NEW zone in the backwaters

The warmth over the weekend was absurd. We arrived to blue skies and decided to drive out into the backwaters. We had a bit of time before Moj met up with us, so we took some interesting looking spur roads to see where they took us.

After a few stops we once again found a new cluster of boulders to explore as well as a couple of small buttresses, we called hutch and tried to explain where we were...eventually we all met up and climbed and explored and played in the sun...




after the direct, we decided to work the traverse...











We then ran around to some more close by problems, a couple of cracks, one that starts in a nice overhang, and a patina plate problem that had to have some of the biggest plate features I've pulled on in the boulder batholith...I think/hope Mojede took a couple shots of that stuff. (and here they are...)







Almost by instinct, we dropped down the ridge and crossed a small field to an adjacent ridge line that beckoned us. We found, after just a few minutes of walking another nice cluster...though the day was moving much too quickly...so after talking a walk about the ridge Hutch left us to round the day out on a couple new problems...





Hope y'all are getting out as well...

Cheers!

Tom

Druthers in February

Another great day in the Boulder Batholith! Hutch, Pat and I met up with Levi, Beth, and Eric...they had just done a day and an overnight at Whiskey Gulch with a larger crew from Missoula and were ready for day two. Word has it there is currently 6-8 inches of snow in areas of that zone...we decided to stay in lower elevations so we could have a more snow free day than that...Druthers seemed like a good bet...

















Session on a new problem...Levi quickly dispensed, with Pat and Eric nabbing quick sends as well. NICE!

















Rounding out the day on Birthday Crack


It was a great day with alot of stoke. More stuff seems to appear at the Druthers every time I return...and it was rad to have group psyche to get some problems done!

Hopefully more days like this are in store...until then

Cheers,

Tom

Return to Mars

I took two boulder strolls this week, the following photos are from an area that I had explored before.













Crisp edges and solid flakes combined with tight grained, user-friendly texture will have me coming back here again.

Winter Cragging and Bouldering

The adventure continues in the northern latitudes...earlier in the week, the brother and I went to explore and do some bouldering...




Looks like Plum Line...a bit smaller though

We then came across an interesting squeeze traverse tunnel. I got stuck and had to back out, but Pat got through






The Breather


Exploring this section of the Boulder Batholith is interesting. Alot of the hillside is made up of a jumbled stack of fins and boulders. They form corridors, rooms, holes and passages...one grouping formed an unusual space, and we returned with ropes to investigate.


Chapiteau (.11b)


It starts steep and bouldery, but after a couple moves you can manage to stem...



Now at the top of the A-frame, you could pop out the top, or make the voyage across the apex...which is what we came for...

















Though Pat didn't get it on this sequence(onsight go), he got it next go...quite the sit up at the end...Nice send bro!

Another shot for perspective...



We then gave it goes, clipping through the gear...I got spit midway out the roof, though no pictures were taken...here some of Hutch and Ron





Hutch got spit, and then worked the the opposite side out, though making the turn would prove to be difficult, as Ron found out...






All in all, it was strange and fun!

We rounded out the day with a little exploring and a bit of bouldering...






Well...that's all for now, but I'm sure we'll be heading back soon.

Hope y'all are getting out and enjoying yourselves...

Cheers!

Tom