mankypin's Logbook (6 ascents)

Sharp yet abrasive

Awkward face moves and tough to back up the last pin, runout 5.7 at the top

Cool moves, shit gear in places, being on your game is advised. Serious. Diffraction to Metamorphosis is a great combination.

We got the "anti-alpine" start, crack of 1:00 start wasn't optimal. Fatter than the last time! The mixed bit is pumpy, M6 or so and the last pitch will have to wait until next time. The crazy ice on the last pitch was hard not to do in the dark, 3rd time will be a charm, I'm sure.

11-18-05 RMNP, Necrophilia

Here’s the skinny on our silly adventure.

Went up to glacier gorge parking lot where we ran into two guys, one in full goretex fart suit who reacted like I’d caught him sleeping with his sister. He ran off into the woods without a word. The other guy seemed like Forest Gump’s slower brother, he had a lot to say. “Didja bring snowshoes? Ya might need snowshoes, I brought my snowshoes. I fell in a lot last time I was here. Didja ever climb the outlet of Sky Pond? Not me, looks waaaaaaaaaaay to dangerous, dontcha think?” Brian and I ran into the woods to escape the inquisition.

Beautiful day, a full moon over Hallet Peak. Didn’t really post hole until we left the lake and headed up to Necrophilia. I’m joking with Brian about the last time I tried the climb and got so cold I couldn’t feel my hands, face or elbows, just then the wind kicks up….. We refuse to acquiesce, to much approach and not enough climbing. Brian is kind enough (or stupid enough) to belay me on the first pitch. The first pitch is the real meat as far as I can tell. Cam a tool, place a cam, pull up over a serious bulge right off the deck. No gear, thin rotten ice, climb, climb, climb, no gear, climb, climb, climb & place good #2 camalot after 40 feet. Get on the vertical bongo ice, start hooking and place a stubby that hits air after an inch. Climb, Climb and fire in another stubby, it sucks (Brian tells me later that it froze in so was better than I thought, maybe). Finally get a yellow alien and an old pin towards the end of the vertical ice section. Pull up onto some cream of wheat neve and hook some ice shards. A hundred feet up and it probably took 12 hours. Wind has been howling and driving snow the whole time. The belay is sheltered up there so the guilt sets in and I bring up my frozen cohort. He says to me “That was stupid hard, you can be proud of that!” And we went home.

Difficulty: M6
Protection: Stubbie screws, maybe wires and small cams if first pitch isn't ice.
Description: Very aesthetic, WI 5 or sketchy M6 on the first 100 'pitch depending. Second pitch is stellar as well, thin runnel of ice with stemming off opposing walls from time to time and sort of inspiring screws. Third pitch is fat 200 ' of blue WI4 that seems to go on forever. Stay out from under your leader on this bit by moving the belay waaay to the right and out of the line of fire. Very popular, so don't even think about it during the chicks w/picks gig or the Ouray Ice Festival. Rappel on climbers left.