As some of you know, Heather took a bit of a tumble yesterday and as a result she got to be my first ever Ski Patrol patient! She likely injured the Meniscus on her left knee when her ski tip dove under the snow and flipped her for a sideways cartwheel. I was above her and watched her knee bend/twist about 30 degree's farther than it was suppose to. YIKES!
After a trip to the hospital and some pain meds, she slept through the night and decided to go to school today. Her knee is doing well this evening and she has been able to use it a bit throughout the day with only minor pain and inflammation. I keep reminding her to ice and elevate it which she does.
We wanted to say thanks for all of the phone calls, emails, and facebook wishes of a speedy recovery. Heather says she'll be skiing again before we know it... funny but i believe her!
Heather being assisted by Jedediah and Dave of the Targhee Ski Patrol
Heather and I hiking out the steep section of Scotty's after spending a portion of the day skiing laps at Steve Baugh's Bowl, east of Grand Targhee Ski Resort
photo: Rick Williams
Heather exiting the bottom of Scotty's Chute on our way to Steve Baugh's Bowl.
The time has come where I'm shifting gears and adding winter ski content to East Idaho Off-Piste. If you are interested, please follow my ski adventures at www.nopiste.blogspot.com and i will continue to post winter climbing on The Indulgence (this site).
Friends of East Idaho Off-Piste will be hosting a free avalanche awareness night on Friday, October 23rd. We will be showing The Fine Line - A 16mm Avalanche Education Film. This is a high energy film that rivals some of the better movies out there with amazing ski, snowboard and snowmobile footage. This is a great film for the seasoned backcountry enthusiast wanting a pre-season mental refresher as well as an important education in basic fundamentals for any aspiring backcountry user.
Here are the details: When: Friday, October 23rd at 7pm - 9:30pm. Doors open at 6:30pm Where: Ririe High School Auditorium - 260 1st West, Ririe, ID. 83443 (park and enter the auditorium on the west side of the school) Cost: FREE Who: Anyone who travels or wants to travel into the side-country, backcountry, and alpine environment to ride, slide, or climb. Why: Awareness, unity, meet new friends, and it will just be darn fun!
Some of you might ask, "Why Ririe?" Well that's simple and it's not because it's close to my house! The Ririe High School has been kind enough to let the community gather in their auditorium free of charge for educational purposes! Also, it's somewhat of a central location for folks in the Snake River Valley and those from Teton Valley who will drive over the hill to attend. Just make the drive to Ririe, it will be worth it.
Please spread the word and let's kick off the ski season with safety in mind.
The world’s best skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, and climbers join the world’s leading avalanche professionals to bring you a new movement in avalanche education. “The Fine Line: A 16mm Avalanche Education Film” is a cinematic journey that unites the cutting edge of winter action sports with youth education about responsible backcountry usage. An opening film is the prime emotional hook and four training films dive into the details of backcountry science. Massive avalanches, epic riding, year long time-lapses, crazy true stories, deep cable cam powder, Alaskan heli to heli, and educational materials made visible. Engaging, educational, and inspiring: This film could save lives.
I've been climbing a few days a week at Midget Widget the last few weeks. Abe Dickerson and I spent a morning out climbing some of the routes i established last fall. To my surprise they were just as fun as last year. Although the routes are short, they offer some pretty fun climbing. Basically, if you take the crux section of any trad route and place it on the rimrock basalt of Meadow Creek, you will have any one of the climbs at Midget Widget! Bouldering with cams is what i like to say!
It is short, but it definitely teaches you to protect the route. Some of the lines would easily protect with two cams, but hitting the ground is very likely due to the short nature of the some of the routes, so i find myself protecting the routes against ground falls more than anything. If you do venture out to Midget Widget, please bear in mind that it is basalt and somewhat brittle, so the likely hood of breaking a hand or foot hold is very possible. And depending on where you are on the route, you could easily hit the ground. Be safe please.
Jennilyn Eaton and I have been developing a new sector southeast of the main zone. Currently we have three new routes with a possibility of several more all on the same wall. These routes are a bit taller, maybe 5o to 55 feet and require a bit more boldness than the splitters from last year. Expect some committing face climbing and marginal gear.
Also of note, we established a nice corner crack on the north facing wall just to the south of the "Widget of Oz" . I will put together some more route info once we get the remaining lines done at the new sector. In the meantime here are a couple of photos.
Jennilyn Eaton on Crack-a-lackin' Crack-a-lackin'
New routing on Basalt in eastern Idaho is always exciting!
