Skyline Ridge

The mid-summer temperatures were looking pretty warm everywhere this weekend, so Joel, Johnny, Cortney, and I headed up to Skyline Ridge on friday for a couple days of camping and bouldering. We parked at the pass, elevation 4061 ft, and hiked for a mile and a half to the small lake at the shoulder of the ridge. After hanging out and recovering from the sustained uphill hike, we jettisoned most of our stuff and headed the 10 minutes further to the boulders.

The view from the approach

After ditching our pads and running around for a while, Cortney and I headed down the hill to check out another area while Joel and Johnny set about cleaning two new lines. After about two hours of steep hill walking, Cortney and I returned in time to see Johnny and Joel get the first and second ascents of No More Time, the white arete on the lefthand of the two big boulders above. I can't really express the rediculous quality of this line, in such a setting, on such granite...

Here are pics of Johnny and I on the climb, as well as a panorama of Joel eying the line.

We were all feeling a bit tired from the hike, but climbed until the light began to fade. Johnny tried the low start to No More Time, while I flailed on the opening moves. We hiked down and set up camp for the night amid clouds of misquitos.

The next morning we made breakfast and headed up the hill again. Slowly, seperately, we warmed up on one of the few friendlier boulders there - most of the landings are sharp talus. After a while we motivated to try Nunchucks of Fire, a short, hard line Joel and Johnny put up last summer. I was able to stick the hard move after a dozen or so tries, and psyched to top out such a quality line. Soon afterward, Dave, Issac, and the man, the myth, the legend himself, Cole Allen showed up. Dave and Issac made quick ascents of the Nunchucks and we headed over to No More Time, where Johnny did the low start in a few tries on the day. We all hiked to the very top of the ridge for the 360 degree views, then headed back to the lake for some monkey dinner.

Here's Johnny warming up

Cole on Nunchucks

Cole tops out the Mountain

The view of the boulders, the lake, Steven's Pass, and Highway 2

After hanging out in the crisp alpine air for a while, Cortney and I headed down the hill and back to the city. I spent today at work, dreaming of the mountains and the pristine granite out there...