Trip Report
With Donini at Indian Creek
Tuesday October 26, 2010 5:19pm
The highlight of my fall is a trip to Indian Creek, where great camping meets superb crack climbing. Each year I meet Jim Donini and other friends there for a couple of weeks of full body abuse.

I hadn’t seen Steve Arsenault in years; our first meeting was in the early 70’s when I was a ranger at Jenny Lake, when Steve and John Bouchard came to the station and registered to climb the Black Ice Couloir and the West Face of the Grand Teton. I had just set up camp at Pasture Creek when Jim Donini’s white Sportsmobile pulled up a few yards away, followed by Steve and his friend Brian Delaney. Their friend Ran, also from back East showed up a minute later.

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Jim and John at Pasture Creek
Jim and John at Pasture Creek
Credit: AKTrad
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Time around a campfire with good friends is the best! More folks from neighboring camps came over. A bottle of fine tequila appeared and made its way around the group. Lots of old stories and lies emerged over the evening, and at a respectable hour the crowd dissipated.

In the morning we headed to the ‘Cat Wall’ for some moderate 5.10’s. By the time I had camp clean and had negotiated my rental Camry over the rocky approach road, Jim was already up a 120’ Unnamed crack. We took turns on the yo-yo to warm up.

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Credit: AKTrad
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Jim leads the 120’ ‘Unnamed’ crack on the Cat Wall

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Credit: AKTrad
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Steve gets a tan

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Credit: AKTrad
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Jim in rest mode

It seemed there was hardly a soul on the rock, so we had our pick of climbs and moved left to another fine crack. A couple or three climbs and the day was done.

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Credit: AKTrad
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Steve on Tomcat

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The geezers: Steve, Ralph, and Jim

Lethargy and geezerdom finally got the best of us and we settled down in the afternoon hot sun like lizards. Jim headed to Ouray in order to regroup for the next climbing trip where I would again meet him: Gateway/Unaweep. John and I went on a search for Anasazi ruins and pictographs.

Then back to camp where I cooked salmon fettucine for the gang.

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Credit: AKTrad
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Brian Delaney in camp

The next morning Ran left early; Brian, and John headed for the 4 X 4 Wall for their last climbs; I headed to Moab and ultimately Gateway for a birthday party...and more climbing with Donini.

  Trip Report Views: 3,220
AKTrad
About the Author
AKTrad is a mountain climber from AK.

Comments
Zander

climber
  Oct 26, 2010 - 05:21pm PT
Looks like a fun time.
Z
hb81

climber
  Oct 26, 2010 - 05:28pm PT
Wearing white tennis socks with sandals should be a privilege of German tourists abroad though ;)
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Oct 26, 2010 - 05:30pm PT
Yeah Ralph- don't you know how to photoshop?
Josh Nash

Social climber
riverbank ca
  Oct 26, 2010 - 05:31pm PT
I so cant wait to get old and rock sandals and socks! good tr...
dirt claud

Social climber
san diego,ca
  Oct 26, 2010 - 05:33pm PT
awesome, glad you guys had a great time out there, cool pics
AKTrad

Mountain climber
AK
Author's Reply  Oct 27, 2010 - 01:26am PT
Jim,

This is totally photoshopped!!!
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
  Oct 27, 2010 - 08:41am PT
Looks like a great time under blue skies.
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Oct 27, 2010 - 08:57am PT
Great Great Great!!

To borrow Jefe's immortal words:

Stout Silverbacks Sending Sick Sandstone Splitters!!!

Say that ten times fast.

AKTrad, where in AK? I'm a Venetie, Kotzebue, Nome, Bethel, Eagle River boy myself.
slabbo

Trad climber
colo south
  Oct 27, 2010 - 09:11am PT
hey Jim- Steve A was commenting about a "footless" incident on Super crack ?
AKTrad

Mountain climber
AK
Author's Reply  Oct 27, 2010 - 12:50pm PT
Survival,
I've lived several places in Alaska, but I'm currently in Anchorage where it froze hard last night under clear skies.
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Oct 27, 2010 - 12:54pm PT
AKTrad, thanks!

I laugh robustly, HA HA HA HA!!!, because my older kids are in Anch, wishing they were visiting me in NM, where it got down to a frigid 42 last night, high of 65 yesterday. Oh, woe is me, think I'll go climbing tomorrow!!!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Oct 29, 2010 - 06:47pm PT
Awesome TR AKtrad
Good to see you Duffers still getting after it!
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
  Oct 29, 2010 - 08:05pm PT
hey there say, AKTrad... say, this is a wonderful trip reports....
friendly for my computer, too, for some reason--the pics downloaded fast.... hmmm...


oh my... i like the laying in the sun getting a tan part... i know how to do that, on occasions... :) i'll take that job, next time you all climb... :))

thanks for the nice share, with all the buddies...
:)

AKTrad

Mountain climber
AK
Author's Reply  Nov 1, 2010 - 12:54am PT
I'll be back down in a month for more desert climbs and transition into the ice season. I've been hooked on the desert since I was a kid.
Thorgon

Big Wall climber
Sedro Woolley, WA
  Nov 1, 2010 - 01:14am PT
You guys are gettin' it done!




thor
Wayno

Big Wall climber
Republic, WA
  Nov 1, 2010 - 03:19am PT
Nice TR. Climbing with Donini looks like fun. I wish my gout wasn't screwy when he came Lworth last June. That J-Do sure gets around.
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