Dawn Patrols are now in full swing

 If you can't tell by the above photo, it snowed. It snowed a lot. The snowpack is healing and eventually we might be able to venture out on some steeper slopes. For now though, low angle trees are where it is safe and there is plenty of fun to be had!

Dawn Patrol

 The lurid call of the alarm clock at 5 am, the dark drive to the hill, the frigid fingers, the runny nose, and the rhythmic plodding upward is all part of the beauty of the dawn patrol. We are finally tired of waiting for deep snow and epic lines, we are just going to get out and ride the low angle slopes and enjoy the winter. Even if old man winter isn’t going to help us out.

Ben and Blake were fun to be out with this morning.

Parker joined me last Saturday for a little investigatory jaunt.

Provo Ice

 Friday night Dan Thrasher and I went up Provo Canyon to go ice climbing. There is nothing like swinging and ice tool. I can't seem to get enough of climbing lately. Learning the gear, the methods, the safety, and the new areas it can take you is simply awesome.

Weekender: Black and Tan

After we had our crack climbing fix taken care of we headed over to Black and Tan. This area has some amazing limestone features. The formations are very unique and unlike any other limestone area I have climbed. 

Curtis started to work on the pictured 5.12c bellow and was able to pull through some massively hard moves. I am pretty sure we all left this trip with unfinished business. It gave me a lot more drive to get in shape for the summer.

Weekender: Atomic Indian

This past weekend I was supposed to be up in the Pacific North West snowboarding... but the trip ended up falling apart last second. I was pretty bummed but luckily Tanner was still wanting to make something happen so we went on a climbing trip to St. George. 

Tanner picked me up in his Dad's natural gas car and then Austin, Nicole, and Curtis all piled in and we were on our way. I ended up falling asleep for most of the ride, but I did catch the tail end of an interesting conversation that I will leave in the CNG Civic. 

We woke up and headed up Snow Canyon to climb Atomic Indian. This was my first crack climb and I think I can see myself getting addicted.

 

Taping up. The gloves are an art form that we all are in the process of perfecting.

Curtis crushing it.

Curtis is awesome.

I will be back to lead this one. I am not quite there yet.

Tanner and Curtis decided to go all in on this crack and not use the wall bumping it up a few letter grades.