I had the chance to guide the remote and classic Southwest Buttress of Dorado Needle a couple weeks ago during the AMGA Alpine Guides Exam. I’ll do a full blog post about the exam soon, but here’s a shot of Über-examiner Marc Chauvin cruising up the lower portion of the route!
I just have time for a quick photo journey up the Fisher Chimney route on Mt. Shuksan that I did with Adrian and Juan a couple weeks ago. The Fisher Chimneys is a beautiful line, with a very reasonable approach, that offers varied and interesting climbing throughout the year. From a beautiful valley approach, to fun and easy climbing in the Chimneys, then a bit of steep ice, glacier walking, and a fine summit rock ridge, it’s the definition of a well-rounded alpine route. On our trip, we found excellent conditions on the route itself, although we did spend a couple days near Lake Anne waiting for the rain to cease before we started up. A highly recommended trip!
2010 was the year of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area for me. Between February and October, I spent a total of almost three months climbing in its magnificent canyons and crags. In the spring, when the summits were still snow covered and canyon’s creeks were flowing high, I was training for, then taking, the AMGA Rock Guide Course. We did some excellent climbing including Olive Oil (III, 5.7), Dream of Wild Turkeys (III, 5.10a), Nightcrawler (II, 5.10c), The Walker Spur (II, 5.10b), and the full Geronimo (III+, 5.8).
Mike cruisin’ up Olive Oil
Art climbing The Walker Spur
The crux pitch of Nightcrawler
In the warm and sweaty days of fall, I got in a little more training before taking my AMGA Rock Guide exam. My friend and AAI co-worker Danny Uhlmann was also taking the exam and we completed a number of excellent climbs prior to its start. We made the most of our prep time, climbing Risky Business into Dark Shadows (III+, 5.10c R) in Pine Creek Canyon, Rock Warrior in Black Velvet Canyon (III, 5.10b R), Community Pillar (III, 5.8) in Pine Creek, Gin Ricky (I, 5.10c) and Birthday Party (II, 5.6) in First Creek Canyon, and Solar Slab to Eagle Dance (IV, 5.10) in Oak Creek Canyon.
Danny at the first bolt on Rock Warrior (60′ up!)
Loving the belays of Rock Warrior. The first five belays are all fully hanging.
During the exam, we climbed some more classic routes including Beulah’s Book to Arch Enemy (III, 5.9) in Oak Creek, cragging at the Trophy Wall/Wall of Confusion, Myster Z (III, 5.7) to Armatron (II, 5.9) in Juniper Canyon, The Gobbler to Dream of Wild Turkeys in Black Velvet Canyon (III+, 5.10), and There and Back Again (II, 5.8) to Eagle Dance (IV, 5.10c) in Oak Creek Canyon.
Great edge climbing on Dream of Wild Turkeys
Ron finishing up the Eagle Dance bolt ladder.
I am proud to announce that I passed my exam with excellent marks. I am available for guiding in Red Rock Canyon through the American Alpine Institute, an authorized concessionaire, from September to May each year.
Rainbow Falls. Click to enlarge.
Corinna sending Rainbow Falls Left
2011 is shaping up to be a good year.
I spent today with Northwest Mountain School guest Corinna on some great ice up in Icicle Canyon, a mere five minutes from town. We spent the day on Rainbow Right (WI3, 35-45M) and Rainbow Left (WI4, 25m), each of which had fantastic plastic ice and are just ten minutes from the parking lot!
Enjoying a lap on Rainbow Right
The ice is growing in Leavenworth and most of the routes are in climbable shape. Contact me for details or to go climbing this winter. Here’s to 2011!
Corinna topping out on Rainbow Gully
I just got a call from Katie at the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) office… She said that I won the 2009 North Face scholarship for full tuition towards my Alpine Guides Course! Great news!
Kurt Hicks | IFMGA Mountain Guide 