Maple Canyon

This was our first ice outing. We ended up camping in Maple Canyon so we can be ready to go at first light.  We didn't know what in the world we were doing. The moral of Ice Climbing is to not fall. Falling with tools and crampons can be bad. You can snag your crampons in the ice and bust an ankle. Or worse you could cut your rope! With the help of the climbing club we got to top rope numerous routes that we would not be able to climb for years if we pursued ice climbing.

Check out these fancy gloves.

Frozen butt shots.

Kt psyched to be climbing her first pitch of ice.

Kt fighting through the pump.

Josh knocking down dinner plates.

Kt getting some pointers from the ice master.

Kt top-roping her first WI5.

Spanish Fork Peak

"It’s going to be a like a StairMaster workout from hell." - Darren Knezek

And he was right. With over 5,300 ft of elevation gain it certainly got the legs burning. We went Crowd Ridge in Spanish Fork Peak. This was Kt and I first winter mountaineering trip. Nothing technical. We used snowshoes the whole way. The weather became significantly worse as we approached the top. With wind gust of over 50 mph it was almost enough to knock us on our butts at times.

At the top John Judd lead us the rest of the way to the summit from the false summit. We started up at 1:00 am and finished as the sun went down. Roughly 18 hours of mountaineering, one false summit, one true summit and white out conditions. It was "exciting." Special thanks to Jenn Knezek for all the pictures.

Josh and Kt enjoying the white out summit.

The one and only Willis Knapp.

Josh pushing through a steep section.

Kt can't feel her hands.

Josh blazing a trail.

Josh and Kt going into the storm.