Getting burned isn't the worst thing that can happen. Rising from the ashes of tragedy are countless opportunities to show the world your true colors. (photo of an old burn area in the Yellowstone backcountry 9/13/09)
Eli Watkins on the Big Dam Boulder - Teton River Canyon
During the autumn of 2004 a crew of locals including Eli Watkins, Justin Avenius, Abe Dickerson, Heather Lords, and various other friends explored and developed two areas in the lower Teton River Canyon northeast of Newdale, Idaho. The first and most popular was an area we called the Dam Boulders. This is a cluster of boulders on the south side of the Teton River approximately one mile downstream from the old Dam site. We spent countless evening and weekend sessions exploring and establishing dozens of boulder problems on many of the erratics clumped together on a very user friendly gravel bar. The movement is good. The landings are even better, and there is room for other routes on many of the boulders. We did not feel naming the individual problems would be worthwhile and would only detract from the creativity of bouldering down there. However many of the boulders themselves received names like The Big Dam Boulder, The Walrus, Chick Rock, and a few others to help identify their location. At this time, there are no suggested ratings for the problems at the Dam Boulders; only imagination, a long walk, and the joy of movement… oh yeah, and the occasional rattlesnake!
The second area we explored was a short, junky looking wall on the north side of the Teton River just below the dam. We called this area the Junkyard Cracks. The climbing consists of desert style splitters ranging in size from tips to fists. Routes like Kidney Failure climb out from underneath a horizontal roof, while others are either inside corners or perfect face splitters. Although relatively short, the routes at the Junkyard Cracks are real jamming routes right here in Eastern Idaho. Typical with local choss, the wall doesn't look appealing, but the jamming is on clean cut sandstone-like rock. A good map that shows the farm roads on the north side of the Teton River is essential. Good luck!
Kidney Failure 5.10+, Junkyard Cracks - Teton River Canyon
Tricky business! Heather Lords working through the first crux of Riff Raff - Crank Cave, Idaho
Crank Cave is located along the basalt cliffs of the Blackfoot River Canyon south of Idaho Falls. The first two routes established by myself and Chuck Odette in 1993, climb the overhanging walls outside of the cave proper. The cave sat dormant for over a decade until local climber, Matt TeNgiao, equipped several routes on these same walls in early 2007. With new found motivation thanks to Matt, Heather and I quickly jumped on board and established TheBride of Crankenstein 5.12b. Shortly after, I equipped the first line across the horizontal roof of the main cave. This route was dubbed Karma Police 5.13c(?) when i redpointed it dispite anchor vandalism and the theft of my quick-draws. About the same time, Matt equipped the powerful and brilliant, Soul Power5.13a(?) which he recently redpointed. This route climbs out the right side of the cave.
The next line to climb through the main roof of the cave was called Riff Raff 5.13(?). This route offers dead horizontal movement through a series of powerful underclings to an amazing sequence involving hand jams and foot cams in the roof. This is followed by shallow pockets, crimping, and tricky feet to gain the "pod" just below the final bulge and headwall. It's not over! Long pulls, heel-hooks, and some pocket pulling will get you to the anchors. A variation of El Jefe 5.12a branches right and finishes through the last bulge of Riff Raff. This is my wanna-be lip traverse called Love to Burn 5.12b/c(?).
As the indian summer of 2007 raged on i continued my wave of mutilation at the Crank Cave. The final line of the season resulted in a clean and brilliant line inbetween Riff Raff and Karma Police. I have yet to finish this route, but those who have sampled the movement suggest it's the best hard route the cave has produced!
The majority of climbs in the Crank Cave require a stick clip to start the route. As with any newly developed area, loose rock should be expected and is important to remember: DO NOT stand,walk, or socialize below the climbers. We lovingly refer to the rock as 110% high quiality choss! It doesn't look great, but it offers superb movement. These routes are best described as powerful and sequential with cryptic movement. Have fun and be safe.
A current topo and route information for the Crank Cave will be available in the second addition of Sweet Spots by Jerry Painter and Matt TeNgiao due out in April of 2008.
Getting creative on the White Line Couloir - Peak 11,308
Peak 11,308 is located a few miles south and west of Borah Peak in the Lost River Range, Idaho. The southwest face of 11,308 currently offers two springtime technical mixed routes; the White Line Couloir (M5) and the Sideline (WI3, M4). Both routes offer a couple of moderate techncial chimney pitches combined with a few hundred meters of steep snow couloir thrown in for that classic alpine feel.
A short approach, scenic summit, and a walk-off descent make for a great introduction to mixed climbing in the Lost River Range. The Sideline is the little brother to the White Line, offering 80 meters of enjoyable mixed climbing in a chimney system followed by a few hundred meters of ice bulges and steep snow in a couloir. The ice varies from year to year and the protection can be somewhat tricky during very thin conditions. Even when fat, don't plan on swinging your tools too hard! Mixed is the key word for these routes! A hand full of stoppers, cams, pins and 10cm ice screws will be adiquate in any condition. Both the White Line and the Sideline can easily be linked together providing a fun day of mixed climbing.
Peak 11,308 holds potential for other technical mixed routes but requires specific spring conditions for these routes to form. Don't be suprised if a few more lines are established during the next season or two. The word is out and i'm excited for others to bring their vision to this peak.
Mike Howard on the first ascent of the Sideline - WI3, M4 ~ Peak 11,308
The southwest face of Peak 11,308. The White Line Couloir (red) splits the center of the face, and the Sideline (yellow) is located a few hundred meters to the right. The green line is the descent/link between the two lines.
Heather being assisted by Jedediah and Dave of the Targhee Ski Patrol
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