Exponential Challenge: Day 2

Get outside and have an adventure!
piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Day 2
Again it was cold and we were climbing at an elevation of around 8000 feet. The winds were absolutely brain numbing at the Sunday Wall. Our two chosen routes were south facing, but there was little to no sun and the outside temperatures were around the upper 20's.

 The Sunday Wall

 Ben starting on pitch 2

 Ben joining me on pitch 3

 I needed the wind breaker because it was wickedly cold.

 Ben attempting the last crux pitch, after falling on a heady section down low he aced the upper crux first try!

 The last rappel off this wonderful sling and block. Thanks to whomever left this baby for us to rap off of.

We took a beating that day. The weather never really improved. Some cams came flying off of Ben's harness as a gear loop broke. I caught a few in mid air and the rest went whizzing past me to the ground a few hundred feet below.
I led the whole next route just for the sake of time and we were able to warm up in the while driving home. After the first two days we were cut up, bloody, frozen and beginning to question the task before us.

Oh well, that is what adventure is all about!

Tehipite Dome Part 1

Mike B on his horse at the biggest creek crossing of the trip. Little did we know that our camp was just a few miles away. At this point of the ride, all of our butts were getting a bit sore and we were definitely ready to finish the ride. It was nice though to have a few minutes of walking around and stretching the legs by the crystal clear river.

Ari, taking it easy in the woods of tall trees and ferns on the forest floor. The outfitter (Clyde Pack Outfitter), put the littlest guy on our trip on the biggest horse. It was funny watching Ari trying to get on and off the horse during the ride in and ride out of Tehipite Dome. He wore is only blue jeans and a hand me down western shirt and a fisherman's hat the whole time!

This here is Allen Clyde and he knows these trails and his horses really well. He has been a horse packer in these mountains for over 30 years, he is a doctor of the feet, has a ranch near Fresno and is the man that you want to take you into the wilderness for any of your needs!

When we got to camp the evening before the ride into Tehipite Dome we had to explode the truck to repack all the gear in the horse pack bags. So we had to make sure that we had everything, ropes, harnesses, shoes, cams, nuts, toilet paper, stoves and cook sets, food, tents, backpacks, the whole works. It took over three hours to figure everything out and get the 6 pack bags equally loaded and all strapped down. As we did this the Pack station dogs joined us and sniffed our gear and we had a nice campfire going to keep away the bugs. It is always tough to pack the final amount of gear for a trip like this because you never really know what you need and it is always too late when you find out! We quickly realized that we forgot the bug spray!

Mike B and Ari just outside the Fresno airport where they picked me up. I was flying in from Canada and the Squamish Mountain Festival and they drove in from Colorado and Utah in my truck. Ari was wearing my warm weather gear to keep the 100 degree heat at bay while we walked to the truck. Notice the wind block hat and the woolen Arcteryx neck gaiter. I don't think that there is an outfit that Ari doesn't look good in.

piz : )