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people passion progression

I returned from Alaska about 2 weeks ago after a great guiding season up north. Great weather conditions in Alaska gave us success on the Radio Tower, and the E. ridge of Francis, and another summit of Denali. It was great to see many friends while I was in AK, as well as being in the magic of Alaska range. My creative juices salivate while in the beauty of this range. Another artist friend of mine truly inspired me with her absolutely stunning talent. The marriage of the mountains and art, is a connection that embodies so many emotions.

After returning to the lower 48, I took about 7 days off. Eating and sleeping were mandatory, before starting some more guiding work on Mt Rainier. July 3rd was the start date of my next program for RMI. A strong crew of folks, we sent Mt Rainier. With a day off, some weather that finally resembled summer and a few other guide friends we decided to go skiing in July. Zeb Blaise, Mike Hinckly, Anne Gilbert Chase and I took a walk up the Kautz Ice Chute. Since winter lasted until late June here in the NW, the amount of snow on some routes right now are in premier condition. I have skied off Rainier many times, this ski was one of the better ones. Being able to keep your sticks on from the TOP all the way to Paradise.

We left Paradise around 1:20 AM, casually strolling to the Summit under a clear sky, light winds and a freezing level of 14,500. Lovely really. I’ve been up the Kautz a few times, but this was the best conditions i’ve seen it in.

Our ski down was perfection, warm butter. Rolling down, with a pool table smooth surface doesn’t get to much more stellar.
Good times.

I even made it back by 3 to meet my next group of clients for some pre trip briefing and gear checks. This trip was a group of kids, 14 - 17 yr olds, excited to sit on top of Washington’s highest mountain. The week previously, they had been on top of Mt Adams. Its refreshing to work with kids every once and while. The energy and excitement is contagious. We climbed the Dissapointment Cleaver Route this past weekend. Everyone reaching the summit yesterday morning, under stellar conditions once again. Sneaking it in just before a weak low pressure system is passing through, bringing with it a high wind event the mountain is experiencing currently.

The route was exceptionally busy Sunday. Actually, it may have been the most climbers i’ve seen on it. We could have fixed the entire route with how many chords were out. Its amazing what you see out there, make shift harnesses, climbing ropes you would think have had been purchased at Wal Mart. People, no need to be stretched out at a 35 meter interval. Really? Really. Surely no reason to be stretched out 30 - 40 meters, while not even close to standing on a glacier. Taking breaks Directly under rock and ice fall hazard areas might not be covered in Freedom of the Hills, but one would think that common sense would prevail. I guess not. C’mon keep it tight out there kids.

The positive experience a climb like this can be for kids in this age bracket, I believe, is a life changing experience. Courting and charting their relationship with the mountains and art. The next wave of mountain artists rise up.

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People.Passion.Progression.

Here are a couple of pics from an avalanche yesterday on Mt Rainier.
11 Caught (all independent climbers)
4 Buried
3 Recovered
1 Fatality

Data Code: SS-N-I-R4-D4

Dimensions:
300M x app. 800M
Crown: 1 - 2.5M
Alpha Angle - 20.5 degrees

Just returned from Alaska. I spent 10 days guiding for, RMI, on a Alaska Seminar. Flying out of Talkeetna, we flew into the Kahiltna glacier Base Camp. It felt great to get back into the range, seeing friends up there that I haven’t seen for sometime. Our group included Jerry, Paul, French Dennis, American Dennis, Ben, Jeff, Bryan, as well as guides Tyler Jones, and Mike Tomlinson.

The weather was perfect during our time there. Giving us opportunities to get on top of the Radio Tower, multiple days of crack rescue, some serac climbing, skills training for personal knowledge on future self sufficient trips and climbing Denali with a guide service. We were also able to climb the E ridge of Mt Francis, a beautiful line yielding stunning views of the range. Our climbing conditions were superb. Climbing up through a rock choke with a quick rock move then onto steeper 45 degree terrain for several hundred feet, leading up to the saddle and accessing the E ridge proper. We found a variety of conditions, nipple deep trail breaking in places, mature facets in others, then the climbing turned into perfect cramponing snow conditions on the last half of the ridge. Our friend Greg broke a trail a few days previous giving us a perfect line to the summit. Denali was out in her full glory that day.

I’ll be putting a little video together of our trip later this summer. A great trip was had, thanks to all.

I am off to AK this morning for a couple of weeks. Here is a quick video of the past couple of weeks.
More later.

Here is a recent trip report, here, from Mountain Hardwear athlete Dawn Glance. A good time was had stomping around in the woods of the Cody, Wyoming area earlier this winter. Good times were had discovering and exploring new ice lines, in a very remote setting.

Still good out there.

Noah Ronczkowski, SW Montana

Noah Ronczkowski, SW Montana

Winter will not leave.

Noah Ronczkowski

Ryan Tierney

Noah Ronczkowski and Ryan Tierney

Ryan Tierney

An afternoon spring storm over the Bridgers. Montana