Well here at OWA, we know the best kind of New Year’s Resolutions have two parts. One: they must be achievable. Two: they must involve adventure! Well our guide, Sean McNally followed these rules for his New Year’s Resolution, as he set out for Zion National Park to climb the ultra-classic, Grade V, Moonlight Buttress!
Winter in Zion provides little light, the climbers were only in direct sunlight between about 10 am to 2 pm and the sun set around 5:30 pm every day (dropping temperatures dramatically!) This left our climbers with little climbing daylight, however, they still ambitiously planned to fix three pitches the first day, and then blast for the top on the second.
OWA guide Sean McNally Rapping the fixed lines on New Year’s Eve
Sean enjoying a rare comfortable belay
With the fixed lines in place, the climbers calculated that they had moved JUST fast enough to reach the top before darkness set in (avoiding unnecessary suffering). After a below freezing 5 am wake up, they got back to the base of the route around 8 am. After jugging the first line, Sean threw the rope down and with it went their only option for retreat (the only way out was up!)
Sean’s climbing partner, Mike, leading the 160 ft fourth pitch
One of the many uncomfortable hanging belays. Moonlight is all about exposure!
The first couple of pitches went slowly, but as it warmed up so did our guides. They knew that the sunlight wouldn’t last so they tried to cover ground as quickly as possible!
Sean leading the sixth pitch in only 20 minutes! He said the crack was so uniform that he just cam jugged red and gray aliens, making up some much needed time.
Mike, at a belay with over a thousand feet of air nipping at his heels!
The sun started to set and our guides found themselves exhausted and cramping just one pitch from the top (apparently one of them left one of their liters of water in the truck… we won’t say who). The two dug deep though, and summited RIGHT as it got dark and cold. After a brief celebration, the two started the long walk to the car and reportedly slept 12+ hours, waiting until the sun was already high in the sky to even peak their heads out of their trucks.
With his New Year’s resolution already accomplished, Sean is pretty much just going to go back to being lazy for the rest of the year, but knowing him that will only last until the next big mountain gets into his head!