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.
Tyler Jones and Laura Rodgers enjoying a little ice climbing this past week. Temps are dropping and its getting a little frigid out these days. A few more days of climbing and skiing in the Bozeman area with Tyler and Laura then heading to Sun Valley for a couple of days before returning to Bozeman to climb and shoot with Andres Marin and Chad Peele.
Laura Rodgers on the 2nd pitch of Zack Attack, Hyalite Canyon Montana
Laura Rodgers on the 2nd pitch of Zack Attack, Hyalite Canyon Montana
Laura Rodgers climbing Mummy 2 Hyalite Canyon Montana
Tyler Jones and Laura Rodgers suiting up for a little ice climbing Hyalite Canyon Montana
Tyler Jones on the Elevator Shaft Hyalite Canyon Montana
A few weeks ago John Golden asked if I was interested in documenting his teams climb up Mt Rainier. I had worked with John the previous season up on Mt Shuksan in the North Cascades of Washington as well. John is driven to push himself and others around him. Spending time last fall on Ama Dablam and the spring on Everest. Dr Brian Cole has teamed up with John to create The Live Active Fund to advance Orthopedic Research, Everest as well as the climb here on Rainier were fundraisers for this fund. It was a great climb and great to work with these guys. Take the time to read up on what they are about.
I wrapped up a trip to Indian Creek Utah the other day, I spent 2 weeks photographing in the desert. This well done video clip of Katie Brown and Cedar Wright on “Belly Full of Bad Berries” is one of the routes that we shot.
I spent 1 day shooting with Mary Harlan on this route. A climber for Mad Rock and Omega Pacific. Check back for some images.
I spent the most time photographing the crazy Columbian, Andres Marin, aka miss January. Check Andres out in the new 2008 Rock and Ice calendar. Andres is truly a pleasure to be around. I think Andres climbed “Brother from another planet” about 10 or 11 times.