OWA Guides Get on the Ice

This past Saturday, OWA guides James Faerber and Sean McNally road tripped up to Silverton, CO to get on the classic ice route, Stairway to Heaven.

A look at the line on the approach

The route is WI4 anywhere between 5 and 7 pitches depending on when you decide to walk off and where you belay. With James being the most experienced ice leader (Sean had never even placed an ice screw before the route!) he definitely took on the crux.

James getting ready to start the crux

The route started with decent ice conditions, but then as the sun came around, our guides encountered water gushing down the ice, and the ice turning slushy and weak. With conditions worsening, our guides were not too happy with the run outs since they only brought six ice screws for full 60 meter pitches.

Sean starting up the first hump of pitch 2, when conditions were good

As the sun started to set, our guides quickly traversed off the mountain and made it out with the moonlight reflecting off the snow! All in all, it was a great alpine adventure and a fantastic start to the winter climbing season. After our guides moaned about sore calves, acclimation, and hunger, they retreated to crag down at the Ouray Ice Park for a couple of days. James’s and Sean’s next stop will be Moab, UT to meet with a permit administrator to renew our permit for Moab/Fruita mountain biking trips (and expand our permits to guide climbing in the area; desert towers here we come!). Then, our guides will be off to Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas to race up some rock before their flight home to Texas.

Sean excited on the approach