20081231 Lightning Ascent - Last Climb of 2008

[Taco]

Third time WAS a charm with this one.

http://www.summitpost.org/route/389494/ ... 3-ai2.html

Conditions were pretty damn great. postholed a little bit walking up Big Butch Wash, but it was pretty good up Lightning Couloir to the top. Some good ice (sn'ice) up there, with the water ice on rocks being mostly delaminated.

Gets steep enough for piolet traction, so short tools weren't a problem.

Pics:


Looking up BBW... Big Butch Wash, not Big Beautiful Women


Took a break behind this rock. Lotsa icefall, some rockfall.


New setup with ice tools on prusik cord, attached to biners on a Metolius chest harness.




Heading up and steepening.



Moving up and off right to take a break on a rock.


More craning of the head to look up.



Thin, delaminating ice on rock. Some of it was great for tools, but wouldn't hold protection.


Up more. These pics all look the same.


Looking back down, knee scum move to keep myself up while removing glove to handle camera.



Cool rock on the right


More down


Up and me with new jacket





Moving up to where the couloir splits up. Stay right, or just left (center). GOing left up the easy looking mixed section gets you into exposed 4th class mixed climbing on loose rock with some ice but mostly powder under a thin shell.


Arghing at the mixed section with the big bush in the way.


Down



Topped out, came up that small ridge below my feet if the tracks are visible.



The view, Thunder Mountain's South Ridge (meh).


Russian shotglass


Good old Ritter Alpine Milk Chocolate.


These rock!



Lightning Couloir from where Big Butch breaks off to the north to head to the lifts that service the summit of Thunder.


Trash I carried on my way down. Idiots do not pick up after themselves! Lots of ditched broken sleds in BBW. Retarded. Cut the big bits up with a knife and threw it in the trashcan at the bottom of San Antonio Falls Road.

Great climb! This year kinda sucked bigtime for nearly everyone I know, from financial problems to health problems, fire evacuations of my best friends, etc etc etc.

Here's to 2009! I hope y'all have a ton of luck and things shape up next year!

[135driver]

Damn, I could've gone with you. Looks like a lotttttttt of fun!

Next time maybe.

Hey, Baldy via register or N. Side of Baden next week.

You in?

k

[HikeUp]

Ice pirate indeed. Pure insanity! But pretty dang cool.

HNY

[EManBevHills]

Tasty, Taco.
Nice find.

Happy New Years 2U, & all SGMDFPers!

[AlanK]

It's great to see that persistence pays!

HAve a great 2009.

[Tim]

Man, that's one serious climb! Nice work.

Happy New Year to all forumites as well!

[kgw]

I like your style, Taco! May good fortune descend (ascend?) on you, all of you, like dusk upon the land: naturally.

[Taco]

8)

May 2009 be full of win, damnit. 8)

[EnFuego]

Nice TR. I really like the pics.

In your second pic, theres like 7 guys that look like they're getting ready to climb. Were they with you?

OK - so where can one get the organic chews? And where can we all get a russian shot glass?

[Taco]

Nah, just a bunch of people who stared and spoke Spanish.

Chews - REI!
Shot glass - Ebay, I think. X-mas present. Unknown manufacturer.

[Sashimi]

Sweet pix and climb guy. Looks epic.

[Bill]

Looks challenging!
Setting a nice pace for 09'
Congrats 8)

[406]

Nice work dude! Which way did you go down?

[He219]

Ice pirate indeed. Pure insanity!

Yep. No chance of a self-arrest there ..

Nice pants and climbing bro!
Cheers to 2009 ..

[Taco]

Self arrest on that slope si dealt with through flailing and screaming. 8) We hafta do San G Big Bowl soon Brotha!

Thanks guys.

406, I went up the ridge towards Thunder Mtn summit, then went down a slope into Miners Bowl, and went down Big Butch Wash back to my car.

[Hikin_Jim]

freakin' gnarly