|
| Beautiful clouds... hoping they don't produce too much rain |
2014 went out in style and we had a really busy year. The following are a collection of images from the areas we spent the most time at last year:
The Beartooths
This is the single area where we spent the most time this summer. Because the boulders of this area were mostly untouched until this summer, we spent a significant amount of time brushing boulders and building landings. Though the main boulder field was rather small, it revealed a high density of gems, many of which were quite hard.
For a great video of this area, see Sander Pick's Mile 18:
Below, David works on the sit start to Spears of Madness in a summer thunderstorm. David did the FA of the stand (V10 or 11) this summer. The sit is likely a couple of grades harder (V13 or so), and is yet undone.
I am trying a thin and crimpy problem on a boulder with multiple warm-up lines.
Sander pick works the moves just before doing the FA of Big Dipper (V12).
David works the moves on Big Dipper in a photo the better shows the steepness of this line.
David's brothers, Anton and Rickard, eat a Dutch oven dinner on their trip here from Sweden.
Rickard works on Spears of Madness.
Me brushing a line on a boulder adjacent to The Cosmos
Sander brushes the top of the extremely classic and long problem, Supernova (V10), on The Cosmos Boulder (next to Big Dipper).
A sloping hold on the same boulder as the above problems.
A boulder just beneath The Cosmos. This required a serious amount of cleaning to access.
Sander doing Ninja, estimated to be V8 before a key crux hold broke. David has since repeated it but thinks it's a notch harder.
David sending a problem lower down on the road.
Fly fishing to pass the hottest part of the day
A lot of brushing revealed very poor holds: this entire boulder remains a project, both the stand start (where David is) and the traverse into the stand start. Possible? Maybe.
Team effort to the stand of the same problem
Incredible camping
The drive out from the boulders, heading north toward Big Timber
A pit stop in Big Timber at The Thirsty Turtle for huge, juicy burgers and waffle fries
Gallatin Canyon
Sander giving an undone project at The Cube a good effort on a 90+ degree day in Gallatin Canyon
Tobacco Roots
View from the parking in the Tobacco Roots
Sander on a project that David brushed in the Tobacco Roots
David high on the same project
Yankee Jim Canyon
David enjoying the problems of Yankee Jim Canyon, north of Gardiner
Bridger Mountains
Johan (climbing) and Rickard (belaying) in Wolverine Basin as these two Swedes kick-start a two-month climbing trip in the US
Pipestone Pass
David hikes a few pads into the Trailer Boulders, one of the most popular areas of Pipestone Pass near Butte
David tops out a classic V4 in the Trailers
After sparing his fingertips for a green card fingerprinting session in Helena, David does the second ascent of the sit start to Heart of Darkness (V10), an unusually cool line in the Trailer Boulders.
