2008: Year in review

Our wedding was definitely the biggest highlight of 2008, and as a result we did less climbing than usual. We still had a few good trips though. Here are the highlights:

Mount Rainier--Emmons Glacier (with partial ski descent).

It was awesome to finally get around to summiting the area's tallest and most obvious peak (I can see it from my house...) Well-frozen conditions did not allow us to ski off the summit, but I'll definitely be back for more in the future.

Dragontail--Serpentine Arete (IV 5.8).

This was a great day-trip with Yuko. The route itself was kind of chossy but there were definitely some nice pitches mixed in.

Temple Crag--Sun Ribbon Arete (IV 5.10a).

The combination of bomber rock quality, awesome exposure and a tyrolean traverse on this 18-pitch route obviously make it a classic. However the mellow surroundings of the High Sierra took away from the route for us--compared to the rugged terrain, large glaciers and remote feel of the Cascades or Bugaboos this felt more like a cragging route. On the other hand significant alpine ambiance was added when it started to hail just as we completed the final pitch.

Forbidden Peak--East Ridge (III 5.8).

Another great day trip, and probably the coolest route that I climbed with Yuko this year in terms of alpine ambiance. Due to fresh snowfall on the loose and exposed NE Ledges descent, we elected to downclimb the route which gave it a more full-value feel. There is a bit of loose rock on the route, which wasn't so bad on the way up but definitely annoying on the way down.

Squamish--The Daily Planet (3p 5.12-).

Yuko led all the pitches on this super-classic, nearly onsighting the 5.12 pitch before taking a short fall at the crux. She lowered to a stance and then fired the moves. This route really got me thinking about all the more difficult climbs that are still out there at our favorite areas, and which are surely within our grasp with just a bit of focus.

Early Morning Spire--Southwest Face (III 5.9).

This climb with Aaron was one of my overall favorites of the year. Many miles of glacier travel and the wild, remote feel of Marble Creek Cirque made the approach a worthwhile outing on its own. The climbing on the 1,200 foot face is mostly moderate but highly enjoyable. This trip is frequently recommended as a 3-day outing but we did it in 2, with the second day being a full value 18 hours on the move--awesome!

Leavenworth--Hyperspace/Iconoclast (8p 5.11).

Yuko and I have wanted to climb this classic for some time. The famous and intimidating "Pressure Chamber" overhanging flaring squeeze chimney pitch was swarming with bees, so we rappelled down to the 5.10c Iconoclast traverse, allowing us to finish up the familiar headwall crack of Outer Space. We'll definitely be back for the pressure chamber on a future trip.

Colfax Peak--Cosley-Houston (III WI4).

Jesse and I climbed this route in the fall with fat ice conditions and perfect weather. This climb was a blast and motivated me to develop my alpine ice skills to a higher level.

What's in store for the next year? Since we will kick off 2009 with an extended climbing trip to Patagonia, there will hopefully be some awesome alpine rock climbing in our not-too-distant future. Patagonia is not exactly known for reliable weather but we'll see what happens...