Natural Line

Everything Sierra

2011-10-10T18:16:00.000-07:00

There are at least 20 cars at the pullout for Fairview Dome. So we decide to wait until afternoon assuming anyone low on the route will have their act together... We were wrong. Four parties are in front of us and moving oh so slowly. Gabe is getting antsy, but I have a smile ear to ear. Sun, granite, hippies I could not be farther away from the dark hole of a mine that I work at on Prince of Whales Island. I love the Sierras. I love Yosemite. I love being smack dab in the middle of a climb. I love taking off my shoes at belays and wiggling my toes. I love the bright/bold colors of the adonized camalots hanging from harness. God I love climbing.

The next day we had our eyes on the 3rd pillar of the Dana Plateau. It is beautiful. I can't believe that we were even considering going to the soggy Stikine instead of coming here. Juneau, and all of Southeast, is experiencing one of the wettest Augusts in history and we are missing it! The Pillar is crowded, but that is to be expected. Gabe has never been to this part of the world before so we are out to tick classics. The final pitch excedes to our expectations as most of the true classics tend to.

After Dana headed out to Conness. Clouds were building all day. In the end we decided to bail. Neither of us are crazy about the idea of being stuck on a Grade V in a thunderstorm that far out. So we bail for Bishop. Everyone had made it sound like it was impossible to get a permit into the Whitney Cirque. It isn't... at all.

We took a rest day in Bishop. Gabe got some work done, after all he told his office simply that he was going to be unavaible for three weeks. Not that he wouldn't even be in the state. Our hope is to get a route on Russell and climb the Harding route on Keeler. We got an early start and hiked with all of our whole kit. After setting up camp we ran over and took a shot at Western Front on Russell.

Finally, we had a climb to ourselves. Both of us are feeling the altitude as we start up the route. It turns out 5.10 at nearly 14,000ft is actually pretty hard. The corner on Western Front is one of the best rock features I have climbed in the mountains. We topped out in the dark and hiked back to camp making it a 16 hour day. Keeler is out of the question, Gabe and I are totally worked. My next trip in I am going for several days and getting properly acclimated.

We head back to Tuolumne to tag Oz on Drug Dome before heading down to the Valley. The third pitch of Oz might very well be the best pitch of 5.10 in the park. It was oh so good.

We had originally wanted to climb the Steck/Salathe and Regular NW Face of Half Dome, but after a night around the campfire we decided to say screw it and jump on the Nose! Gabe had never aid climbed before so what could be better than a 30 pitch C1 to learn? How about a North facing 30 pitch C1? At the top of pitch 6 we had to bail. Temps were just shy of 100 degrees and that was just too much for the boys from Alaska. It was time to get back out the mountains.

Incredible does not even come close to describing the Hulk. I am in love. We ju,ped on Positive Vibrations and got our money's worth. It really is better than Astroman. I cannot imagine a better rock climb. I wasn't up to the challenge sadly. Gabe had to lead the upper crux. We fell, we rested, but we got up it. It seemed like we were going to have a smooth rap off then things went a bit haywire. At the bottom of the first rap the wind cracked the rope as I was taking out of my belay device and I got to watch as it shot out of my hands. Our rope had been chopped on and you need every inch of that 70m to rap Venturi effect it turns out. We ended up rapping most of the wall in the dark running around looking for rap anchors. It was a great adventure and a great climb. I will be back up there as soon as I can. That has to be one of the best pieces of granite on earth!

Well, I am waiting to get laid off and head down to the desert! 2-3 maybe three weeks! Hello Red Rock, Zion, and yeah you too Indian Creek I'll be seeing you shortly!

Good to the last drop. Up high on the Hulk.

