"So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life."
--Peter Gibbons (Office Space)
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asmrz - Mar 29, 2010 11:15 am - Hasn't voted
RE all the commentsd shorb, Kathy W, Liba Hardekopf, Fort Mental
This post is getting away from me so I will respond this way. Thanks d shorb, Kathy Wing, I read so many of your trips and notes, thanks for your good wishes, Liba Hardekopf I'm what a wickedly funny friend once described as "Cancelled Czech". I lived here too many years to be considered a real one...Fort Mental, wind chill of bellow zero (or worse), nighttime temps in the low teens and steep rock (that will not hold snow) are all signs of California warm weather climbing, don't you know? Shorts and tee shirts will be absolutely de-rigour in about three months.
depclimb - Mar 30, 2010 11:18 am - Hasn't voted
Wonderful climbCongratulations Alois and Miguel, no climb is easy in the winter.
asmrz - Mar 30, 2010 11:40 am - Hasn't voted
Re wonderfulThanks for your congrats, depclimb. Yeh, nothing comes easy in the winter. We are elated to have climbed the route and for me at this stage of my life, I'm very, very happy about it.
granjero - Mar 30, 2010 1:40 pm - Voted 10/10
Great Effort!Looks like a wonderful "types 1 and 2" fun day (and night)!
bearbnz - Mar 30, 2010 6:19 pm - Hasn't voted
ExcellentAlois, what a great adventure. Congratulations for taking that on in winter conditions, and coming away successful. I haven't even gotten around to doing it in the summer. Maybe this is the year, your trip report is a great motivator. Great work!
BCB - Mar 30, 2010 7:43 pm - Voted 10/10
Stout!This is inspiring material to ponder while climbing in the lower valleys and waiting for the - ahem - tamer high Sierra season. Thanks for sharing!
Vicles - Mar 31, 2010 4:03 am - Hasn't voted
good effortWay to get after it! In Jan. 08 Cullen Kirk and I did Sun Ribbon Arete in very similar conditions, 18 hours tent to tent...high wind, loose snow, darkness, cold, etc etc...so I know exactly how you felt (and feel!) How did you keep your water from freezing? Did you melt any snow? 1/2 Qt per person for 26 hours is insane! We both drank at least a quart before our camel backs froze solid...
As far as the first winter ascent of Moon Goddess goes, I dunno...My gut says that it's been done before, but that's just because I was surprised at the list that had been on Sun Ribbon in previous winters before us! A good resource is Doug Robinson...I know he's on Supertopo as DR...
what's next?
asmrz - Mar 31, 2010 12:26 pm - Hasn't voted
Re Good effortSuperbum thanks for sharing your experience. A good effort on the Sun Ribbon, a harder and a longer route.
We don't carry camel backs, never have.
We carry wide mouth Nalgene bottles with insulated bottle carriers. In the winter,we start with a hot liquid and add snow to the liquid to extend it a bit. Works well in alpine terrain.
It was so cold on the arete, we hardly drank at all.
I hear you about the FWA, we will find out soon enough. Not that it matters much, an effort with an old climbing buddy and a friend is what this was all about.
What's next?
I have a long list of TO DO things, mostly obscure stuff in the Sierra that we left out of our years of rambling there. Miguel and Joe LeMay are completing yet another new route on the SFLPP, they hope to have it wrapped up by late spring. If I feel well enough physically, I will keep doing this "scrambling thing" for a while longer. What else is there in life?
Marcsoltan - Mar 31, 2010 10:22 pm - Voted 10/10
A great TR...especially when it brings back many memories. Just loved it.
Thank you very much, Alois.
SpiderSavage - Apr 1, 2010 12:08 am - Voted 10/10
Bad AssAlois, Miguel, Penelope, You guys are nuts! Good work. May you climb forever.
asmrz - Apr 1, 2010 11:51 am - Hasn't voted
Re Bad AssHi Chris
It was great climbing with Miguel again. One just cannot overestimate the power of a good partnership in the mountains. A bit harder trip than the last one (Langley North Arete in 1999). We had a ball even if it almost killed me.
Without Pen, this would have never happened. I simply could not carry all of the gear up to Third Lake and as you know Miguel can only carry 20-25 pounds. Pen is a gamer.
Hope all is well with you. Thanks for the kind comments.
asmrz - Apr 1, 2010 11:54 am - Hasn't voted
Re A Great TRHi Marc
Thanks for the note. I bet you have seen a lot of the Palisades over your "short" climber life. What a place, what wonderful time there for all of us. Cheers bro, Alois.
ChugachMan - Apr 1, 2010 12:40 pm - Voted 10/10
Nice work!Nice work Alois and Miguel - enjoyed the great pics and TR.
Craig Peer - Apr 1, 2010 1:39 pm - Voted 10/10
Wow !Excellent trip report and a great climb. Too cold for me !
asmrz - Apr 1, 2010 2:39 pm - Hasn't voted
Re Nice workHey ChugachMan, what's with skiing the Tahquitz Rock North Gully? I saw your tracks there the day after you guys climbed the face. Awesome!Thanks for your note. A.
asmrz - Apr 1, 2010 4:52 pm - Hasn't voted
Re Wow!Hi Mr. Peer, nice to hear from you. Yeh, a bit too cold, but a lot of fun. Cheers bro, Alois.
Blair - Apr 1, 2010 7:27 pm - Voted 10/10
Great TRGood on you guys for another great winter ascent! Thanks for sharing and looks like a fun route in winter
asmrz - Apr 2, 2010 7:22 pm - Hasn't voted
Re Great TRThanks Blair, It sure felt good to be on the rope again with my old friend.
The route is reasonable even in full winter conditions. A lot of it is steep rock, so not too much of the white stuff needs to be run through.
If anyone tries this in winter, just make sure you know where the RAP ANCHORS are above Contact Pass. Finding them is really the crux of the climb!
jvarholak - Apr 2, 2010 11:18 pm - Voted 10/10
Great, Great Form Gentlemen!the name of the game. congratulations,
john
asmrz - Apr 3, 2010 12:04 pm - Hasn't voted
Re Great Form..Thank you John. More than anything, a hard work to get it done. It took me "a few" days to recover from this little day trip.