Saturday, December 19, 2009

Excellent Day for the Fossils




The morning dawned cold and clear (-20 degrees), although the temperature rose quickly. By the time Larry, Dave, Hock, Gary, and Frank finished breakfast at the Noonmark, it was already in the teens. We started with Crystal Tower (NEI IV-) at Chapel Pond, and several folks also did the super thin, dry tooling variation to the right (NEI IV- M3). Then it was off to Parallel Gully (NEI III) and Necktie Party (NEI IV-) next to the summer rock route called Tilman's Arete, before we headed up to the Cascade Pass to do laps on Pitchoff Right. I climbed 8 pitches today. Finally, back to campus for rice and bean burritos, and then over to the cabin for Balvenie and Talisker. (Click on the images to enlarge the photographs.)