The goodness never ends on the Hulk

Still positive on Positive Vibrations

1st crux on Positive Vibrations

Pitch 4 of Oz... I love the Sierras

Gabe getting the last bit of awesomeness on the 3rd pitch of Oz

Enjoyable climbing on the 1st pitch of Oz

Super fun climbing on Positive Vibrations

Sending the 3rd Pitch of Oz on Drug Dome, probably one of the best 5.10 pitches in the park

Resting on "the Wart" on Western Front, Mt. Russell

Hiking into Mt. Russell

Sending dreamy granite on top pitch of the 3rd pillar of Dana

Relaxing behind several other parties on the 3rd Pillar

FFA South Pillar of Main Tower, Mendenhall Towers

2011-07-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

Lets see, it's August right? So let's catch up. Last April Gabe Hayden and I made a trip to the Ruth Gorge to have a whack at the North buttress of the Rooster Comb. It was an extremely boney year. The Rooster Comb was in pretty bad shape so we went looking for other options. Fortunately we ran into Mark Westman who suggested having a look at the South face of Mt. Bradley, which ended up being our best option. We put a good try on the some variation of Season in the Sun, but were stopped by a series of afternoon slush avalanches. We bivied hoping to cross the couple of exposed pitches in the dark when it would be set up. We awoke to clouds, bailed and sat out 5 days of storm with half a bottle of tequila and one copy of "The Brothers Karamanov."

Southeast has had a strange summer. Lots of snow in the mountains. In June Gabe and I took advantage of a small weather window, that miraculously coincided with one of breaks, and blitzed a FFA of an old aid line on the South Buttress of Main tower in the Mendenhall Towers. It is the best alpine granite I have ever climbed on; a must do for anyone visiting the Towers. We began at first light returning to camp just before dark. It was Gabe's first real summit in Alaska. We were stoked!

Pitch1 5.8 70m cross the bergschrund onto a small ramp, climb slabs in the direction of the large left facing corner.
Pitch 2 5.8 70m continue up slabs to the start of the corner

Pitch 3 5.9 70m climb left facing corner then traverse left to the pillar. Dirtiest pitch on climb

Pitch 4 5.11 35m climb the groove on the outside of the pillar.

Pitch 5 5.10 45m the money pitch! Climb obvious crack that splits the headwall. Belay in small roof right of crack.

Pitch 6 5.10 35m climb through the roof continuing up the gradually widening crack, then break left to large left facing corner.

Pitch 7 5.10 70m Oh so good. Climb the corner to top of main buttress. Continue up mellow ridge.

Pitch 8 4th 55m scramble up and left to a gorgeous crack system.

Pitch 9 5.9 30m climb fun twin cracks up to mellower summit pitches.

At this point we really started hitting snow

Pitch 10 5.7 65m climb last really technical pitch trending out and right.

Pitches 11-12 85m Scramble up snow slopes and some 4th-5th class to summit.

Descend West Ridge, Rap one of the couloirs. There is a lot of tat and fixed gear.

South Buttress Main Tower Mendenhall Towers: FA Svenson/Clark 73', FFA Hayden/Johnson 630m 5.11 11'

Top of Pitch 9, putting away the haul line

In the crux getting my ass handed to me

Gabe on the money 5th pitch

Gabe on Pitch 3

Towers, Caves, Sunsets

2011-03-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

What is it about a sunset?

Jason and I spent a couple days in town recovering from Bart Lake. We did spend an afternoon on the downtown classic "Green Weanie" 200m WI5-. We bailed after I got smoked in the knee by a falling rock, the third time I've been hit on Mt. Juneau this year. Anyway, we decided to pack up and head out the Mendenhall Towers to see if we couldn't scratch up a new line on the South Side.

Upon arriving we ran off looking for an objective for the next day. We decided on a line and scurried back to set up camp only to find we had forgotten our tent poles. So we dug a cave as clouds rolled in and filled in the valley below. The next morning was pretty white, cloudy and several inches of new snow had accumulated. Around 10 we decided to say fuckit and go anyway and just go until we saw a reason to turn back.

The weather broke an hour or so later and we were bathed in sunlight on a beautiful new route. We covered nearly 1000ft of new ground before we pulled the plug. The more I climb in these mountains the more I want to return. The granite is immaculate, and I have found some sick enjoyment in climbing it when it is covered in rime. Just funky, or "fucking terrifying" to quote Jason, climbing.

We made it back to camp just as the sun set. Over the years I've been treated to some unreal sunsets in mountain ranges around the world. This is one that I will probably never forget. With a helicopter coming in the morning it was the perfect ending for a spectacular trip.

Just before we bailed. On belay after the first technical pitch "game on!"

Jason gettin a piece.

And of course the booty shot.

