Hi all:
We made the 10 hour drive out to Bozeman, Montana in search of some new (to us) ice. Once in Bozeman, we found reasonable rates (~$70/night) for a double occupancy room at the Lewis and Clark Motel. Their painstaking efforts replete with fleur-de-lis embossed wallpaper, sparkly ceilings, yellow mood lights and floral print decor have effectively restored all of the beauty and nostalgia of 1973. We slept with visions of John Travolta, dancing in our sleep.
The next morning, we headed out to Hyalite Canyon. Genesis is one of the first climbing areas 'developed' in Hyalite Canyon, and features a cluster of short routes within 20 minutes of the parking area. Mike opened off by leading up Willow Gully (WI 2+?).
After running a few laps, here's me leading up Genesis I (WI 3+).
We climbed another fun line, Lower Greensleeves, as part of the approach to Hangover.
Here I am about halfway up Hangover (WI 3+):
We drove an hour the next morning to reach Pine Canyon. Our target was Green Gully (WI 3+). For those of you with copies of Yvon Chouinard's 1978 classic "Climbing Ice," Green Gully is featured with the only two page color photo spread. Think of it as the centerfold for a 1978 ice porn rag. The approach was tough. After 20 - 30 minutes of trail hiking, we crossed a stream and ground up a steep talus slope covered with a thin layer of snow. Green Gully is several hundred feet up.
Mike led the route as it grew increasingly wet in the cold, clear afternoon.
Mike in front of Green Gully:
Because Green Gully was so wet, we decided to skip climbing the adjacent Blue Gully, an equally aesthetic classic line.
Our final morning was spent scouting out some of the other Hyalite Canyon area climbs. A 30 minute hike brings you up into an amphitheater with a handful of short routes. Here is a picture of the "Left Hand" and "Right Hand" routes.
By mid-morning, we were back on the road for the long drive to Seattle.
Overall, the weather was great - clear skies, temps in the low teens to upper twenties. The routes seemed to be a bit on the stiff side of the ratings, with a WI3+ in Bozeman probably corresponding to short WI4 in Ouray. The routes are mostly on the short side (very few are greater than 60M), but are often clustered into nice groupings. With an array of opportunities, a fabulous guidebook (Winter Dance by Joe Josephson), this area is a great destination for a winter climbing trip. I'm already looking forward to returning.
-t