Dishwater Drainage - Volume Two

The Revelations trip was coming up in a matter of days and I had yet to get my massive cache from Dishwater. So, instead of studying for school finals, I decided to go pick it up and go climbing for the weekend.

This time, it was Ricardo Baranowski, his friend Paul and me who would be going out there. It was so warm on the hike out that we didn't even wear our shirts for much of the time. Once again, Kaupo and Nene accompanied us in and helped carry some weight.

One the first night we enjoyed a beautiful sunset followed by seemingly eternal alpenglow. These are the moments I think most define my passion for being in the mountains. You don't get views like this in the hustle-bustle city!


Richard's snowcave was huge!

We got started early in the morning and hiked to the head of the cirque. There we found a narrow gash that appeared to lead to the summit of Nantina Point. Richard took the first lead up and over a short little rock step, then belayed Paul and me up.



I got the next lead up the steepening gash and found incredibly unconsolidated snow over bad rock with little pro. When I was able to get a piece in, it was with really small gear, like a #00 C3 camalot or #3 stopper.


Leads were taking a while due to the poor snow conditions. Richard took the next lead over a short little snice and rock step, then across a really exposed and scary traverse to another couloir.

By this time, I realized that the route was going to take far longer than we had expected. I had class at 8:30 in the morning and still had to hike out. Too many days climbing had pissed off my teacher and I was out of absences. Still, we continued up as the sun fell lower in the sky. Sometimes it is hard to stop when the momentum is pushing upward.



As we got higher, the summit seemed like it was so close. Pitch after pitch kept proving that it was farther than we had anticipated, yet we still climbed. A large chunk of simul-climbing ate up a lot of elevation in a short amount of time. The sun set as we neared the summit, and I realized I had forgotten my headlamp. I was pretty mad at myself for forgetting such a key piece of gear.

The last few pitches were devoid of gear placements. Paul and I were not at all motivated, but Richard was keen for the summit. He led all of the upper pitches including the last one. To break onto the summit Richard had to climb through a nasty cornice with almost no pro under him for an entire ropelength.



We pulled up on the summit just as the sun went down and didn't stay long. Paul and I were anxious to get down, and I still had to hike out. By this time, I knew I was cutting it close.

Paul coming up through the cornice
The look on my face says it all

As we rappelled through the night, I realized there was no way we were going to be able to make it back in time for me to make my class at 8:30 in the morning. It was a chilly night and we all had our down parkas on as we descended in 200' chunks. Towards the bottom of the route we could see the boulder where our snowcave was. All of a sudden we saw what looked like a headlamp down there. It turns out Richard's girlfriend Natalia had hiked up to help carry some of my stuff down because I was going to be hiking down alone otherwise with a lot of gear. I thought that was super nice of her!

We finally got to camp at about 3:30 in the morning. I knew there was no way I could make it back in time, so I decided to just say "screw it" and passed out in the snow cave. In the morning Natalia and I hiked out under beautiful skies.


Despite my pleas, my professor showed me no sympathy and failed my ass for missing one too many classes. Needless to say I wasn't pleased. Oh well, I learned a lesson...Don't take 8:30 AM Monday classes.

Perhaps when I'm retaking the class again in the Fall I'll be able to decide if it was worth it just to make the first ascent of the north face of Nantina Point.

Dishwater Drainage - Volume One

Local hardman Richard Baranow (a.k.a. Mr. Chugach) called me up one weekday and asked me if I would like to join him on a weekend climb into the Dishwater Creek Drainage in the North Fork of Eagle River. The area had been on my mind for quite a while and I knew the climbing potential was very good.

On an early April weekend, Richard Baranow, Andy Hoyt, my good friend Steve Sinor and I headed out for a three night stay. The aim for this trip was both reconnaissance and obviously a little climbing.

A large bear had just passed, but we didn't see him

Richard's awesome dogs Kaupo and Nene both helped carry in some weight

Looking down the valley towards Eagle Peak

Looking up the valley at Kiliak Peak

The hike in was easy, mostly painless. Compared to the next valley over, Icicle Creek, it was a cakewalk. As we moved into our snowcave camp, the sun dropped below the jagged horizon and alpenglow filled the sky.

The two pairs split up in the morning and forayed on our own respective climbs. Steve and I climbed up a steep snow couloir with several easy rock steps. About 800' up the couloir was a beautiful unclimbed 60m ice line. Steve let me hop on the lead and I graciously accepted.

The ice was pretty solid, but had a few rotten pockets. The going was mostly cruiser WI3 with one vertical 15' section. Steve followed up, then we rapped off a v-thread. Two more rappels got us down to lower angled downclimbing.
We named the route Shimmering Bliss.