Bart Lake

2011-03-09T17:02:00.001-08:00

On March 5th Jason Nelson and I hopped a helicopter to Bart Lake. Bart Lake is a massive void in the earth located just above the boundary waters of the Taku River just South of Juneau Alaska. We were drawn by rumors of massive unclimbed lines of water ice. Bart Lake surpassed all expectations. We landed around noon set up camp and trotted off to have a run at a 700ft large flow of pretty mellow ice.

At this point Jason and I had never shared a rope. He had been up in 2009 and visited the Mendenhall Towers with Blake Herrington whom I'd encouraged to come up the year prior while in Indian Creek. Are you still with me? If not return to Bart Lake. As I said the climbing was very moderate, WI4-. On the second pitch Jason climbed past the end of the ropes and I had to begin simuling behind him. We topped out well before dark and had a smooth series of rappels back to the lake. A great start, we communicated and climbed well together dubbing our line Large Marge 700ft WI4-

Our objective the second day was a much steeper mega classic waterfall line some 5oft right of Large Marge. Having found our comfort level and developed some trust we decided to solo the first two pitches and get on with the business of the upper headwall. Smiling laughing and joking we soloed the first 400ish feet in something like 15 or 20 minutes even with my crampon falling off near the first roped pitch. We led the upper headwall in two fantastic pitches of dead vertical plastic water ice. Again, we finished before dark calling this thinner far more sexy line Pin Up Girl 800ft WI5. Our descent did not go off as smoothly as we rappelled through the Southeast Alaskan Jungle. We agreed the next line would be descended via a smooth line of v-threads....

Right behind camp there was a magnificent thin line of ice. Our first estimate had the line somewhere around the 5000ft mark... thats right 5000ft... it was that badass. On the third day we trudged up the hill to give it a go having decided it was much shorter something like 600ft. Jason was up from Arizona and I had just spent 29 days and nights underground at work on Prince of Whales Island. The sun hit the wall later in the afternoon so we both decided that it would be a good idea to start much later in the day given the shorter height of the climb. If you haven't noticed from the excess periods things didn't quite go as planned.

The first two pitches consisted of vertical extremely difficult insecure snice and got us to what we had guessed to be our first belay from below. The ice turned to plastic but the wall did not relent at all for 2 more pitches up to the headwall where the "steep" ice began. 2 more 70m rope stretching pitches took us to the top of the wall just in time for a beautiful Alaskan sunset and a suprisingly smooth 1000ft v-thread rappel in the dark. This was the by far the best piece of ice I have ever been on. I have never seen or even heard of anything so big and sustained. It was a fantastic experience. We named our climb Milagro De Plata 1000ft WI6 after our smooth sipping tequila back in camp.

I've added a few pictures, but most of the media from this climb is in video and I'll have that up whenever I learn how to edit video, download music and figure out how to put it on the internet. Jason and I have one more week of climbing to do first. I just wanted to put up some stoke. Later!

Jason posing down after getting off Milagro De Plata much later than anticipated

Pin Up Girl 800ft WI5 FA

Jason following pitch 1 on Milagro de Plata

Line furthest right, Milagro de Plata 1000ft WI6 FA

Ice and Bug Bites

2011-02-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I've had anything really worth posting. A few rock trips here and there. Plenty of bushwhacking, training and entirely too much working. Last Feb I took a job as a helper on an underground diamond drill rig. I moved into the operators chair recently and have been able to train and recover so climbing trips are starting to come together. The first was supposed to be over our Christmas shutdown. My last night at work I was bit by a spider...

Great place to have a massive abcess. Anyway I didn't think much of it at first. Went to our company Christmas party in Vegas. It didn't seem to be getting any worse. By the time I got home though this is what it looked like. I knew I was screwed, so I went skiing for one day before I finally went in. I had a pretty bad staph infection and cellulitis. So the cut me open.

The next day I went in and the infection had gotten much worse so as I originally thought I ended up in the hospital for a couple days hooked up to an IV.

After getting I recovered I tried to get out to Suicide Bowl again and have a stab at a wall several of us have been looking at for a few years. Stefan Ricci and couple of other guys flew out climbed two pitches of ice before backing off and hiking out.

I teamed up with Alan Gordon and tried hiking. This turned out to be a complete failure. Alan has been spending a lot of time out on the glacier recently filming and climbing so I figured I'd trust his decision to get on the toe. Every single time I've tried this apporach I've gotten pissed off and stuff in the same miserble never ending icefall. We bivied and bailed the next day.

