How Homer Started To Get His Groove Back

It's almost been seven months since my shoulder surgery and honestly its getting better on a daily basis. Leading up to surgery it was a bit of a question mark as to how good my shoulder would be after Dr King worked his magic on it. Then working with Bob my physical therapist and doing all my prescribed exercise on my own my shoulder has come a long way. I slowly started climbing again once released to in November with the goal of having an ice season. With the training wheels on I have slowly progressed physically and mentally since. I now feel like by the end of my ice season I'll be back to or very close to my previous level. Once I started I climbing again I've had a permanent grin on my face when ever I'm out climbing. I'm so thankful that I'm climbing again let alone progressing like I'm am. I am very thankful to Dr King, Bob Swider and for my wife Jen most of all it was a very long summer for her too. As long as I train and climb with some smarts I believe I'm on a good path! You gain a new appreciation for things like climbing after having it taken a way for awhile.

Climbing The Thrill Is Gone Hyalite Canyon Montana 1-30-16
So fucking psyched to be out on the ice again!

Here to day gone tomorrow, and how a hero turns to zero then slowly back again

It's been almost five months since my shoulder surgery I got the green light to start climbing again at four months post op. So I have slowly started to climb again it had been May 28th (bouldering) since I last climbed right before I wrecked my shoulder completely so between the mobility and strength loss it is coming along all things considered. I'm just super psyched to be climbing ice again. I got my first couple days in at Hyalite taking it easy and just following and top roping. I'm amazed at how well my shoulder is doing. I was also pleasantly suprised to see Chilco Falls had frozen during our short lived cold snap. Giving me a chance to test drive my shoulder more. It's a small falls that is literally minutes from my house. So I made a few trips over there the last week knowing that with the warm rainy forecast coming it's days were numbered. I top roped the first two trips in there then did my first lead of the season on it the last time in there. Not my best lead but I did it and still have a smile on my face. I have my work cut out for me but I'm climbing ice again and that's all that matters to me!
I'm right handed really right handed so once I started to notice my right arm was getting weaker than my left a few years back I thought that's odd. It obviously was directly linked to my shoulder issues. So in the last year my right arm the hero went to zero becoming the weaker one. Then ultimately useless for some time now my right arm is posed for a comeback so from hero to zero to hero again with alot of work on my end of course. Now I realize that my left arm is no slouch either and has been able to pick up the slack. Super excited for the ice season even if I'll probably be in training  wheel mode most if not all of it!

Chilco Falls 11-30-15
Melting fast now that the rain has arrived

Shoulder Surgery

Day after surgery 

So after years of having right shoulder issues which gradually got worse making climbing really hard. I finally went to an orthopedic doc last summer I was told biceps tendinitis, bursitis, labrum issues thus inflammation and impingement. So cortisone shot I got and PT for the rest of summer early fall. My shoulder did get a lot better still had issues but I was back full swing all ice season!  I started rock climbing and bouldering again this past spring which were coming along nicely. Then on May 31 I wound up slipping and falling on snow while in the mountains. As soon as I stopped sliding I knew I had really hurt my shoulder.  So June was basically a few doctor visits and an MRI which then pointed to surgery on July 6. I had a bad rotator cuff tear the supraspinatus was totally torn and a SLAP tear from what the MRI report. What the doctor did repair rotator cuff,  biceps tenodesis ( for SLAP tear and biceps tendinitis issues) and remove some bone spurs. I'm a little over a week post op things are going good I have to wear the sling for 6 to 8 weeks. I can do light cardio stationery bike and walk/easy hikes so at least I'm active. I'll start PT on the 27th this will be a fairly long path back to full strength I've read up 6 to 12 months before full strength is gained back. So next ice season for me is a question mark at this point time will tell. Slowly but surely! 

Boulders & Barbells Will Tell You No Lies

Last Fridays Workout AM Boulder Sesh PM Gym Sesh

Not being that strong of a person I've always had to climb regularly to maintain what is for me a basic level of climbing fitness. My climbing years ago was mostly made up of bouldering and ice climbing. As life progressed I let life and a few injuries derail a good chunk of my climbing for a few years. As I turned 40 I decided that I should start to at least start to go to the gym even do some weight lifting something I had never done before. In the past I would just climb and that was it no other forms of training. One thing though I was a lot stronger rock climber then why well I needed to get back to my roots bouldering I was my strongest on rock while bouldering. Ice on the other hand I've actually had some of my best season's now that I'm in my mid 40 in major part to implementing strength training. I have gotten more into sport and gear climbing over the past couple of years. I then decided I needed to start bouldering again trying to get some of my old problems again scrubbing new ones and it has been fun I am excited. Bouldering in the past made me the strongest that I was on rock so it's high time to get back to my roots. I'm gonna keep rope slinging to as I'm excited about that. But bouldering and barbells pull no punches and always let me know how it is. See you at the boulders!

