I tried to place a screw in thick ice covered by a layer of slush. The screw wouldn’t go in. I tried a second screw. And this is how I simultaneously clogged and eliminated two screws from my rack. When I realized that I wasn’t going to get a screw where I wanted one, I willed myself to climb higher to find a better placement.
Author Archives: mallorie estenson
Return to Red Rock Canyon
After my first season of learning how to climb outside, I visited Red Rock Canyon. A couple of friends and I piled into my Dodge Durango and we made the epic voyage south. Here’s a short list of the things that I did wrong on that first trip: zero trip planning, zero climbing with myContinue reading “Return to Red Rock Canyon”
Yosemite
For years, I told myself that I wasn’t going to visit Yosemite until I was a solid 5.11 climber. That was dumb.
I AM A CROC CLIMBER
I didn’t choose the Croc life, the Croc life chose me. #thecrocisticking
AMGA Rock Guide Course
The Rock Guide Course, or RGC, is the entry level course to pursuing any level of certification through the AMGA.
The Picket Range
“Because of the rugged terrain, the Picket Range has remained the wildest and most unexplored region in the North Cascades. It is not an area for the wilderness novice; its isolated bushy valleys and jagged ridges are a test for the most seasoned mountaineers. The length of climbs, combined with steep mixed terrain and variable conditions demands all-around competence and fitness.”
Welcome to Alaska (aka Crevasse Whip)
The fall stopped just as quickly as it had started and I found myself slumped over, hanging in my harness deep inside a crevasse. I thought to myself: that’s quite the welcome to Alaska.
The Birthday Tour: Washington Pass
Hey world, it’s me again. Today, I asked folks on Instagram what they wanted to read in a blog post and the results are suggesting that folks want more trip reports, some climbing stories, a few skiing stories and lots of pretty pictures. My goal here is to write stuff you actually want to read.Continue reading “The Birthday Tour: Washington Pass”
Utah: A travel blog about 26 hours of Greyhound hell
The Climbing Part After five years of climbing, I finally made it to Indian Creek. The first day, I ran along the base of Supercrack Buttress and put my hand or fingers into every crack within reach. I noticed that as I pulled down, it felt like the sandstone pushed back. Everything felt incredibly climbable.Continue reading “Utah: A travel blog about 26 hours of Greyhound hell”
Gusher
You could say I’m exuberant when I get to talk about climbing. And you’d be right. This weekend, I basically exploded my love of climbing and eagerness to pursue guiding all over a colleague at Mountain Madness. My social-awareness filter tried to flicker on a few times during that conversation, but my enormous stoke overpoweredContinue reading “Gusher”
