On Saturday, Susan and I skied, climbed, and snow slogged our way up to Petrified Dreams (although we didn't know it at the time, close inspection of the guide book confirmed it this morning). It is considerably thinner than it was when the picture in "Winter Dance" was taken but it's still a fantastic and spectacular climb (75 meters!). We climbed it in three pitches and found the same "fortunate belay caves" as in the first ascent. However, the last pitch was not WI4 (WI6 perhaps?). This weekend both pitches 1 and 3 formed the crux of the climb. Pitch one for somewhat rotten and steep ice, and pitch 3 for being a very steep pillar (which we climbed on the right side).
The top of the climb, as described in the guidebook, is visible from the road just as you reach the meadow before the Pebble Creek parking lot. The climb is almost due west of the parking lot (about 285 degrees, [u]not north [/u] as suggested in the approach). I'll be happy to provide more beta on the approach to anyone curious. However, it's clear that conditions must be just right. The avalanche terrain is unavoidable and a sunny day could ruin your chances on this south facing climb.
Photo of the entire climb taken in 3 shots stitched together (from the base of the climb):
[img]http://montanaice.com/forums/user_images/PetrifiedDreams02-23-08.jpg[/i…]
Top two pitches as seen from the valley below (it's unfortunately impossible to see if the bottom pitch is formed until you are [u]there[/u]):
[img]http://montanaice.com/forums/user_images/HPIM1116cropped.jpg[/img]
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Petrified Dreams
Repeat of Petrified Dreams
Repeat of Petrified Dreams
Repeat of Petrified Dreams