Finally, last weekend Gabe Hayden and I teamed up and headed out and made the full approach from West Glacier Trail to Suicide in 4 1/2 hours. The main headwall was holding a lot of snow. I think the lines will be in much better condition in early spring. Fortunately, there was a suprising runner up. On the North side of the bowl there is a pretty neat wall.

We had one day to climb so after poking around we climbed the obvious flow on the left calling it "Mellow Character" WI4/5 120m. It should be noted that the glacier ice in the bowl is sinking so this line will probably be quite a bit longer next year if anyone ventures out that way.

We hike out in a little under 4 hours. The lines on this wall could be a day trip for a motivated party and a great option during periods of high temps.

Back in Juneau

2009-03-12T14:11:00.000-07:00

Well, the trip went on as trips usually do and while I never expected to be back in Juneau so soon, I am, and happy to be. The snow has been falling like crazy and the backcountry is stacked. I've been reminded lately how miserable a skier I am, it's wonderful. While most people just get to float over snow and fly through the air I get to tumble, roll, tomahawk, and faceplant as well. I would say it makes for a much richer experience.

Tonight I have my first practice as coach of the Rock Dump Climbing team. I've also rejoined the volunteer firefighters. While it sounds like I may have lost my focus, I have actually found out what I need to do to regain it. I have been mapping out recon flights to make with my dad and planning local trips for the summer.

The Juneau Ice Field is an alpine paradise and I want to explore more of the local walls and spires. A bunch of super secret projects and my little challenge. If anyone wants it here you are. I think it is right around 1000ft wall.
I also figure I could throw in a bird's eye view of the greater icefield. Lots of projects, and not a lot of partners.

I've learned that dirtbagging is not my style. I like to find a goal and train. I think I get as much out of the training as I do from the climbing. So now I am home and dreaming of granite spires rising from the frozen heart of Juneau Icefield. Untouched, unloved, wet and soggy, waiting to be climbed.

So I'll leave you now with a quote from Gaston Rebuffat's Starlight and Storm:

"So it is that from our dreams are born the great joys of life. But dreams we must have, and all the time. I prefer dreams to memories."

Zodiac

2008-12-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

I am back in the NW after two months on the road. Rather than briefly discuss the whole trip, I am going to go into depth on the best route. Eli Simon of Maine, Cullen Kirk of Arizona, and I three day ascent of the Zodiac on the SE face of El Cap. Eli, being from the East Coast, brought experience, energy and a bit of attitude. Cullen, from the desert, added road runner like speed, organization and of course attitude. As for me, our northern contingent, I brought inexperience, inefficiency, inability, and of course attitude.

We met in Camp 4. Eli had just climbed Tangerine Trip, and Cullen was fresh off the Salathe. Eli and I both wanted to get on El Cap, and Cullen just wanted to do anything long (he was pretty sour about not getting to get on their original goal, the South Face of Watkins). The idea to do Zodiac came up one morning at Cookie Crag, we packed that afternoon and left before dawn the next morning.

"Yo, so what the fuck do we need for this route"

Eli and Cullen sort gear

Early morning is where Eli truly shines. He got our asses up to the base of Zodiac and we began at dawn, just in time to get pissed on. That's right, Cullen and I got pissed on, no big deal , happens to everyone..... The first pitch of Zodiac goes at A3ish, lots of fixed heads. It didn't take Eli all that long. He led 7 of the 16 pitches the first days and the Mark of Zorro on the Second. The guy can move on rock.

Eli on the first pitch, pre jungle heat

The First actual belay didn't go so hot. The load was terribly heavy we were body hauling underneath a huge roof. Things eventually got better but when only one person leads all day it gets pretty boring for the third. Cullen spiced this up with a near disastrous rope jump/pendulum. He unknowingly jump in line with the haul bags and a very stylish rodeo was all that kept him from getting owned.

Eli slow cooking on the third pitch
Photo: Tom Evans

The heat was something else and Eli ended every day with excruciating headaches, and while he was a motivator in the morning Cullen and I were responsible for shutting down shop at night.

