North America, United States, Colorado, 1977

Author: Michael M. Covington. Climb Year: 1977. Publication Year: 1978.

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Colorado, 1977. The winter of 1977 was unusually dry and warm. Above 10,000 feet there was little snow accumulation, although it was frequently cold and windy. Because of a rainy summer and fall, ice was everywhere; many could enjoy the gullies and waterfalls without typical avalanche danger from above. The Rocky Mountain National Park winter season was off to an ambitious start when Ken Duncan and Mark Wilford made the first winter ascent of the Diagonal Direct on Longs Peak in three days of climbing with clear, but cold and windy, conditions. Most of the climbing was on aid with lots of hooking. Also in December Mike Kennedy and Gordon Smith did Alexander’s Chimney and The Eighth Route on Longs. In January I made rapid second winter solos of Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon in 27½ hours and on the north face of Meeker in eight hours. The Blitzen climb turned into a desperate struggle 1000 feet below the summit when a vicious storm moved in and I was forced to crawl to keep from being blown away. I had to make a forced bivouac without parka or bag, food or water, below the summit on the descent. Jeff and Mike Lowe completed a five-day ascent of the Diamond I route on Longs Peak. This was the first winter ascent and the fifth altogether of the route. In February Scott Kimball and Joe Hladick completed a new route on the northeast face of McHenrys Peak with one bivouac in a cave halfway up. The route began on the Snow Bench route and continued straight up after two pitches. There were 11 pitches in all, nine of which were fifth-class up to F8 with some aid. A short while later Glenn Randall and Joe Kaelin did another new route on McHenrys a little to the right. This was also 11 pitches on mixed snow and rock with some ice. In March the same pair completed the first winter ascent of the prominent prow on the east face of Taylor with two bivouacs. The climb was mostly on snow. On the final pitch they had to tunnel through the summit cornice. Other winter ascents included a solo ascent of Kierners Notch Couloir on Longs Peak by Steve Pomerance in eight hours. Harry Kent and Joe Hladick made the first winter ascent of the south face of the Petit Grepon doing it all free (F8). Scott Kimball and Scott Thornburn completed with one bivouac a long snow climb to the right of the Y-Couloir on Ypilon with two rock pitches of F6 to gain the Blitzen Ridge 300 feet below the summit. In late March Tomas Gross completed the most spectacular winter climb thus far done in Rocky Mountain National Park by soloing the Diamond I route in nine days. He had been attempting the climb since December and on one occasion spent 19 days on the mountain, only reaching Broadway Ledge once. Ice climbing dominated the Western Slope with numerous ascents of Bridalveil Falls near Telluride and other ice spills in Glenwood image_2Canyon near Aspen. Near Aspen, Chris Landry and Mike Kennedy made the first winter ascent of the northwest buttress of Capitol Peak (NCCS IV, F9, A1), using aid for only 60 feet. In February Lou Dawson, Mike Kennedy and Steve Shea climbed the complete north face of Pyramid Peak (V, F9, A1) with one bivouac. Eldorado Canyon in Boulder saw activity in February by Dave Breashears, Jeff Lowe, Greg Lowe and Kevin Worral and a most ambitious free solo by Pat Adams of the Kloberdanz Roof (F11). In the Estes Park area Eric Weinstein and Bruce Morris did a hard new route on the Crescent Wall. Late spring and early summer in Rocky Mountain National Park was plagued with several fatalities from unroped accidents. In the Y-Couloir two climbers luckily escaped death when a cornice broke and swept them down about 1200 feet. This is the third year in a row that this has happened on the same day, July 3, but the first time that those involved were not killed. Spring in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison was very active. Earl Wiggins and Brian Becker put up a new route just left of the Goss-Logan route (NCCS VI, F10, A4). Scott Gilbert and John Rosholt succeeded on a new 15-pitch free climb at the west end of the Painted Wall (F9). Jeff Lowe and Jane Wilson climbed a new grade IV, F10, which they called Kama Sutra, on the buttress above the prominent chimney above the Kor-Dalke South Chasm View on the North Chasm View Wall. Other developments in the Black Canyon include the Milky Way III (F8) by Karin Budding and Steve Hong. Another route close by Kor’s Porcelain Arête was put up by Bob Robertson and Ed Russell. Earl Wiggins free soloed in two hours the Russian Arête, not realizing it was that route (NCCS IV, F9). On the North Chasm View Wall Steve Hong and Ed Webster climbed a first ascent all free, the Movable Feast (NCCS IV, F10). Brian Becker and Ed Webster climbed a new free route just above the South Chasm View Wall route with 1500-feet of sustained F9 and 10, the Journey Home. Steve Hong and Harvey Miller did a V, F9, A3 route, which they called Air City. Bob Sullivan and Terry Stemp climbed Merlin (NCCS V, F9, A3). On the south side of the canyon Hong and Webster climbed a first free ascent of a prominent curving crack visible from the North Chasm View overlook with excellent rock except for one rotten F10 pitch at the top. We have just had the report of a seven-hour nearly all-free ascent of the original Goss-Logan Chasm View Nose by Jimmy Dunn and Peter Williams. All went free except for 80 feet. On Longs Peak this summer there were two exceptional climbs. John Bachar and Richard Harris completed the upper pitches of Diamond 7 (F11). Roger and Bill Briggs completed an all-free ascent of the Diagonal on the lower east face.

Michael M. Covington



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