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Prezwoodz
climber
Anchorage
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 18, 2018 - 01:40am PT
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So I haven't posted in quite a while. I've been so busy outside that I find I don't really get any time on the computer. It works out pretty good for my climbing but not good for my photo sharing. So here's a bunch to catch everyone up on what my year has been like so far.
First things first..I've joined the ranks of instagram folks. It kind of drives me nuts but it is good for getting photos out. So I am on there as @franticfreestyle for anyone who wants to take a look.
Now, on to the goods.
First I'll start with one of my latest photo excursions, primarily because I am really excited about these pictures. I had this image in my head of a shot that I thought would be amazing. I just needed several things to fall perfectly into alignment. First of all I would need the northern lights. Then I would need the clouds to disappear, and finally I would need a climber to follow me up 3 pitches to the middle of Sunshine Ridge...at night. My friend Wongi called me last Monday and asked if I wanted to head up to take pictures. I had told him about my desired shot and he was game. So we headed out down the Seward Highway at 10pm and started climbing. The northern lights were starting to show and we were excited, even soloing by headlamp with all of our gear we were still not deterred. The climb is a pretty easy 5.7.
As we setup the lights started to show across the sky and we quickly took pictures of each other climbing. It was amazing watching the colors blast across the sky and you couldn't wipe the smiles off of our faces.
Here are a few of my favorites of Wongi soloing some easy pitches. These pictures are exactly as I could have hoped them to be and just what I was dreaming of.
As for the daytime I spent the majority of the summer in Hatcher Pass, Alaska. A place that I consider home as much as anywhere else these days. I did a ton of climbing and left the camera at home, focusing heavily on just getting outside. But in addition to that i also went out with some climbers who are much stronger than I and we worked on their projects. One of the places I really enjoyed spending time at this year was the Gargoyle. It is one of the most unique features in Hatcher and even though the hike is straight up and can range between 30-45min it was still very worth the trips I made. The main objective was to climb the large overhanging feature often called pride rock. Those of us who have ventured up have stared at it but it was Todd Helgeson who thought it would go. Here he is sizing it up.
Yeah, the line is probably going to be there.
Actually that is pretty blank.
The gargoyle has some really high quality lines. This face includes a 5.11d and now a 5.13a.
Local wildlife.
One of the new lines is one that Todd put up early in the season. A 5.13 up thin crimps and somewhat non existent holds.
Pat Harris wondering if it’ll hold.
A view down the top of the feature.
Todd wasn’t the only one I spent some time climbing with this year. A few times I made a trip with my friend Julie who I’m pretty sure could out hike me most days of the week. She asked if I wanted to go with her toward something she was working on cleaning up. She figured it wasn’t a first ascent but that it was still good enough to put some time into cleaning. I happily joined her for what would be the longest approach of my season! After a few hours of hiking, some steep, some boulders, some on snow where I sank to my waist, we arrived at a really great looking little crack. It was an excellent climb and it was great to see others putting in the effort to clean them up.
Mile-High area.
The beautiful valleys of Hatcher Pass.
For some reason I wasn’t expecting much snow….
Julie getting her clean on.
So, Hatcher pass is amazing. The weather was great this year and I got a ton of climbing days in but I didn’t just stay in Hatcher Pass. I also got on another project I wanted for years. The first time I heard about this climb was when I was writing the climbing guide about 8 years ago. I had very little information to go by so just let it linger for years. Dan Linnell and I decided to go for it this year. We got as much information as we could from the FA party and borrowed a raft to float across the Matanuska River. Everything was going great.
Then we ended up back at the road way past where the pullout was supposed to be. We had missed it! We were demoralized by our lack of even finding the start of the trail and debated leaving to climb something else. Then we got a call from Kristen, who put up the route and she offered to show us the way. Excellent! It was perfect timing and we made our way over to King Mountain. We expected some real scary adventure climbing but it was nothing like. Really just a pleasant day our sport climbing 4 pitches of fun unique rock.
Dans happy we found the route.
And even happier we found this mayonnaise
Leading off the first pitch anchor.
Crux
Castle Mountain
An absolutely beautiful place we live in.
Tim finishing the trad climb.
Getting in the final pitch.
We followed near center line in this picture.
Back at the car with the crag in the background.
It has been an awesome summer with lots of climbing and tons of sunshine but I suppose it has to end sometime. I just recently moved to Bangkok, Thailand. Talk about a change. I’m going to be making some trips home but you’ll probably start seeing more Thailand pics coming about soon. Until then I’ll leave you with this parting shot of Hatcher Pass that I took this last March. Here’s to winter!!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Sep 18, 2018 - 06:12am PT
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Wow....welcome back! ST needs more contributions like yours. Great pics!
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Sep 18, 2018 - 06:57am PT
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Electric!
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Prezwoodz
climber
Anchorage
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 18, 2018 - 10:46am PT
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Thanks for the comments!
Jody - I used my headlamp and I had my camera set to 3200iso, f2.8, and about 8 seconds. It was fun trying to get some pictures out of it!
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Sep 18, 2018 - 11:09am PT
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Wow, excellent pics...as usual.
I miss Hatcher Pass climbing. We called the Talkeetnas the Sierras of Alaska.
My best friend climbed in Thailand last fall, said there's a lifetime supply.
Keep your posts and pics coming.
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Sep 18, 2018 - 11:16am PT
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Photofantastic,,,,
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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Sep 18, 2018 - 07:31pm PT
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Very nice TFPU
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Ney Grant
Trad climber
Pollock Pines
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Sep 18, 2018 - 07:37pm PT
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Stunning photos. Beautiful!
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Sep 18, 2018 - 08:08pm PT
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Wow, that last shot is absolutely surreal.
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zBrown
Ice climber
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Sep 18, 2018 - 09:16pm PT
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Very im_prez_ive
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Sep 18, 2018 - 11:15pm PT
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Nice to see my old hood - Hatcher Pass. Good shootin’! Thanks!
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i-b-goB
Social climber
Nutty
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Oct 29, 2018 - 03:37pm PT
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Stunning shots, that's a crazy sawtooth boulder, and last shot would make a fantastic Christmas card!
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Jim Clipper
climber
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Oct 29, 2018 - 03:42pm PT
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amazing what's out there. way to get after it!
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Oct 29, 2018 - 05:24pm PT
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Gorgeous countryside, nicely captured in your images, and really cool aurora borealis shots!
Very nice contributions man.
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