattsburgh. He has worked as an expedition leader and guide in Canada, the USA, Morocco, Scotland, Austria and the Arctic. Personal climbing and skiing expeditions include journeys in Kenya, Nepal and throughout North America. He was here to observe the course as part of the requirements of becoming an AIARE Course Leader, but he did much more than observe. Throughout both classroom and field session Jerry took advantage of opportunities to share his extensive knowledge and experience and all of his contributions were greatly valued.
A graduate of Jerry’s program, a local professional sailboat racer turned back-country skier/mountaineer, and an EMS Climbing Guide/Electrician/EMT rounded out our class by staying fully engaged and generating thoughtful questions throughout.
Pretty shallow snow pack at the top of the Kancamagus Highway but it served its purpose for Full Profile Demo/PracticeBackside of Wildcat provided over 2 meters of snow for a round of Test Profiles and small & large column tests. We practiced Tilt Tests, Compression Tests, Extended Column Tests, Propagation Saw Tests, and a RutschblockThe results of our investigationSkinning up below Lunch RocksBoot-packing up towards SluiceJeremy charging with some fractures/crowns that filled in a bit in the Lip areaOur high point to the left of the mouth of Right Gully. From here we traversed into The Sluice for some decent turns.
There is a lot of information to cover in an AIARE 2 Course. Anyone that thinks an AIARE 1 is information overload will be amazed when they attend an AIARE 2. We managed it fairly well and for the most part stayed out of the weeds. Feedback at the end of the day yesterday seemed consistent that everyone had acquired the skills needed to become an quality avalanche, snow, and weather observer. All that was needed now was practice.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to re-visit an area I haven’t been to in quite a few years. Champney Falls, (Pg 138, An Ice Climber’s Guide to Northern New England, 3rd Edition), a beautiful if not somewhat overly crowded top-rope area at times. On a Tuesday, after a busy IceFest weekend, we found some solitude on the mellow walk in while breaking trail in a few inches for very light powder that fell the night before.
Quiet 40 minute walk inEMS Store Employees from New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.Falls are in great shape with the 3+ line to the right of the falls ripe for some climbingA fun lead to set up our ropesStill had the place to ourselves for a few more minutesThanks for the pics Mark!Gerald shakes it out while demoing a pair of Petzl NomicsAlan tries out the Petzl QuarksAlan almost topping outiPhone Panaroma
This was just the first day of a 2 day regional Eastern Mountain Sports training involving about 40 EMS store employees from over a dozen stores, organized in collaboration with EMS Schools and Dave Karl of Petzl/Sky Ambitions. More than just an “ice climbing lesson” discussions throughout the day were focused on what products were best for what customer. From crampons to helmets, experienced EMS Schools Guides shared their opinions on the best climbing equipment EMS sells in an effort to continue the tradition of having some of the most knowledgable and authentic outdoor retails sales staff in the country.
A couple weeks ago I had Suzanne in my most memorable AIARE 1 Avalanche Course to date. She had just entered the floor of the ravine with my co-instructor Mike when we witnessed a climber triggered avalanche that caught 5 people and injured two. As a doctor she was quick to volunteer to help US Forest Service Snow Rangers evacuate one of the victims.
This incident prevented her, and most of the class, from being able to make snow-pack observations and she was keen to return to the ravine for some more experiential learning. Yesterday she returned and this time she brought her energetic 20 year old son Jabus and friend and long time NH climber David to join her in the experience.
Since ski conditions were quite abysmal we opted for mountaineering boots & crampons and brought a little technical gear along to deal with the hard & fast sliding surfaces that make up most of Tuckerman Ravine right now. After a trip planning session we made our way up into the bowl and headed up into Left Gully to investigate some of the wind slab that was mentioned in the morning’s avalanche bulletin.
Making our way up into Left Gully
The climbing conditions were quite firm, and with caution & focus we reached the base of Left of Left (ice climb). After a short break we traversed right into the gully proper and I moved out onto a moderate sized slab that had formed from cross-loading over the last two days while everyone else spotted me. Hand shear tests along the way broke with moderate force and were not very planar so I moved to where the slab felt a little deeper and dug a quick pit.
Finding about 15cms of Pencil hard slab over 15cms of 1-Finger snow, sitting on top of Knife hard concrete we carried out 3 quick sets of tests.
Two Shovel Tilt Tests, one which was “positive” and one that was “inconclusive” at the 15cm interface. For a quick description of the Shovel Tilt Test check out this video from the Utah Avalanche Center:
Two Compression Tests:
CT11, Q2 RP @ 30cm down (interface of 1F & K concrete)
CT11, Q3 BRK @ 30cm down (interface of 1F & K concrete)
Wanna watch some more YouTube on snow pack tests? Here’s one on the Compression Test:
While these failures were on the eye brow raising end of loading steps, the “shear quality” or “fracture character” was not very alarming. None-the-less we decided to carry out an Extended Column Test to increase our confidence in our findings.
