It’s snowed and it’s currently snowing in the mountains here in the Wasatch. The forecast is calling for more early this week. I’m guessing and hoping this will be the patch that sticks and starts the snowpack for the 2008/09 winter season. It’s been a long Summer and Fall and this year I was able to get out to train and play in the mountains much more than usual. Last week I was able to get on two classic rock scrambles while it was still dry.
The South Ridge of Mount Superior is a classic ramble along this nearly 3K foot ridge. The route follows the ridge to the Superior summit and then down the summer trail via pole line pass.
Plenty of great holds and exposure. Dylan Freed working one of the knife-edge don’t fall ridges.
Nice enough views.
Glad to be out and about after almost a month of driving around the western states. One of the warmest endings to October on the record books.
S. Supperior is long and consistent, but mellow enough to really move along quickly. It’s a good strength and cardio outing.
The final push is a nice ridge walk in the sky.
We ran into this guy on the upper slopes of the Cardiff Drainage. Beautiful beast!
The mountains have a funny way of fulfilling desire, but they also leave me wanting for more. I had climbed the West Slab of Mount Olympus for the first time this summer and it’s been calling me back ever since. Halloween seemed like a good time to spook myself a little with a solo of this highly exposed face.
This is the taunting face of Olympus that quietly watches over the Salt Lake Valley.
The bushwacking trail/gullies are always a route finding treat, but this time I linked it all up without bumbling around.
The jumbled mess of rocks and blocks create a great staircase to the slab. Spent some time checking out a goat carcass and chatting with some young guys who had just come off the face.
25 minutes from the car I Switched over to rock shoes and began climbing the “slab” proper.
I love this type of climbing. The holds are plentiful and there aren’t any “lines” or routes to follow. You can just focus on the foot and hand holds “at hand” and go fast pulling and stepping up.
Almost made it from car to top in an hour.
Almost 2500ft of vert.
Almost stroking out above the valley floor.
Now it’s back to life on the road. The people of Colorado need their ski stoke. Hopefully I’ll return to play in the mountains with a skiable snowpack in a few weeks.