With the attainment of our permit to Rocky Mountain National Park, our season has begun and we are super excited to share some trip reports with you. Please feel free to call us to discuss our programs and possible climbing objectives in RMNP. It was a fat winter and spring in the park, that made…
Andrés, Owen, and Will are currently resting on the Root Canal Glacier. Yesterday was a huge day for them. They successfully climbed the Mooses’s Tooth formation via Ham n’ Eggs. Andrés checked in with the In Reach late last night with the news of their accomplishment. Great climb guys! Stay tuned for more news from…
Here is a recap of Elías de Andrés Martos’s recent expedition to the Moose’s Tooth to climb Ham n’ Eggs. Our trip to the Moose’s Tooth was a memorable climbing experience! There’s nothing like a motivated, competent and fun partner to undertake such a challenge. Brian, who spent the winter training hard on our fantastic…
Elias and his partner had a successful climb of the Moose’s Toothe formation via the Ham n’Eggs route yesterday. He informed us via In Reach message that the weather was perfect and the summit views were awesome. They completed ascent and descent back to camp in just over 14 hours. Way to go guys! Congrats!…
Our first trip to the Ruth Gorge in the Alaska Range is in progression. Elías de Andrés Martos is there with a solid partner. They flew onto the Root Canal Glacier two days ago. Their plan is to climb the Moose’s Tooth formation today, weather & conditions allowing. The ultra classic route Ham n’ Eggs (V,5.9,AI…
A Custom Climb of the Moose’s Tooth in Denali National Park by Chuck Foster I have been a rock and ice climber off and on since the mid 1970’s. I have always enjoyed climbing and have been fairly competent (lead 5.9, used to lead 5.10 and climb WI 3) but have never taken climbing too seriously or…
For the next couple of weeks we will introduce to you some of the most legendary peaks of the Mighty San Juan Mountain Range. No two peaks are the same and each provides a unique experience that is catered by San Juan Mountain Guides to ensure you some of the best adventures of your 2015…
Andres grew up in Ibague, Colombia. His passion for guiding has allowed him to guide in all types of terrains, such as rock, alpine, skiing and high altitude. In 2011 he and his partner received the Mugs Stump Exploratory Grant to go and climb new peaks in the Southern part of Kyrgyzstan on the Kyrgy…
When it comes to Ice Climbing, the San Juan Mountains can be hard to beat. With Classic Routes located in our backyard and with the Ouray Ice Park essentially located in our front yard, its hard to justify traveling to climb in other renown areas. There are far and few areas that are worth the…
For a full list of events check out the Official Ouray Ice Festival Site! – Visit Ouray’s Brewery Arguably the best way to celebrate a successful day in the park – we suggest checking out our local brewery for a cold one. Ouray Brewery is a huge supporter of the Ouray Ice Festival by donating…
A Guide’s Perspective by Lindsay Fixmer AMGA Certified Rock Guide & Assistant Alpine Guide Upon arriving in Ouray, CO early this December for the winter ice climbing season, I have lived in the OR Conviction Pant. Equally suited for approaches through knee-deep snow, drippy backcountry ice climbs or sunny dry tooling routes, the Conviction pant…
The Lodestar Jacket With winter upon us in here in the San Juans, our technical layers take on added importance. SW Colorado and the San Juan Mountains offer up a veritable cornucopia of conditions. Everything from whiteout conditions, 45 mph winds, warm sunny days, feet of snow, and frigid freeze-your-fingers cold is par for the…
Classic Line Back In Condition Climbed Ames with Kevin today. The first pitch is in the fattest and most protectable condition I have ever climbed it. The second pitch has a few interesting cauliflowers to work around, but mostly protects well and the chimney is too full of ice to need rock gear. The third…
Classics are IN and Getting Climbed After a bit of nervousness with respect to how the trajectory of this early ice season was going to play out, I’m happy to report that cold weather is back in a big way in Ouray and the San Juans. Consequently, our ice conditions have improved dramatically in the…
Early November Ice Conditions Report It’s that time of year again – ice season is fast approaching. Winter has returned to the San Juans – with snow and ice starting to come into condition throughout the range. Make sure to bookmark our San Juan Ice Conditions webpage. We will be doing twice weekly updates starting…
Ryan Riggins is a Durango transplant, originally from Orinda, California. He came to Colorado chasing the “white surf” as he went from a the never-ending Cali summers to the never-ending winters of the San Juans. A Fort Lewis graduate in Marketing, Ryan has been guiding since his Sophomore year in College. Ryan received his…
San Juan Mountain Guide Bill Grasse captures the experience of summiting Mt. Sneffels with his client. Mt. Sneffels is located in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in the SouthWest of Colorado. It is a prestine 14,000+ peak and considered a classic in Colorado. If you are interested Mt. Sneffels or Mountaineering in the…
Classic Couloirs of the San Juans Gilpin Peak’s North Face Couloir [image_frame style=”framed_shadow” alt=”Gilpin Peak” title=”North Face Couloir ” height=”250″ width=”360″]https://dev.mtnguide.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/gilpin.blog_.1.jpg[/image_frame] The San Juan Mountains are blessed with a lifetime’s worth of climbing and mountaineering challenges in all seasons. One of the most overlooked times of year to climb in the San Juans are the…
Out Is A State Of Mind Alaska Range Trip Report by Frank Robertson This spring, SJMG Senior Guide Mark Miller and climbing guest Frank Robertson headed to the Alaska Range for a great trip in the Ruth Gorge, and specifically the Root Canal Glacier for an attempt(s)/climb(s) of classic routes like Ham ‘n Eggs and…
Dave Ahrens AMGA Certified Rock & Alpine Guide [image_frame style=”framed_shadow” align=”left” alt=”Dave Ahrens” title=”AMGA Certified Rock & Alpine Guide” height=”250″ width=”320″]https://dev.mtnguide.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/dave.ahrens.featured.jpg[/image_frame] Superior Guest Review of Dave: “Phenomenal, the trip was catered to our ability level, designed to challenge but stay within our group capabilities. Skills were covered while our own personal goals and powder skiing ambitions…