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rhyang
Ice climber
SJC
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 5, 2007 - 11:02pm PT
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I had read and heard about Cody, Wyoming ever since I started climbing waterfall ice. I was fascinated by the idea of climbing in the South Fork Shoshone area, but was convinced that it was sandbagged beyond my abilities. Well, until this year anyway.
Thursday I flew out to Cody and met Keith, a mild-mannered ropegun turned physician who lives in Wyoming and had climbed in Cody for some time. Why someone who leads WI6 would climb with a hack such as myself is a mystery to me, but I chalk it up to good karma or something ... anyway, we headed out to Bison Willy's hostel in town (the old bunkhouse in the South Fork area has been closed).
Friday was forecast to be cold and windy, with windchill around -35F in the morning. This is probably no big deal for people from, say, Calgary, but for me it was a little disconcerting. We decided to get a later start than usual.
As we headed down South Fork Road I saw a few interesting things, such as ...
From the trailhead we could see Mean Green (300m WI5)
(I have enough trouble on WI4's, so doing MG is still sort of a pipe dream for me)
We went and climbed Cabin Fever (60m WI4) which Keith led. We slogged a bit up the drainage to Wyoming Wave (140m WI3), and Keith led the first pitch, which was a bit stiffer than I was used to for a WI3 :-o The second pitch was easier and I was finally warm enough to take my down jacket off, so I led that one. Running short on time, we decided to rap the route and skip the last short pitch, and got back to the car by 6pm. Unfortunately no pics since my camera was down at the base.
Saturday's plan was to climb as much of Smooth Emerald Milkshake (230m WI4) as possible. It was still pretty cold, but not so bad as Friday, and I'd gotten a little acclimated. The hike in from Deer Creek trailhead was pretty substantial ... probably about 2 hours to the Bitches Brew drainage, and then another half hour to get down to Deer Creek itself (rappel down 5.4 terrain + thin ice) and rope up. The first pitch was a steep curtain, which Keith led.
We slogged up some snow in the drainage, soloed a few WI2 bulges and arrived at the second pitch - the hardest WI3 I ever led.
From here we continued up to the third pitch - definitely WI4. Keith took the lead on this one.
His 70m ropes got us to about halfway up this, and then I took over heading up easier terrain. By now it was getting late, and we decided to start rapping. Darkness was falling and the headlamps came out. Several v-threads and a bunch of tree anchors later, we were back down at the creek.
But how to get back up to the trail ? Keith led a short pitch with no pro on the easy mixed by headlamp back to the rap anchor and we slogged up to the trail and back out to the car. A near-full moon and howling wind gave it a sense of adventure. 13 hours car to car.
Sunday we decided to climb High On Boulder (160m, WI4). The wind in town was howling, but it was much warmer. By the time we got to South Fork it was a good deal calmer. We made our way across the frozen river and by the time we were at the approach it felt like California weather - sunny and not so cold.
I took the first pitch (WI3, foreground). Keith led the WI4 headwall (background).
The sticks were incredible. I led up from there on more gentle rolling terrain up to about the tree anchor above and we decided to rap from there. By then the weather had turned downright pleasant.
A couple of parting shots -
(a sign advises visitors to the area "Don't stress the sheep")
(looking towards the Cabin Creek area from the High On Boulder descent)
It was highly enjoyable. However, I need to improve my footwork on WI4's ...
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Kartch
climber
belgrade, mt
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That looks absolutely amazing! Great pics. Thanks for posting that. You're getting me psyched.
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Fluoride
Trad climber
California somewhere
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Great TR man. Especially the pics. Any shots of you guys on the routes?
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rhyang
Ice climber
SJC
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 6, 2007 - 12:12am PT
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I wish ! Thanks for the compliments.
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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Nice read and pics! Good stuff.
Cheers,
Tom
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Aya
Uncategorizable climber
New York
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That looks fantastic. I'm really glad you had a chance to get out there, rhyang.
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handsome B
Gym climber
SL,UT
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TRs are sweet!
Good work!
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rhyang
Ice climber
SJC
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 6, 2007 - 01:43pm PT
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Thanks all. Hope you are getting out too !
Aya, I noticed that Keith led with BD Reactors, and he said he's led 5's with them. Apparently he used to swing Vipers but lost one on a descent (damn ice clippers again). His comment was that the reactors don't have as much clearance (well that's obvious) and I noticed that him doing the 'BD shuffle' fairly often (or whatever they call it on neice.com), maybe due to the pick shape.
Best footwork I have ever seen. I really suck at this ..
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atchafalaya
Trad climber
California
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great tr!!! I have driven through there in summer, and was blown away. The bear sign is accurate, I saw three grizz crossing the road near there. Great pictures.
Drove by the Leap on the way home from Bishop this weekend. That climb on the leap still looks fat. Anyone know if it was climbed recently?
Thanks for posting the TR rhyang.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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yes. yes. yes.
-thanks for givin' us a look see rhyang.
and yah, whutabout that phat ice at the leap?
anyone?
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rhyang
Ice climber
SJC
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 6, 2007 - 06:41pm PT
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Thanks y'all.
I've been told one or two things about that fat column of ice on the East Wall, and if it's true what they say, there is a reason nobody is talking :)
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Apocalypsenow
Trad climber
Cali
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Damn...............nice. Makes me want to leave Cali.
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cybele
Ice climber
finally, west of the Mississippi
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Here's a Cody pic from a few years ago. Erik Eriksson on Horsetail Falls.
and one more:
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climblight
Mountain climber
Northern NV
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Damn Rob!
I am super jealous!
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426
Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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great stuff, I miss seeing big sheep--something I often saw out in the hinterlands of Pequop.
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rhyang
Ice climber
SJC
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 7, 2007 - 10:29am PT
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Wow, nice shots - Winter Dance says Horsetail is WI4+ (variation) to 5+ (original FA line) - stiff !
Thanks Doug ! Somehow I think you would enjoy Cody :)
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Way to go Rhyang, cool place isn't it!
Matt
p.s. you should maybe shrink your pics a bit!
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| Messages 1 - 17 of total 17 in this topic |
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