Han Solo? What's Your Solo Set Up?

Most Reliable Partners Ever!
Been reading a bit on forums about people's solo top rope setups lately. I do quite a bit of solo climbing it's convenient I do it more now than bouldering. I'm only using my solo set up for top rope climbing I still prefer to lead stuff with a partner. Having the ability to just get out and do laps any time works out great for me. I have to squeeze in my climbing when I can with family and work. I've even used this set up on ice on a few occasions I wouldn't suggest using it on a wet climb as I think a person would run into possible jamming due to freeze up. I've been running this set up for a couple of years now and am very happy with it. After doing a bit of Research this seemed to be the best for my needs. I'm running two Petzl Micro Traxion on Blackdiamond Megatron Gridlock carabiners  along with a weight on the end of the rope makes for a smooth system. I rarely ever have to pull slack which seems to be common with some setups. I am be no means an expert so do your own research but this system has been treating me right.

Taking the dogs out for a walk

Libby Road Cut Ice

Climber Joe Lind

Road Cut  30M WI3/4 with mixed options also
US Rte 2 between Troy & Libby just east of Bull Lake Rd (route info also found in Big Sky Ice Guide)
Forms almost every year

Climber Jason Baker

Yaak River Road Ice

Joe Lind 12-4-14

12-4-14

Yaak Pillar 20M WI4 with mixed options also
Hwy 95 N to US Rte 2 turn on to Yaak River Rd
Ice is on side of road just past Yaak Falls
Fun little bumper belay area.
Forms almost every season

1-15-14

Pyramid Lake Ice

Pyramid Lake Ice

Early season option before snow closes road can be in as early as mid October
Directions
Hike to lake ice is visible on far end of lake
Fun day in the hills
Pictures from November 22 2014

2014/2015 Ice Seasons A Wrap

For me at least ice season is over time to move on to rock climbing and bouldering. Not that I don't want more ice I do but this past season wasn't a long one, and a non existent one locally. My favorite local spot never even came in this year ugh! Oh well even with all of the weather setbacks, shoulder rehab and work swamping most of my season. I did manage twenty one days ending in February. After checking conditions even Canada doesn't seem worth the drive for ice in March. I did manage to climb a couple of things that stood out for me one I've wanted to climb for a long time and something I thought looked awesome but never thought I'd get to climb it. Cascade Kronenberg in Field is a climb I remember seeing in a magazine during my first year of ice climbing.  Back then it looked to me as only a dream to be able to climb something like that. I kept climbing over the years and slowly moved up the grades getting out on a bit more harder grades. Cascade Kronenberg is a rare line only in once and awhile this year was one of those. After seeing pictures and reports of it being climbed via the Shooter Bar mixed option two reports rated M6 WI6 in current conditions. In January we headed up to have a look climbed Carlsberg first looking a Kronenberg which looked challenging to say the least. Talked it over and decided to giver! Joe lead the first pitch which was awesome the M6 section was fun! Once I heard a woo hoo and saw him on the ledge I knew it would be my turn next. I got to lead the second pitch steep kinda funky ice my favorite. Great climb super cool to get to climb it after seeing a picture of it all those years ago!

Cascade Kronenberg

Then in February I got to climb Whiteman Falls a climb that I remember seeing in the guide book early in my years as an ice climber also. Then last season I saw a Go Pro video of some one climbing it I was intrigued to say the least. Wanting to give it a shot Joe got us started out that day on the first pitch. I got the second pitch which is what I wanted super fun some tech a little funk. We felt like it lived up to its WI6 rating that day. So I had a short yet successful season!

Whiteman Falls

Hell besides there's always next season!

To Much Is Never Enough!

Hydrophobia! Humbling & Amazing!

Work and life have busy and the lack of local ice this year is a sad state of affairs. What local ice we had was gone by the first week of January. I got up to Canada for a quick two day mid January which was great. So a month later I was wanting more after talking to Joe where should we go everywhere out west has been warmer than normal Canada seemed most logical but avy danger was off the charts. So low avy is what we sought-after last minute decisions typical the conversation went like this. The Ghost says Joe Hydrophobia he says so after a hasty pack a late night drive a bivy on concrete in a picnic shelter,and an interesting drive into the Ghost. We find our selves at the base of Hydrophobia an impressive piece of ice to say the least. Hard, very little features, and dinner plates from bottom to top and steep did I mention steep. With pumped calves and forearms pulled up over the top of the route. Joe is strong and a routes like this suit him well. I on the other hand am not that strong and prefer techy ice (more features for feet even if ice isn't as good) so Hydrophobia was hard for me. What I learned is technique for a route like this coupled with better calf and forearm endurance well too much of all of these is never enough for me at least! Keep training and trying! Always a work in progress!