The next morning we hopped on a previously established line, put up by Wayne Todd and Corey Hinds. Richard and Andy had made the second ascent the day before. Steve and I had to hike out that day, so we just climbed a variation of the first pitch, fun and thin WI4.

Shimmering Bliss is in the upper left. The initial couloir is not visible. The Hinds-Todd route follows up the initial ice pitch on the right and continues up a couloir to another ice smear

Richard convinced me to leave my stuff there so I had no choice but to return and climb again. After careful consideration, I listened. The light backpack was nice on the hike out, but the fear of not getting back up in time to get my stuff was nerve racking.

Two weeks in the Revelations

Sometime around when I first started climbing, I heard rumors of a remote mountain range full of massive unclimbed granite spires. Over the years, I heard more and more about this supposed place and slowly came to believe in its existence.

A brief mention in the purple Alaska Climbing book by Colby Coombs and Mike Wood proved that the Revelations were indeed more than just a sort of Shangri La. Years of combing the American Alpine Journals and using my growing network of local climbers, more and more information about this remote Mecca came to the surface.

"The Revelations have weather like the Kitchatnas (which have terrible weather), but worse...much worse!"

"Royal Robbins got rained on for 23 consecutive days."

"It cost me less to fly to Australia than it did to fly to the Revelations."

"I wasted two weeks waiting in Talkeetna to fly in."

"Get ready to spend a fortune!"

So far, things didn't sound encouraging.
Regardless, I studied and researched these peaks like a college paper, while my college studies took a backseat. The Revelations became a sort of sick fascination which consumed my every thought. Topographic maps became more and more detailed with penciled in routes, several peak names and random scribbles.

In the fall of 2007, the American Alpine Club awarded me with the Mountain Fellowship Fund Grant to attempt an unclimbed 9000' peak in the area. After getting a few friends to commit, it was on.

School finals came in late April and I hurried to get them done so I could leave on time. On Tuesday, April 29th, I gave an 8:30 presentation, handed in my last final, and rushed to get out that day.

Our pilot Rob Jones, was personally recommended from Paul Claus. He had taken most of our gear and headed to the glacier already. Jack from Alaska Air Taxi delivered us in his beaver. The flight in took us past the Tordrillos and Neacolas to the south and Denali, Foraker, Hunter and the Kichatnas to the north.

My stomach twisted in knots as the erratic skyline grew taller and more detailed.
We landed and after a few minutes the pilots took off. We were alone in the middle of nowhere, and it felt awesome! No other climbers, not even another soul anywhere near us. We were out there, really out there.

The SW ridge of the Ice Pyramid from our basecamp.



Constructing a solid base camp was our first priority. Walls were built to protect us from wind and snow drifts. That night we settled in and ate a large dinner, bratwursts.

Day two we spent reconnoitering around our cirque. A pass we had hoped to cross had a large burgeschrund with funky snow above it, so we backed off, not wanting to set off a slab above the hole.
The SW ridge of the Ice Pyramid appealed to the group, so we set off to try it on day three.
We grossly underestimated how long it would take. By 2PM we had reached the ridge proper, only 4 pitches up. Steve couldn't find a good way above on the fifth pitch so we made two full rappels off the ridge. I punched my leg through the schrund on the second rappel and saw only blackness. A look behind showed only three feet left on my lines for the rappel. A close call, but not a big deal.

The ridge would go, but it was going to take a serious alpine style effort. Seth had a good idea when he suggested that we search the area for what he called the "low hanging fruit."

On day four we compiled a bivy system to use on the ridge: A two-man tent with two sleeping bags for three guys. We hiked down glacier to recon other peaks and try it out. At the confluence of the three forks of the Big River Glacier sat a beautiful unclimbed peak labeled 8385' on the topo map.

The Exodus from up glacier.





A long 30 degree snow couloir led to a hanging glacier. A series of steeper couloirs arched towards the summit. We chose the left couloir which appeared to lead right to the summit. Technically easy yet still fun, the couloir yielded to a lower fifth class pitch then to another scrambling pitch to the summit.
We had achieved the first ascent of the Exodus.

Steve, Seth and I on the first ascent of the Exodus

After descending, we made a quick dinner at the boulder bivy then sauntered back to basecamp.
We threw our remaining time and effort at the Ice Pyramid. Confident in our system, we took food and fuel for three days that could be stretched to four.
On day one we climbed 10 pitches to a small bivy ledge on the ridge proper. difficulties up to probably 5.7 were encountered, with the 10th pitch having an awkward off-balance move above shaky gear.


Steve leading on the Ice Pyramid.

Steve seconding on day one.

Steve leading on day one.

Steve on an airy rock ridge.

