Pryor Climbing Club Story

We had a story written up about the climbing club in Pryor I helped start; click the link to read

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Cheers, Loren

Rock Creek Falls Ski

rock creek falls

On the first day of 2015 I decided to try a backyard multi-sport day.  I have always wanted to check out the gully above rock creek falls in Red Lodge.  This historic ice climb is a classic of the area and is arguably the first ice climb in the U.S.A. that was climbed using the modern front pointing technique.

I skinned up the approach on skis, alone, in an extremely quiet forest covered in bobcat tracks.  When I got to the ice, put the crampons on, and soloed up the falls in ski boots.  I rigged an anchor on top and hauled the skis up on a munter hitch.  It worked great.

Once on top I stashed the climbing gear and clicked back into my skis.  The gully above was a consistent 25-30 degree slope to the plateau 1,000 feet above.  I was not expecting such a mellow (and fun) descent, the skiing was blue square terrain all the way back to the ice climb with 2 inches of fresh snow on a crust I was staying on top of.  

When I reached the ice I rappelled it, clicked back into my skis and skied the entire approach back to the car.  I was back home 4 hours after leaving it that morning.  I am excited about this ice/ski and will do it again this year; I highly recommend it.

looking down the ice

Hauling the skis

the gully above the ice

my tracks heading down the mid section of the couloir

The skiing below the falls was a wee-bit bony

Cheers, Loren