2. 2008

Reed Valley Climbing and Highlining

Fourteen routes in a day, and then an impromptu highline walk.
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Kelsey Gray is writing a guidebook for climbing in the area, and sits at the base of the Snowbird Slab taking down the details of every climb we do.
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Kelsey Gray is writing a guidebook for climbing in the area, and sits at the base of the Snowbird Slab taking down the details of every climb we do.

AlaskaHatcher PassReed ValleyRock ClimbingKelsey GraySnowbird Slab2008Matanuska Susitna Valley

  • The day starts typically, as Kelsey packs enough gear at the car for an overnighter.
  • Tracy enjoys the sunshine on the relatively short hike up to the campsite and climbing walls.
  • Kelsey Gray is writing a guidebook for climbing in the area, and sits at the base of the Snowbird Slab taking down the details of every climb we do.
  • Kelsey Gray works his way up <i>Born To Be Mild 5.7</i>.
  • Kelsey nears the top of <i>Born To Be Mild 5.7</i>.
  • The nature of these mountain valleys is such that you can usually see the weather coming and know exactly what it will do, but only about five minutes before it hits you. At this point we noted the rain moving in over the shoulder of a nearby mountain, and prepared to get wet. There's still a touch of blue overhead, but we've spent too much time here to be fooled so easily.
  • Climbing often presents with complicated clusters like this one Kelsey is trying to sort out.
  • Rain begins to fall as Kelsey Gray clips in his rappel device to head to the base of <i>Thin as Ice 5.10</i>.
  • The smart thing to do when climbing in the rain is to give up, head back to the tent, and eat some warm food and wait for good weather. We decided instead to climb a 5.10 slab route, pretending the streams of water flowing down the rock won't actually make it treacherously slippery. Kelsey prepares the belay as the first drops fall.
  • As Kelsey nears the crux of this featureless face, I manage to snap a quick butt-shot. The slippery rock elicits girly screams from both of us when our feet begin slowly sliding off the nonexistent footholds. Eventually we both manage to top out, soaked, but stoked. It worked out a bit better than expected.
  • Kelsey Gray: adventurer, author, photographer, and much more.
  • Kelsey Gray: adventurer, author, photographer, and much more.
  • Kelsey's feet protrude from the cozy interior of his tent as we sit out the rain, making notes on the day's climbs.
  • It didn't take long for the sun to find its way back to our valley, and after a few minutes of waiting to give the rocks some drying time, we were back at it. This time we climbed a large split boulder on the valley floor called the Nugget Boulder. This rock is the size of a house and sits alone in the tundra, shattered as though it was somehow dropped straight out of the sky. Here, Kelsey slots a nut on <i>Titanic 5.7</i>.
  • With Tracy at the belay below, Kelsey finds the great gear on <i>Titanic 5.7</i>.
  • Kelsey nears the topout on <i>Titanic 5.7.</i>
  • Quite a few enjoyable routes can be found on the Nugget Boulder. Kelsey works his way up a short 5.6 chimney.
  • Tracy follows up the Nugget Boulder on face holds left of <i>Titanic</i>.
  • Mild residual moisture doesn't keep Tracy from sending this short route on the Nugget Boulder.
  • Kelsey works a toprope 5.11a on the side of the Nugget Boulder.
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