Three in a two-man tent, no problem!

Day two put us into harder climbing, and we traversed and climbed up an additional five pitches to a protected ledge with a good roof.

Seth dominating pitch 15 on day two.

There was just enough snow to make the moving slow and tedious. Clint leading on day two.





Our bivy spot at the end of day two.

Day three was do or die. I was still feeling charged so I led every pitch, which all had the most technical climbing of the route. The 16th pitch had an airy traverse out of the cave to an awkward overhanging rock step with good pro. I hung my pack so I could free the step, and Steve double carried both his and my pack to the belay another 60 feet higher. What an animal!

The guys weren't feeling like we were going to be able to get up and down the route by the end of the day, but I pressed on. With such a good stretch of weather, we were all just waiting for it to really sock in and get bad. Steve and Seth gave me one more pitch to check it out and see where the route was going and how far we were from the summit. A major gendarme blocked easy access on the ridge proper, so I traversed then dropped down below it. A steep and tricky rock step blocked a thin snow chute. My chi was in check and despite the move being very heady, I committed and pulled it. It was one of those moments a person dreams about, outperforming one's perceived abilities.

I was stoked until I looked down at Seth and his eyes were about as big as grapefruits. I could see he was looking below me. When I looked down, I noticed my last, and only piece had fallen out. "You wanna get some pro in dude?" he said. I got in a purple nut and kept climbing. Needless to say, I got to the top of the pitch and had one more difficult but manageable move to make. Seth and Steve were anxious to get down and the descent was by no means going to be easy. After a long debate, it was decided that retreat was the best option.

Looking down on Seth, Steve and the whole route from the highpoint of the route.

It was hard to bail when I could see the summit so close, 6-8 easy pitches from the top. It would still have taken another whole day to get up and down had we topped out though, so it ended up being for the best I guess.

Multiple raps brought us closer to the ground but the threat of stuck ropes on such a large face was always on our minds. Of course, on the fourth rappel, it happened. Seth and I felt like we were going to puke. I honestly thought I might quit climbing with that single event. 2000' up on a face in a hanging belay with only 40m of rope is terrifying. Luckily Seth took the initiative and reclimbed a difficult pitch to free the rope. We traversed and rappelled to our first bivy after a long day.

Seth Rappelling just before the rope got stuck

In the morning we made four rappels and touched ground by 2pm.

Seth rappelling to the ground on day four.

Sure enough, that evening the weather started to move in. The wind began to blow and snowplumes rose off the summits and ridges of all the surrounding mountains. As our pilot Rob had said, "the Revelations know how to blow!"



The next day we packed up our stuff and hiked out 22 miles over the next two days. We arrived at Rob's lodge and he was there waiting for us with beer and moose steak. It was a perfect ending to a great trip.



As I reflected on the trip over the next few weeks, I realized just how lucky all of us were. Not only was the weather almost perfect, but three good friends safely came out of a remote mountain range as three great friends with memories that will last a lifetime. Of all my mountain adventures, the Revelations inspired me and awed me more than any. Such a remote and untouched area is rare in this day and age. I left with an absolute desire to return and my mind constantly stirs with ideas and future plans. These are the moments I live for.

Thanks to the American Alpine Club for helping to make this trip possible through a Mountain Fellowship Fund Grant.

"If you are lucky enough to be in the mountains, you are lucky enough!" - unknown

More pictures can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/ClintHelander/Revelations2008

Click here to read a trip report on the American Alpine Club's main website.

Avalanche Awareness!

Last week my buddy Jay Rowe and I went ice climbing in Valdez. Jay, twice my age, climbed twenty times as hard as I did. Although it was still fun, I had a terrible weekend both mentally and physically on the ice, so I'll skip that report. Too much school and no ice adventure for a month didn't have me shaped up for the ultimate steeps that Jay was wanting.

Jay and I in Valdez. You can't see it, but it was raining.


This weekend though, was redemption!
I needed my Level II Avalanche Certification to work on Denali this summer. Luckily, The Alaska Avalanche School had ONE spot left, so I quickly snagged it up.

Digging a pit in Hatcher Pass

Shameless self promotion up in Hatcher Pass


The first two days were spent up north in Hatcher Pass. We learned lots of snow science...how to read and identify grain types, weak layers, etc.

The real education came on Sunday though. The group headed down to Turnagain Pass to study a more maritime snow pack and instead we ended up studying the powerful and deadly ramifications of a MASSIVE avalanche from the day before.

Blaine, one of our instructors. The avalanche is visible behind him.