Results: ECTX (No fractures are initiated in the 30 standard loading steps)
Before you ask here’s a pretty good video of the Extended Column Test:
Before descending I grabbed a quick shot looking up the gully…
Theodolite iPhone App
And down the gully…
I love this app
We descended to Hermit Lake and removed our crampons for a faster hike down to Pinkham Notch.
Clearing skies as we get ready to leave
Back at the pack room we debriefed our trip into the alpine and parted ways. It was a pleasure to spend this time in the mountains with Suzanne, Jabus, and David and I’m looking forward to our next trip together.
A quick disclaimer regarding these YouTube videos I’ve posted. These should serve one of two purposes:
Inspire you to take a course to really learn how to perform and interpret these tests.
Refresh what you’ve learned from a formal course
Using YouTube videos to build your base knowledge could lead to… less than ideal results. But they are great for refreshing those skills!
This past Saturday I had the pleasure of taking Alex, Ben, and Eric ice climbing at The North End of Cathedral Ledge for a Winter Climbing 101 Program. We spent much of the day with another EMS Schools group taking the same course led by EMS Guide Cheyenne Chaffee.
Cheyenne explains the differences between various types of traction devices and crampons
After some not-so-fast self arrest practice on the Cathedral Ledge Auto-road we started working on our footwork.
Chaffee demonstrates the differences between “French Technique” “German Technique” and front-pointingBen tackles some steeper ice armed with footwork and sharp toolsA participant shakes outNearby EMS Guide Keith Moon instructs a Private Ice Climbing LessonAlex takes a break halfway up the North End Pillars
While the North End Slab & Pillars were quite mobbed for most the day with the Ice Fest going on there was plenty of ice for us to play on. The ice to the right of Thresher has come in quite well this year, and survived the multiple thaws we have dealt with, providing a great spot to learn the basics without trying to thread the needle with a half dozen ropes on the Pillars. At the end of the day everyone was content with the mileage they had put in and we hope to see some return for the next step, either Mountaineering 201 or Ice Climbing 201.
Second post today as I catch up on a busy week. Following last weekend’s avalanche course I had the pleasure of taking Dominic out for his first day of ice climbing. A recent Geology graduate who hails from Lebanon, NH, Dominic has caught the climbing bug. His analytical mind was very quick at grasping all aspects of ice climbing as they were introduced and we found ourselves covering more and more vertical ground and knowledge throughout our 1 on 1 day.
After some basic crampon & ice axe skills, a quick top-rope climb on The North End Slab, we broke it into two pitches and scurried to the top.
Dominic hangs out on The North End Slab
From there we made our way over to The North End Pillars and Dominic learned how to rappel.
Going over the edge
We took a quick lap on the left hand side of The Pillars.
Starting up something a bit steeperTrying to save energy
After a quick bite to eat we headed over to Thresher. Two pitches up that had us grinning at the top.
That is the face of someone hooked on ice climbing
With time & energy to spare we rappelled back to the ground and returned to The North End Pillars for another lap. As we started to wind down our day we spent a bit of time looking at ice anchors, screw placement, V-threads, natural anchors, etc… Despite the long day Dominic’s desire to learn as much as he could in one day was still apparent.
I’m really looking forward to my next day in the mountains with Dominic. His enthusiasm and motivation is contagious, and what ever we climb together next I know we’ll be having a good time from trail-head to trail-head!
Last weekend we conducted our 3rd AIARE 1 Avalanche Course of the season. While it wasn’t as intense as our course two weeks ago it was a very productive 3 days. We were lucky to have high altitude climber and expedition organizer Phil Crampton, of Altitude Junkies, participating in our course.
What is someone who has led 40+ expeditions to 8000m peaks doing in an entry level avalanche course? Phil wants to work on designing an avalanche awareness program focused specifically on Sherpas, of which he admits there are multiple cultural challenges to hurdle. Gaining some exposure to AIARE’s approach to avalanche education in the US will hopefully give him some ideas of how to best move forward in his endeavor.
Having someone of Phil’s experience in the course certainly made it a rich course. His stories of surviving multiple massive avalanches, participating in some dismal recoveries, and over-all demeanor were appreciated by all.
Conditions for the course were less than optimal. This El Nino is becoming a curse word within my circles but we were able to sniff out some decent conditions to meet our objectives. A 48 hour thaw led to Considerable avalanche danger on our 3rd day.
