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Base Camp
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- Statistics:
- Date Hiked: January 10, 2008
- Miles Hiked: 2.0 (Estimate)
- Elevation Gain: 1,300' (Estimate)
- Hiking Partner(s): Brian
Kooienga
- Routes: WI3+ (3 Pitches)
- Description:
- “I’m an elitist prick and I think posers have polluted
mountaineering.” Mark Twight
- I feel
as though Twight might have had people like me in mind when he wrote
this comment. I’ve never really considered myself a climber or
mountaineer, but occasionally my ego tries to tell me I am. I simply
like to get out and have fun in the mountains every now and then. I
guess as long as I’m still having fun it really doesn’t matter what I
call myself. Twight will just have to get over it.
- Brian
and I both heard horror stories of long approaches, difficult ice,
benighted descents, and cold weather with regard to ice climbing near
Cody (WY). At best, I’d say I am a below average ice climber. With
this in mind along with Twight’s quote, Brian and I dubbed ourselves the “Pose
Brothers” on the drive to the South Fork of the Shoshone River for a
weekend of ice climbing. After checking into our hotel, we went over to
Core Mountain Sports to pick up a few final pieces of gear and talk with
local climber Aaron Mulkey. Aaron played an extensive role in
developing the Cody section of the new ice climbing guidebook “Winter
Dance”. He gave us some good recommendations and we grabbed some dinner
in anticipation for our first day of climbing.
- We
started the weekend with “Bozo’s Revenge”. This climb is broken into
three pitches. The first is a 20 meter bulge/ramp, the second is 50
meters of rolling ice, and the final is another 20 meter bulge. The
second pitch seemed harder than the WI3+ rating assigned to it. In
hindsight, we thought all of the routes we climbed were under rated. Of
course our experience is limited to only a few places in Colorado, but
it certainly felt like the ratings were sandbagged.
- The
drive from Cody to the end of the South Fork takes about an hour.
Hardcore climbers stay at Bison Willy’s Bunkhouse at the Double Diamond
X Guest Ranch in the valley, but we took advantage of a cheap hotel rate
at the Holiday Inn and felt that there were other advantages to staying
in town. We always got a great dinner, slept well, and the morning
drive allowed us to wake up and fuel up for the day. Besides, the “Pose
Brothers” needed the heated leather seats in Brian’s Infiniti to keep us
warm.
- The
approach was about an hour and included a small bit of ice bouldering up
the creek to the base of the climb. We left non-essentials in Brian’s
backpack at the base of the first pitch and loaded mine with a belay
jacket, water, food, and first aid kit. Brian took the first pitch and
set up a solid anchor at the base of the second pitch. I led the second
pitch and quickly realized that all the ledges I had eyed from below
were not nearly as defined as I thought they were. I fought my way up
this longer pitch having to rest twice and then brought Brian up. There
was a 100 meter hike to the base of the final pitch which Brian led.
After bringing me up, I realized I forgot the cord we needed to build a
V-thread in our second backpack at the base of the third pitch. Brian
lowered me to retrieve the cord and I quickly re-climbed the final
pitch. We built an Abalakov anchor and rappelled the third pitch.
Brian weighs 20 pounds more than me, so he went first with a backup ice
screw. I removed the screw and followed him down. We hiked to the top
of the second pitch and repeated the process. Our final rappel already
had an existing V-thread, so we simply tested and inspected it before
using it to get down the first pitch.
- We
hiked out, had a beer, and drove back to town. The “Proud Cut Saloon”
in Cody had a great $12 prime rib sandwich. After dinner, we retreated
to our room where we reorganized our gear and made plans for day 2. The
“Pose Brothers” got their first taste of Wyoming ice and made a
successful ascent of “Bozo’s Revenge”.
- Maps:
- Photographs:
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