An early start for New Year’s eve 2012 did not happen as planned. Although we weren’t on the road until 10am we still put in a days’ worth of great climbing and I shared the last day of the year with great friends.
After a day of rest Kevin made it back out to join me and Kat for some top-roping before saluting the year with his AMC Trail Crew buddies.
The first spot we hit was the Elephant Head Gully. I lead up and set the rope. Kevin followed for a lap up the brittle ice while Kat futzed-around with her boots back in the car. A veteran climber and EMS manager, this was her first ice outing of the season. We all were feeling pretty numb from the cold wind atop the notch and decided to find a sunnier spot lower down.
We ended up climbing on the trestle slab and getting lost in the forest. Kat took the last climb and cleaned up the anchor as the sun began to fade. Walking out with a pink sky we could feel the weather improving. We took full advantage of the last few days of 2012 and climbed in the company of friends. Although the year was over, the season had just begun.
End of Year Trifecta: Three days of climbing to welcome what would be one of the greatest ice seasons ever.
climb with crowley 