Trip Report
Backwater Bouldering (Northern Bourbons TR: installment 3)
Monday November 10, 2008 6:02pm
Sunday turned out to be much nicer than I expected. Andrew and I went out with intentions to meet up with Hutch and map, but the weather allowed some time to boulder as well. I was happily surprised to find that the Northern Bourbons was still very climbable. Perhaps this can last a couple more weeks...


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Blue Cadet-3

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Andrew on Blue Cadet-3

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DB's Allstars


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Beer & Brushes


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Mushi Master Ginko


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Laughing Crack


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FA of Pez


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Ridgeline Bliss


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FA of Diamond Slab


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Mapping went really well too. After reviewing the data, it seems we have around 70 problems/projects(mapped) in the Northern Bourbons. There is definitely more to be done, and I forgot a couple too...Hard to say how much longer we'll be able to climb this close to the divide, but I venture I'll try to find out...


Cheers,

Tom

  Trip Report Views: 3,061
TKingsbury
About the Author
TKingsbury is a trad climber from MT.

Comments
HighDesertDJ

Trad climber
  Nov 10, 2008 - 06:09pm PT
Those are great looking formations! Fantastic landings too.
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 10, 2008 - 06:13pm PT
Thanks HDDJ! We've definitely been having alot of fun out there

Some more from the same area:

Part 2:
http://supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=691745

Part 1:
http://supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=686107
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 10, 2008 - 08:54pm PT

tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
  Nov 10, 2008 - 08:56pm PT
I'm with greg that place looks awesome. I'll have to look you guys up next time I go visit my brother. How far are you guys from Helena?

Tom
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 10, 2008 - 09:06pm PT
Thanks Tom, Helena is about an hour north of this stuff...more than welcome to a tour anytime you come through. Anyone is for that matter...

Some fun stuff in Helena too, the batholith extends up into that area (sheep mountain, blue cloud). You ever climb there when you visited previously?
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Nov 10, 2008 - 09:10pm PT
So is that white line, between, around, Pez, Ridgeline slab, and Diamond slab, a chalked corner? or one of the largest Fulgarites ever seen?
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 10, 2008 - 09:14pm PT
I was hoping someone would see that. Good eye Jay!

It's a fulgarite...and I agree, it's probably the biggest I've seen.

edit: judging from the picture/memory, maybe it's from multiple strikes? it seems discontinuous near the bottom/top
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
  Nov 10, 2008 - 09:44pm PT
Last time I was up there, I didn't climb. I did fish the Gallatin with my uncle and look up at those climbs there.

It sure seemed that there was a lot to climb up that away. I wasn't much of a boulderer then, more of climber type. These days, I'm starting to come around to the compact adventure of the boulders. Now that I live in Bishop, I'm hardly ever on rope.

That stuff you guys are doing looks like about as fun as a guy needs to have. Crack Bouldering too? Sheesh.

Tom
the museum

Trad climber
  Nov 10, 2008 - 10:47pm PT
Super nice TK - have you ever bouldered up at the reservoir near helena? We used to go there all the time back in the day.
mojede

Trad climber
Butte, America
  Nov 11, 2008 - 01:11am PT
Squeezing in a few pebblems was an unexpected pleasure for this time of year, at that altitude.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Nov 11, 2008 - 01:22am PT
So, it is a fulgarite, I will direct my team to check that out (Scuffy, Fred, you out there?)

As always, thanks for the vibe and energy, you guys.

Special, bouldering in gaiters, style bump!

ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
  Nov 11, 2008 - 01:55am PT
" the compact adventure of the boulders " ( nice line there Tom ) . . . The Bourbons remind me of an area here (tho not as good) I call Spring / Fall where the (volcanic) boulders are just sort of sprouting out of a pine needle(d) hill . Very aesthetic .
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2008 - 10:52am PT
Right on Tom, Gallatin Canyon is a fun area for lots of activities. Fun gneiss out there...Montana has alot to offer for those willing to come and look.

Museum, I haven't been upto the reservoir near Helena, I've only really bouldered around the Sheep Mountain area. Guess I need to go up there a bit more and explore. Helena has some nice offerings.

And speaking of crack bouldering, this shot is from Sheep Mt, taken a couple seasons ago...
Liz gaining the crack, somewhere around Right Rock....


Jay, I'll have to get a cropped close up shot of that fulgarite and post it...give me a few minutes....

TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2008 - 10:57am PT
presented for inspection....
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Nov 11, 2008 - 05:11pm PT
Now that's a fulgarite! I nicked it. If I ever lecture in a geology class again I'll use it and send you royalties, It will definitly turn up in a sped Earth Science lesson, they love stuff like lightning. me too!
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2008 - 05:35pm PT
Even just hearing you want to use it as an example is pretty damn neat. Cool to think it could presented in front of classes...right on!

