Beartooths + Wind Rivers = Alpine rock

Tower of Innocence

Cirque of the towers

I am starting school at Montana State University (Bozeman) this semester after a 3 year hiatus. I'm hoping be be slightly more marketable in the future (when my knees wear out) and maybe do some good in the world by sharing knowledge and stoke. The plan is to gain my secondary education certification with a third undergrad degree (this time in general science broadfield) and a chemistry minor. I'm getting dangerously close to becoming a professional college student, but it beats the 9-5 grind; working a job you don't get much out of, making money so you can excape the red, and working until you expire.

Anyway, Bridget and I decided to take a small trip before classes started. We chose to go to the east rosebud valley in the Beartooth Mountains. We wanted to check out the Bear's face (the south-west buttress)and the tower of innocence.
We hiked to the base of the Bear's face on a sweltering August day and stared dumbstruck at the buttress, we both had bad, unfounded, feelings about jumping on the route for some reason, so we just took a few pictures and walked the 5 miles back to the car. The next day we woke up early and got on the tower of innocence. Rusty Willis has hinted at the quality of the route, and knowing his preferences, it had to be a good route.

The first 5.10 pitch went well with wild climbing and a stout boulder problem protected by an ancient pin. The weather then took a turn for the worst with strong winds and black clouds. we decided to continue on easier (5.9) ground out right for a few pitches until we hit a large ledge with trees used for the standard descent. When we reached this ledge the clouds parted and sun poored on the spire. Now completly lost on the spire we chose a loose traversing pitch that led to a 5.9+ squeeze chimney, this went well with a few curses for flavor. The next 5.8 pitch took us through a tunnel (you can see this from the approach gully) and the summit. What an awesome tower!


View down from the first 5.10 pitch


Bridget on the tower of innocence


Bridget looking up the squeeze chimney

The second part of the journey was driving to the Wind River Mountains in Wyoming. We headed to the Cirque of the towers in the souther end of the range. We hiked in following the big sandy stream, upto jackass pass, and into the beautiful hidden cirque. That night it rained all night and froze. We waited around until 7 hoping it would get warmer before jumping on the Wolf's Head. What a climb (the best 5.6 in the world?), miles of engaging and sometimes improbable climbing brought us to the summit. We had the whole route to ourselves eventhough it is one of the fifty classic climbs of N.A.
The next day we woke up with frozen water bottles (again) and waited until the sun was hitting the popular K-cracks of pingora. We suited up and climbed this fun route to the summit with the luxury of no time strain. Super mellow and fun! The next day we hiked out and drove back to Bozeman where we arrived at 2am.
Cheers, Loren


wolf's head (left) pingora (right)


Bridget on Wolf's head


Wolf's head


Bridget on Wolf's head


Bridget on Pingora climbing the famous K-Cracks


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