Rapping off Hydrophobia you can see Joe's green jacket at midway and our packs down at bottom. 

The next day was my choice and I wanted to go and climb Whiteman Falls in K Country a climb I've wanted to do for a while. Amazing climb I got to do the second pitch which is the one I wanted. Now this climb suited me better more tech less power great climb!

Whiteman Falls

Psyched to climb Whiteman Falls that alone made the trip for me. A Haffner mixed session for our last day before the drive home capped off a great three day trip. Now it's gym and pliceboard some rock to until next ice trip.

Compression Socks?

I had never used any compression garments before but decided to try compression socks for ice climbing this season and have been pleased. I have Smart wool compression socks which are thin and since I already was wearing a liner with a thicker sock using the compression as my liner works great. I noticed that my calves feel less strained and recover faster after a lot of front pointing. Now they are a bit harder to put on but the trade off is worth it. Now if I can just find some compression sleeves for my forearms!

Panhandle Ice?

Is there really ice climbing in the north Idaho panhandle? Well yes there is it may be here today gone tomorrow but there's some out there I'm going to list the two most consistent and accessible ones. Yes there are a few more climbs in the panhandle but the stars have to align or some backcountry travel is required. I live in Hayden Idaho so approximate drive times are from my house. I will be adding a local ice guide page with panhandle ice and other areas in eastern washington and western Montana post.

Chilco Falls 15M WI3/3R with mixed & dry tool options also
10 minute drive short approach
Access issues see below
Forms almost every season can be very brief.
Some seasons are very good, I feel really fortunate to have this area and climb it often when it is in.
Access is an issue so ask a local or go with one who knows the way in. We don't want to mess up the access situation. NO DOGS PERIOD!!! Be respectful of the property owners.

Early season Dec 2011

Copper Falls 70M 1 or 2 pitches WI3
2hr drive may require 4wd  short approach
Forms almost every season can be very brief.
Here's good route info from Summit Post <LINK>
Fun climb you can link with Libby MT (more on this area in an upcoming post) stuff to fill up a day

Dec 2007



Rich Bennett Dec 2007



Here Today Gone Tomorrow

North Idaho ice is always a fickle beast elusive and short lived this season is no exception! In fact this winter has been one of the mildest I can remember. We have had three good cold snaps lasting about five days. Which we rely on to get the ice started but they have all been followed by rain and early spring type temperatures ugh! Typically our ice can last awhile this season literally days! I actually got my season's first swings early by N Idaho standards on Copper Falls things started out great Copper typically isn't climbed until late November early December in fact this season is the earliest I've climbed ice in N Idaho. Followed by some ice at Pyramid Lake a week later and Chilco came in late December early January (lasting only a few days feeling lucky I got to climb it twice!). So I was psyched thinking maybe the season I've been waiting for had arrived. Not to be but I did get to climb some of what my panhandle has to offer and will again soon I hope! So until then north and east I'll have to go!

Copper Falls November 16 2014

Pyramid Lake Ice November 22 2014



Chilco Falls January 3 2015
 In and out in less than a week this season



2014/15 Ice Season Is Well Under Way A Few Mental Minutes To Over Come & The Shoulders Feeling Pretty Good!

Rolling into this ice season after shoulder rehab (still rehabbing) kinda got me down a bit mentally. I was having to get over a mental cloud I had put over my head. I actually came into the season feeling pretty fit I started out climbing fine I had a couple of mental minutes to get over and that has seemed to have passed. As an average climber it's still nice to feel like I got my groove back. I got up to Canada for a quick two day trip last week, we hit Field on day one hearing Cascade Kronenberg had been getting climbed (via the Shooter Bar mixed two bolt line to access the upper curtain two different reports from guides rated going at M6WI6) thought we should at least go check it out. Upon the walk up we decided to warm up on Carlsberg which is a great climb and in good nick I might add.  Also Kronenberg looks intimidating as a warm up after climbing Carlsberg Joe and I looked at Kronenberg and decided we should giver and see what happens. Joe got us started leading up through a fun ice section to the mixed bolted section then a woo hoo and he was on the ledge! I follow what is a super fun pitch meet Joe on the ledge. Put on a jacket drink a quick Monster while getting racked up for my lead of the upper ice section. Super fun ice section this is just what I needed a bit of a challenge to help get the mental wheels turning. We finished off the day with a TR lap on Carlsberg. Climbed Louise the next morning and drove home great short trip! Feeling psyched for my next climbing trip!

Cascade Kronenberg

 Shooting Bar goes up through rock right of lower hanging ice then up on left on upper ice from ledge. Really fun climbing!