Day 2 was my block, the Grey Circle. To quote our buddy Aaron, it is the reason people aid climb. Leaving at dawn I was just getting into the difficulties on the first pitch when I heard, what I naturally assumed was a nuclear warhead. I looked back at my belay just in time to see the refrigerator size block miss the belay by a body length. Little pebbles bounced off my helmet as the block crashed into the scree field below taking out several smaller trees. With freshly shit pants I resumed my lead.

By mid-day I had reached the belay below the Nipple. I was terrified of this pitch. I had watched a bunch of people flailing in the circle from below, I was dehydrated, I hadn't eaten anything and just kind of felt like shit. Cullen was pretty disgusted with me for not taking care of myself, but he motivated me to finish my block. This was the turning point on the trip. I had arrived in the valley fat and out of shape. Leading the Nipple reminded my why I climb. It was fantastic.

"Hmm, leap frog cam hooks? Yo Eli, are these homemade
hooks any good?"
"No they fuckin suck......wait they work alright"
Me on the Nip photo: Tom Evans

So the Nipple....a little awkward there
Photo: Tom Evans

So after the nipple I was exhausted and after a little short fixing error I gave up the lead to Eli. He topped out the Mark of Zorro just as it got dark. Our spirits were much higher that second night. Cullen was stoked to finally get to lead after two days of jugging and hauling. Eli was stoked to get off and head home to see his girl and catch a Brew show. I was excited to eat a sandwich. Like I said earlier, I was the simpleton of the crew. Oh yeah attitude. Well we hadn't really had any issues, so um yeah.

Cullen took off the next morning and it was all we could do to keep up. We did the last 5 pitches in 5 hours. That guy was moving in and out of his aiders just motoring. The scary offwidth off Peanut Ledge, yeah he pretty much soloed it. I didn't see it, I was hanging off in space fighting with haul bags.

Me glad to not me hanging in space 1200ft off the ground

Cullen psyched after his lead off Peanut

We topped out around noon and spent a few hours basking in the sun on top. It was my first El Cap line, Eli's 5th, and Cullen's 2nd. It was pretty uneventful, which made it all the more rewarding. So on the summit we decided it was time to show some attitude.

Ryan, Cullen, and Eli

I made some great friends, and we climbed a badass line.

Welcome, Bienvenue, Bievenidos

2008-12-01T11:35:00.000-08:00

For friends and family that are curious what I'm up to I will try to keep up this site. The name refers to that which draws me into the mountains. Like any artist I use same medium as those before me in what I consider a unique and inspiring way.

I grew up in Southeast Alaska. My mom was an avid hiker and drug me everywhere with her. While I have always enjoyed the outdoors, I spent most of my youth in an indoor swimming pool. I found technical climbing when my shoulder crapped out and I had to quit swmming. I dicked around for a couple of years picking up a little experience here and there, but it wasn't until I went to Nepal to climb Pumori's SW Ridge in 2003.
Jacek Maselko, Stefan Ricci, Forest Wagner, Mitch something or other, Sky something or other, and I went over in the fall full expedition style. I was 20 and this was the first time I dropped out of school for climbing (I wish I hadn't gone back). We climbed Island peak and then launched a 5 week campaign on the ridge. We fixed lines, established camps, and in the end all I got was a t-shirt and new view of how to move in the mountains. Fixed lines are for tourists.

A few years later Stefan and I began training for the Cassin Ridge on Denali.
We planned for two days on the route. 51 hours after leaving the schrund we topped out in blue bird weather. The Cassin ridge is the best line I have ever been on. I had never trained harder for the mountains, or wanted anything more. Light and fast became less of a trendy catch phrase and more of problem. One that has become my sole inspiration. How do you move fast on difficult, technical, and relatively unknown terrain?

In March of 2008 Sam Magro and I went into the Mendenhall Towers with the help of the Mugs Stump Award. We went through some shitty weather but patience paid off and we did the first ascent of the North Face of West Tower. Dubbing our 800m route "The Great White Conqueror V A1, AI4, M5."
There is a moment in early in the morning where I've found myself high on snow covered ridge having just pulled over the top of a face or skinning to a fresh line. I am with a good friend and there is less ahead than there is behind and a new day is dawning. The air is filled with potential energy, who knows what the day has in store. This is my favorite moment in life, I reach an awareness that I have only found in the mountains with good friends. Thanks for paying me a visit. Peace

Ryan Johnson