Ice Hunting In Kananaskis
Well, after a few weeks of Ice hunting we finally scored!
It only took a weekend of driving through the Icefields parkway, some new routing in Groto, and a few hikes in Kananaskis but we found it.
The alarm rings earlier then it felt like it should... I stumble around to find my jeans... the gear is still in the Jeep from yesterday's unsuccessful 'Ice Hunting'. It's an early Alpine start of 8:30ish or so. Phone call to Richard to say I'll pick him up in 15, and a final twist of the lid on the Thermos... slam a RedBull and we're off!
With a RedBull inspired lead foot I'm at Richard's in 10 and after chasing Luger the 100# German Shepherd puppy down the street we get him in the back and were finally out of town on the all to familiar drive to the front ranges of the Great Canadian Chossies.
A little over and hour later were passing the first signs of the 2006/2007 ice season, thin early season Ice high up on Mt. Baldy. Several stops and breaks to look the binoculars later and we see it.... Climbable 'looking' ice! (From the road at least) More RedBull and sorting gear, Richard pulls out the doggy-backpack for Luger. Rope goes on my pack, draws and runner in Richard's, Screws/water/pins/some food/and hot chocolate in Luger's pack.
We start with the familiar bush whacking all to common in early season hunting and an hour later were still not there.... Fear NOT!!! Another 20 mins and were close....close enough to seee...... to see that it's not as in as it looked from the road We decide to check it out anyways and frind that the ice on the side is really good and that the pillar looks not bad. I traverse over, hooking ice mushrooms and wind formed features,... take a deep breath of anticipation and swing my tool into the pillar...... THUNK-er-Rattle-TAPATAP-Jingle-SHIFT-SKWEEK-Hollow-Ught and the sphincter effect is there with a vengeance! Not the sound my early season lack of brass-balls needed. Try one more swing.... Words cant describe the sound... anyone who ice climbes knows the sound... the sound that immediately give the "What the F$&* are you even trying to climb this Unconsolidated piller for? Do you really want to break you legs?" internal monolouge. HRRmmmm, ugh, down...
Some more inspection of the pillar and we start looking to the sides... Ah ha! ICE! a short jaunt and were now looking at a super thin WI2 line, but the ice looks solid-ISH. Gear-up, flake rope, and Richard is off! Haha, the Ice hunters are now looking success straight on! A little ways up and the first stubby screw comes out, turn-crank-crank-crank, slowly! Bottom out! it's only a 10cm screw, clip screamer, go... now more pro.... top out.
All right, my turn! I start up... hey this ice isn't bad... now if my balance would only allow for the traversing nature if the thin smear... OK, balance in check... clean screw, reach high, THWACK, kick kick, reach high, THWACK, kick kick. Then I see it... The belay... the tied off stubbies belay!
But we have done it! Three weekend of Ice Hunting and we have finally done it. WE HAVE STARTED OUR ICE SEASON! Even if on a much easier climb than planned
With only one thing left to do to make it official, he hike out and, and, AND... BEER!
It only took a weekend of driving through the Icefields parkway, some new routing in Groto, and a few hikes in Kananaskis but we found it.
The alarm rings earlier then it felt like it should... I stumble around to find my jeans... the gear is still in the Jeep from yesterday's unsuccessful 'Ice Hunting'. It's an early Alpine start of 8:30ish or so. Phone call to Richard to say I'll pick him up in 15, and a final twist of the lid on the Thermos... slam a RedBull and we're off!
With a RedBull inspired lead foot I'm at Richard's in 10 and after chasing Luger the 100# German Shepherd puppy down the street we get him in the back and were finally out of town on the all to familiar drive to the front ranges of the Great Canadian Chossies.
A little over and hour later were passing the first signs of the 2006/2007 ice season, thin early season Ice high up on Mt. Baldy. Several stops and breaks to look the binoculars later and we see it.... Climbable 'looking' ice! (From the road at least) More RedBull and sorting gear, Richard pulls out the doggy-backpack for Luger. Rope goes on my pack, draws and runner in Richard's, Screws/water/pins/some food/and hot chocolate in Luger's pack.
We start with the familiar bush whacking all to common in early season hunting and an hour later were still not there.... Fear NOT!!! Another 20 mins and were close....close enough to seee...... to see that it's not as in as it looked from the road We decide to check it out anyways and frind that the ice on the side is really good and that the pillar looks not bad. I traverse over, hooking ice mushrooms and wind formed features,... take a deep breath of anticipation and swing my tool into the pillar...... THUNK-er-Rattle-TAPATAP-Jingle-SHIFT-SKWEEK-Hollow-Ught and the sphincter effect is there with a vengeance! Not the sound my early season lack of brass-balls needed. Try one more swing.... Words cant describe the sound... anyone who ice climbes knows the sound... the sound that immediately give the "What the F$&* are you even trying to climb this Unconsolidated piller for? Do you really want to break you legs?" internal monolouge. HRRmmmm, ugh, down...
Some more inspection of the pillar and we start looking to the sides... Ah ha! ICE! a short jaunt and were now looking at a super thin WI2 line, but the ice looks solid-ISH. Gear-up, flake rope, and Richard is off! Haha, the Ice hunters are now looking success straight on! A little ways up and the first stubby screw comes out, turn-crank-crank-crank, slowly! Bottom out! it's only a 10cm screw, clip screamer, go... now more pro.... top out.
All right, my turn! I start up... hey this ice isn't bad... now if my balance would only allow for the traversing nature if the thin smear... OK, balance in check... clean screw, reach high, THWACK, kick kick, reach high, THWACK, kick kick. Then I see it... The belay... the tied off stubbies belay!
But we have done it! Three weekend of Ice Hunting and we have finally done it. WE HAVE STARTED OUR ICE SEASON! Even if on a much easier climb than planned
With only one thing left to do to make it official, he hike out and, and, AND... BEER!
posted by Brenden Ramsay at 11:10 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home