Seven feet of snow had fallen in several days over a layer of facets (weak, unstable snow layer caused by moisture and cool temperatures over time). A tourist skier from Oregon triggered a gigantic slide on the southwest aspect of Sunburst that propagated nearly 1/2 mile wide. The crown (the top of the avalanche slide) was 10 feet thick at the highest part. The avalanche took the skier more than 1500 feet down the face, then over a huge ditch, and up onto the opposing valley wall onto the face of Magnum. This avalanche then triggered another sympathetic avalanche off of Magnum.




Rescuers were unable to locate the victim for more than 30 minutes. After this amount of time, survival rates plummet exponentially. Incredibly the victim was found after nearly 40 minutes. Unconscious and blue in the face, rescuers thought he was dead. He soon gained consciousness and was talking. After a helicopter ride to the hospital, he was released without even sustaining any injuries.

So, we as students spent all of Sunday surveying and analyzing the massive slide. It was quite a classroom setting. We learned that he was the sixth skier down the face. It was caused by him skiing off a rock, which was right by the thin part of the snow layer.




It was amazing to see skiers disregarding the signs and skiing similar terrain on similar aspects as well as snowmachiners highmarking across the valley near Seattle Ridge. It seemed quite ignorant since the rescuers had flown out with a corpse and a victim from two separate avalanches less than 24 hours beforehand.


Ultimately, we learned to be humble and use our instincts. The guy should have become a statistic. He was lucky and I learned a lesson from surveying the scene that I hope I never have to experience firsthand.

For more information and pictures of the slide taking place, go to the Chugach Avalanche Forecasting Page .

Massive props to all of the rescuers who were on the scene to help!

And...TAKE AN AVALANCHE COURSE! BE SMART, BE SAFE, and DON'T BE A STATISTIC!

Gravel Creek Ice Climbing

On Martin Luther King day, the Wharf Rat, Old Crow and I went out to Gravel Creek to check out the big ice climb there. We made good time with two snowmachines and were at the base within 20 minutes.

Jon Cobb and Bill Billmier were out there as well, so we started after they set up their own top rope. Luckily, Wharf Rat and Old Crow elected me as the rope gun so I got the lead.





The ice on the right side was wet and thunker, which made for relatively easy climbing despite the steepness. I plugged six screws in along the way then one more with a v-thread for the anchor. Wharf Rat and Old Crow each took a run up while Cobb and Billmier TRed the steep steep steep left side.

After Cobb and Billmier left, we put in a redirectional piece and I climbed up the left side, which was sustained vertical cauliflower/chandelier ice for a long, long way. It would be a spicy lead, to say the least...one requiring cajones the size of grapefruits.





The fun though, was just beginning. When we got back to Wharf Rat's truck, we promptly got it stuck. 45 minutes and a lot of digging (with our helmets) and we were free.

As we left the parking lot we were stoked to be heading home. "What's that noise," Wharf Rat said. Turns out the spring support on his trailer had totally snapped. That noise we heard while driving was the tire rubbing against the jagged metal of the trailer.

Long story short, we had to call a tow truck and get the trailer towed back to Wasilla. That translated into lots of time and lots of money. A shitty end to a great day of climbing, but it could have been much worse.

Mountain Fellowship Fund Grant

The American Alpine Club just awarded me the Mountain Fellowship Fund grant for $800. In April and May I will be going to the Revelations to attempt a first ascent on a specific unclimbed peak.

Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what I am doing because if I do, you dirty thieves will probably snake my line. :)

A big thanks to the American Alpine Club who will help make this possible.

Hyped up for Hypercard

After my parter Old Crow recovered from a very long night downtown, we had breakfast then headed out to the highway for a quick jaunt on the steeps. The ice is great right now with lots of seldom formed drips in quite well. We had our eyes on Hypercard, the thin smear to the left of Roadside Attraction.

My rock beat his scissor and after an energy drink and some Queens of the Stone Age on full blast during the drive out, I was amped up and rearing to go. The cars already lined up in eager anticipation of some climber/highway carnage.

The first 25 feet are thin and nearly impossible to protect, so I ran it out until I got to the first ledge. A 16cm screw sunk to the head, but in some very bad ice, so I put another just a few feet higher. The second part was the hardest...steep and aerated ice with a good runout. I made it through and even got a piece in...how awesome is that!!!


I got a little rest at the top of the second flow and put in a screw in solid ice. Up there, the ice was super wet and what we call 'thunker' which means it was very secure. Though I had leashes, I had them super super loose so I was pretty much climbing leashless, since I had no ability to rest on them. Basically, I got super pumped. Regardless, I made it up to the anchor and decided just to belay my partner up from the top instead of rapping down. Besides, it looked cooler that way.

Old Crow seconded and cleaned, then we rapped down and looked both ways before crossing the street and drove off like it 'ain't no thang!'