Cascade Kronenberg

Best medicine for me some steeps

Carlsberg on the left 

Carlsberg

Carlsberg

Joe Lind getting our day started on pitch one

Carlsberg

Pitch two offered up 

Louise 

The classic line offered us a fun climb before driving home

Petzl Laser Speed Ice Screws

Up until recently my ice screw rack was completely made up of Black Diamond express screws. Which after trying other screws that some of my climbing partners have there was no doubt they were the best screw out there racked good started fast and went in quick. So if a partner didn't have BD express screws we would wind up using my rack as I preferred them over others. That was until I tried the Petzl laser speed screws this season holy shot Batman they are better! They start like butter, rack great, are lighter and crank in easier what more can I ask for. They do make a light version in aluminum the tip is steel I tried em awesome too I decided to go with the all steel standards for ice since my gear does seem to take a beating and the aluminum just would get beat up I believe over time. The light aluminum version would be the way to go for building a light alpine rack for sure. So I have started the transition! 

Umbilicals?

Umbilicals to use or not to use that is the question. Some climbers use them often some never. I use them for almost all of my leading on ice. When I switched from my 1st gen cobras to the newer ones I had been climbing with leashes for awhile. So going leash less took a little bit of getting used to. The next two seasons I climbed without umbilicals I always thought they might be a nice thing to have. Most climbers even if they don't climb with umbilicals do in alpine environments but some don't even on the biggest objectives. After getting use to them they are just part of my system. Although I have never dropped a tool while climbing ice with the umbilical it is not something I have to think about. Now I know that they are not rated or meant to hold a fall. This season while climbing out at Banks I took my first ever fall while ice climbing. I was placing a screw after climbing thru a extremely wet crux. My left foot blew out on some crappy chandeliers and once that happened my left hand slid out my tool and I was falling. But instead of falling all the way past my last screw which was quite a ways down and to my left. I realized I had only fell a few feet and that my umbilicals had caught me! I was then able to pull back up finish off the screw and finsh up the climb. I had both tools placed good something I always do while placing a screw. After an event like this I thought a lot about what lead to this event. I was climbing threw a section of wet central Washington chandelier ice what should I have done that would of prevented this and what did I do wrong and can take away from this. First and foremost I never viewed umbilicals as a fall safety device. Only as a device to help keep me from accidentally dropping an ice tool. I should have climbed to a better stance my left foot was not placed in that great of ice and my body was overhanging my feet. All I had to do to fix that was climb up one more move. It was extremely wet that day my leather glove were soaked and slippery. When I'm hanging in an ice tool I always try to keep my hand relaxed so as to only hang on just enough. This way I'm conserving energy. With the combo of the wet gloves minimal grip and barn door kinda move my body did once my foot blew out I slipped and fell. What did I learn from this I should have had a better stance and foot placement. I should have climbed up just a move or two and the ice would have been better. I'm not going to climb ice that is so dripping/raining when you try to look up you can't see. Some water is one thing but I'm over full on rainfest. If it is wet at an acceptable level I will now on climb with a glove with a grippy synthetic palm and fingers not leather. I will admit that I was very happy that my umbilicals caught me. So I'm going to keep climbing with my umbilicals but I'm not counting on them as a fall back up plan skill and knowledge are what I need to really on for that. 

Banks Again?!

Well of course we had a week long cold snap which created icicles once again in the Washington desert. This time the Zenith formed up and started to call out to local ice climbers. Joe and I decided to giver a shot and wow what line it is!  We got to climb a wet chando challenging route. It was pretty much welcome to Banks lake kids from bottom to top! It had its moments and a little episode that day but hey that's ice climbing folks! 

Trying to convince my self to step out of the dry alcove and back out at it!

Joe leading a line at Pee Wee's were we finished up a great day!

Lemonade From Lemons!

In N Idaho it is feeling early spring/late fall outside not wintery that's for sure! So what's a guy to do bouldering at Tubbs Hill is a good option to fill in the gaps between out of town trips to the ice. Actually I get out and boulder there quite a bit this time of year. It's the best time due in part to the low lake level there are a lot of fun problems that only show their face during the winter. So a pebble wrestling I will go. 

Besides its hard to beat the views!

Libby Road Cut/Road Side Ice

Libby road ice this year is/was (not sure if going to last much longer with this weather!) super fat! Got to do the standard stuff at the road cut, the natural line up the road which is always fun and a fun little mixed road cut line. First rule of  N Idaho climbing get after it while it's in! 

Mixed line at road cut a good little ditty!

Natural line up the road always fun!

Road Side Ice NW Montana Style!

Decided to I better get out last Sunday and get over to Libby area to climb before the ice melts. Man this warm weather we have been experiencing sure is the pits! What's a N Idaho ice climber to do? Get the goods while the gettings good! There's a short line up the Yaak River that I wanted to climb this year it came in. I got a chance to climb the right side earlier but wanted to get back and do the steeper left side. I got my chance fun little line and you can drive right to the base! 

1-12-14 

12-29-13