Avalanche Information board at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center
Our class had decided on either Left Gully or Right Gully as potential field locations. Both were rated “Moderate” but avoiding the run outs of “The Chute” and “Sluice”, both rated Considerable, was definitely part of our travel plan.
Looks more like December than February to me but I’ll take it
We decided to head up towards Right Gully following a skin track from another avalanche course.
The other course investigates The Sluice
We held up to the Right of Right Gully and set up shop to make some snow-pack observations in over 3 meters of snow.
Digging in
The snow-pack on this 38 degree slope was quite bomber now that the temperatures had fallen below freezing. Some interesting “veins” of melt water could be found in spots along with some centimeter thick melt-freeze ice crusts. We practiced Compression Tests with unsurprising results.
Only two of us were on skis for this course given the challenging snow conditions and horrible shape of the Sherburne Ski Trail. A few turns were made descending the lower half of The Sluice before walking back to Hermit Lake and taking the very beat up Sherburne back to Pinkham. Without a doubt the trail was in rough shape and I was ready to by a ticket to Durango when I reached the lot. Type 2 fun would be a stretch…
We reviewed our day before debriefing the course and went our separate ways.
My tour plan and field notes from the day
The next day I had a Private Ice Climbing day at Cathedral Ledge I’ll share in a new post.
As I finish this I must say I’m really glad to be looking out the window at some consistent snowfall. NWS is calling for 2-4 inches and I’d say I’ve hit the low end of that already in Conway. If you haven’t heard, the MWV Ice Fest is happening now. I might make it to some of the festivities tonight at Theatre in The Woods in Intervale, NH. Starts at 7pm. Maybe see you there.
This past Sunday I had the pleasure of taking David, Charlene, and Sam out to Cathedral Ledge for a Winter Climbing 101 Course. David had attempted Mount Rainier last year and was returning for another attempt this August, so this course was intended to help hone the skills needed for such an objective.
We started the day with some self-arrest practice on the auto-road. An icy sled path that came down through the woods provided a great little spot to gain some momentum. We then worked on our crampon technique employing different styles to different grades and difficulties, all with an emphasis on conserving energy. As the day progressed we got a bit more technical with our ice axes as we took a climb up the North End Slab. After some lunch we rappelled the North End Pillars, learned and practiced a hand-rap rappel, then looked at some basic glacier roping up options, with a look at short-roping & short pitching to finish out the day.
David goes over the edgeThen Charlene…Sam leaning back on the rope with no fear… well, maybe a little
I wish David the best on his next Rainier climb, it’s obvious to see he has the climbing bug, and hope to see Sam back her for some focused waterfall ice climbing, as she showed a keen interest in doing more of that by the end of the day!
This summer I got to meet 16 year old Harry for a very rainy day of rock climbing. Most of the day was spent indoors covering rope skills, which he was keen to acquire. He would later climb with EMS Guide Ryan and was following 5.9 routes his second day out. Soon after he started leading traditional climbs. This kid is getting good fast! He returned today and was joined by Wildcat Ski Instructor Marissa for an introduction to winter climbing.
We pulled into Frankenstein around 9:30am. The upper parking lot was full and cars on the side of the road almost reached the lower lot. I wondered if Lost In The Forest would be swarmed.
Crossing the trestle at Frankenstein Cliff- sweet pack review coming soon! #hyperlitemountaingear
We saw one party on Chia and later heard parties climbed Smear, Hobbit, Pegasus Rock Finish, The Blobs, and Bob’s Delight… all looking quite good. There was no one in the Trestle Cut or at the Trestle Slab. When we arrived below Lost In The Forest we could easily see a large group, probably 10+, around Walk in The Woods/Lost In The Forest. On we walked…
My back-up plan was the slab to the right of The Hanging Gardens… we got there after passing a very busy Standard Route.
Standard Route, Frankenstein Cliff
We had the slab to ourselves and had lessons in crampon technique, ice axe use, and belaying.
Marissa prepared for her very first ever climbing experience while Harry provides a solid belayMarissa crushing our first route of the dayHarry getting after it
After a couple of laps here we ate some lunch and moved down and over to Standard Route right as a few parties were finishing. We opted for a quick climb up the center to the cave and rappelled.
Harry reaches the cave at the top of the first pitch of Standard Route
On our way out we had a quick lesson in ice screw placement and building V-thread anchors. Marissa seemed to enjoy her first experience in the vertical world of ice climbing and Harry is chomping at the bit to learn more. He’s heading out tomorrow with another EMS guide for some longer multi-pitch type climbing and I’m sure he’ll do well. At this rate I expect to see him climbing up a storm in the next few years. Get after it Harry!
I’m heading out again tomorrow with another group, so stay tuned and see you in the mountains!