Is there a fulgarite appreciation thread on st?
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Nov 11, 2008 - 05:41pm PT
There should be, I've got a bunch of shots of them in various types of granite, and some in limestone. I must have some in phonolite, they are all over the place @ Devil's Tower. -Big surprise. -Frank has a video he sent me of lightning hitting the tower.
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2008 - 05:42pm PT
I smell a good photo thread...I better pull together some fodder
Jingy

climber
Random Nobody
  Nov 11, 2008 - 08:38pm PT
Those are some really awesome photos T!!!

Wish I was out there. Some of those are super-high-balls! (like in the chest cavity!)

Great looking place and can't wait for the next installment!
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2008 - 09:54pm PT
Thanks Jingy! Glad you like it, y'all are always more than welcome to come out and climb. Lots of rock, free camping, and hospitality out here...maybe gas prices will actually be low next spring/summer...

As for the next installment, turns out I worked a holiday today(oops) so now I get to(hopefully) allocate friday as my holiday...maybe thursday if the weather is decent. Back to the boulders...
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
  Nov 11, 2008 - 11:21pm PT
Okay guys- Fulgarite, a defintion please. I'm officially intrigued.

Tom
Zander

climber
  Nov 11, 2008 - 11:36pm PT
Nice TR and pictures Mr. Kingsbury,
Yeah when you go climbing with Jaybro and ScuffyB you find out about stuff like fulgarites. Apparently fulgarites are what happens when a rock is stuck by lightning. Pretty cool huh?
Zander
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Nov 11, 2008 - 11:42pm PT
There's cool stuff everywhere, go to the Tower and learn the Phonics™ of Phonolytes!
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
  Nov 11, 2008 - 11:52pm PT
Phonolytes? I'm still working on fulgarites. it's that white stripe down the arete? The lightning cooks the rock. Does it require water to travel to the ground?

Tom

Griff

Social climber
A decent motel not too far from the action.
  Nov 11, 2008 - 11:54pm PT
Yes, Jaybro, and there is a tremendous heap of lithophonic rocks not too far from the fulgarite in TK's photo.

Didn't think I'd use those words in the same sentence today.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Nov 12, 2008 - 12:05am PT
I wish we could tell for sure whether those Lithophonic rocks near the Fulgarite are all part of a larger allochthon. Though it doesn't look likely.
Griff

Social climber
A decent motel not too far from the action.
  Nov 12, 2008 - 12:07am PT
Ok, J.

I fold.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Nov 12, 2008 - 12:22am PT
Was "lithophonic" a real word, like funkadelic?
Griff

Social climber
A decent motel not too far from the action.
  Nov 12, 2008 - 12:32am PT
It must be real.

Wiki told me so.

(I found it while looking up fulgarite)

:)
Jingy

climber
Random Nobody
  Nov 12, 2008 - 12:41am PT
TK - Thanks for the offer to come out and climb with, too bad the only climbing I feel safe doing anymore is either really low to the ground, or on a rope. But taking pics would be better for me. Me = mini-photog


Take it easy til spring
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 12, 2008 - 11:23am PT
Jingy, we have plenty of roped climbing out here too, whatever suits ya...

as for the lithophonic rocks being part of an allochthon...I'm not sure, but the geology layer shows it being on the edge of the batholith....

Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Nov 12, 2008 - 12:54pm PT
maybe if you take a wide enough view...
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 12, 2008 - 01:17pm PT
I guess if you consider the Boulder Batholith an allochthon of some larger batholith...




Hell of an approach to this particular zone btw...
mojede

Trad climber
Butte, America
  Nov 12, 2008 - 02:01pm PT
That guy looks lost.
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Author's Reply  Nov 12, 2008 - 02:07pm PT
Not all who wander are lost...
LizR

Trad climber
Montana
  Nov 12, 2008 - 08:38pm PT
TK-can you take a week off over thanksgiving?
P.Kingsbury

Trad climber
the jeep
  Nov 13, 2008 - 03:28pm PT
sweet shots brotherman!1!!!!

come on down to the desert TK and Liz!!!!

same camp site as last time!

-Pat
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
  Nov 13, 2008 - 03:39pm PT
Pat will no doubt be in the Creek long past when the cows have come home...
Keep snappin' pics Tom & Pat!
We need the dueling Kingsbury threads alive and kickin'!!!
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
  Nov 13, 2008 - 03:44pm PT
good stuff as always, Tom, and a bonus gimondo fulgarite!!!
Mike Friedrichs

Sport climber
City of Salt
  Nov 13, 2008 - 04:03pm PT
I've wondered. Do you think the absence of the usual orange lichen around the fulgarite is an indication of time since the strike? Or is it more about the components of the rock. No black lichen either.

Anyone a fulgarologist...
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