Home - Destinations - People - Partners - Forum - Photos - What's New
 ADVANCED

Photos: 1969-2009

 
<< Back to Bruce Pech

Pinnacle Gully: Mt. Washington 1974<br /><br />Chouinard ice tools and rigid crampons had recently transformed this New England test-piece into a trade route.

Pinnacle Gully: Mt. Washington 1974

Chouinard ice...

Skyladder: Mt. Andromeda 1974<br /><br />Our Salewa screws wouldn't bite in the porous ice so we ran out every pitch "anchored" by boot axe belays or warthogs hammered into shale. Patey's definition of a roped party as "several men falling simultaneously" came to mind. Often.

Skyladder: Mt. Andromeda 1974

Our Salewa screws w...

SW Ridge of Symmetry Spire: Tetons 1978<br /><br />When white painter's pants were still the height of fashion among the climbing hoi polloi.

SW Ridge of Symmetry Spire: Tetons 1978

When whit...

Bugaboo Spire: 1974<br /><br />Bob Dodds and Wendy Weiss third-classing the Kain Route.

Bugaboo Spire: 1974

Bob Dodds and Wendy Weiss thi...

Middle Teton: 1975<br /><br />Wendy Weiss on the North Ridge. Exum's old quonset hut on the Lower Saddle is visible at the top of the photo.

Middle Teton: 1975

Wendy Weiss on the North Ridge...

Baxter State Park, Maine: 1969<br /><br />Slathering on zinc oxide ointment before my first climb -- an ascent of the Chimney Route, a 1,000', 5.5 or 5.6 rock and snow gully on Mt. Kathadin. The friend who led the technical pitches had a little experience, real mountain boots, 120' of goldline, an ice axe, and a few pins. His ducklings had no experience, floppy Dunham work boots, and rented axes. But by the time we returned to camp, I was addicted to climbing.

Baxter State Park, Maine: 1969

Slathering on zinc...

Cinnamon Slab: Smith Rock 1973<br /><br />Smith Rock before (most) bolts. Stan Thomas rapping down Cinnamon Slab.

Cinnamon Slab: Smith Rock 1973

Smith Rock before ...

Three Birches: Cathedral Ledge 1974<br /><br />If you were laybacking up a granite slab in brand spanking new PAs, you'd want a smoke too.

Three Birches: Cathedral Ledge 1974

If you were l...

Double Crack: Gunks 1974<br /><br />Doug Fosdick leading Double Crack on a beautiful autumn day.

Double Crack: Gunks 1974

Doug Fosdick leading Dou...

Toe Crack/Standard Route: Cathedral Ledge January 1975<br /><br />Ice is nice; verglas isn't. Doug Fosdick and I each had a go at leading the ice-choked crack to the right of the tree but the verglas was too thin for crampons and the rock was too icy for vibram. We bailed after several attempts and returned to North Conway in disgrace.

Toe Crack/Standard Route: Cathedral Ledge January ...

Pear Buttress: The Book, Lumpy Ridge 1978<br /><br />Wendy Weiss leading a pitch on the Pear Buttress

Pear Buttress: The Book, Lumpy Ridge 1978

Wendy W...

Standard Route: Frankenstein Cliff NH 1975<br /><br />Bob Dodds leading the second pitch.

Standard Route: Frankenstein Cliff NH 1975

Bob Do...

Rewritten: Eldorado Canyon 1978<br /><br />Beginning the handcrack on the 4th pitch. One of the best moderates in the Canyon.

Rewritten: Eldorado Canyon 1978

Beginning the han...

Pegasus: Frankenstein Cliff NH 1975<br /><br />Jeff Darde climbing a WI3+ classic established two years earlier by Rick Wilcox and John Bragg

Pegasus: Frankenstein Cliff NH 1975

Jeff Darde cl...

Mt. Lincoln Ice: Colorado 1978<br /><br />Topping out on a moderate route on Mt. Lincoln.

Mt. Lincoln Ice: Colorado 1978

Topping out on a m...

Quincy Quarries, Quincy, MA. Fall 1969

Quincy Quarries, Quincy, MA. Fall 1969

Following a 4th class pitch on the Durrance Route. Symmetry Spire. Tetons. August 1975

Following a 4th class pitch on the Durrance Route....

The Cirque of the Towers from Jackson Pass. Wind River Range. WY. August 1978

The Cirque of the Towers from Jackson Pass. Wind R...

Over the Hill. Rincon Wall. Eldo. Fall 1988.

Over the Hill. Rincon Wall. Eldo. Fall 1988.

Stan Thomas at The Columns, Eugene's "climbing gym." Eugene, OR. Spring 1973

Stan Thomas at The Columns, Eugene's "climbing gym...

Renfroe Glacier, Middle Sister. Oregon Cascades. July 1972

Renfroe Glacier, Middle Sister. Oregon Cascades. J...

Looking NW up the Sunwapta River Valley from the North Athabasca Glacier after a snowy evening. Canadian Rockies. Tim Mervine & Wendy Weiss. August 1974.

Looking NW up the Sunwapta River Valley from the N...

Cinema Gully -- an easy but long ice climb on Mt Willard near Franconia Notch, NH. January 1975

Cinema Gully -- an easy but long ice climb on Mt W...

The Caves bivy in Garnet Canyon before climbing the Direct Exum on the Grand. Tetons. August 1980

The Caves bivy in Garnet Canyon before climbing th...

Quest for Balance. Dinosaur Mountain. Boulder OSMP. Fall 1991

Quest for Balance. Dinosaur Mountain. Boulder OSMP...

Colorado offers excellent backcountry spring skiing on its 12,000'-14,000' peaks. The east face of Stanley Mountain near Berthoud Pass. May 1986

Colorado offers excellent backcountry spring skiin...

A little skied gully and avalanche path on the east face of Kelso Mtn. Stevens Gulch, CO. May 1987

A little skied gully and avalanche path on the eas...

Dropping into the E Bowl after skiing from the summit of Gray's Peak to the Gray's-Torrey's Col. May 1987

Dropping into the E Bowl after skiing from the sum...

A jump turn in saturated powder high in the East Bowl of Gray's Peak. May 1987

A jump turn in saturated powder high in the East B...

Preparing to ski down to our camp at Snowmass Lake from the foot of Snowmass Mtn's summit pyramid. The Maroon Bells on the skyline. Maroon Bells Wilderness Area, CO. June 1987

Preparing to ski down to our camp at Snowmass Lake...

The all-too-common sloppy snow in Kelso Mtn's E Gully. May 1990

The all-too-common sloppy snow in Kelso Mtn's E Gu...

The NW Face of Torrey's Peak offers some of the longest steep backcountry ski descents in Colorado. Both the North and Wishbone (NW) Couloirs drop from or near Torrey's summit 3000 vertical feet to Grizzly Gulch. The North Couloir is slightly steeper with a short, almost 50 degree pitch at the top followed by 45-35 degree skiing for the remainder of the descent. Unfortunately, the runouts at the top are a bit nasty and the middle section of the couloir is sometimes blocked by cornice debris. The NE (skier's right) fork of the Wishbone Couloir is almost as steep, has better runouts, and usually has better snow. The SW (skier's left) fork of the Wishbone is the least steep but still a great ski.

BETA PHOTO: The NW Face of Torrey's Peak offers some of the lo...

Between 1/3 and halfway down Torrey's North Couloir. June 1987

Between 1/3 and halfway down Torrey's North Couloi...

The NE Fork of Torrey's Wishbone Couloir just above the junction with the SW Fork. June 1991

The NE Fork of Torrey's Wishbone Couloir just abov...

Cruising Sundance Bowl in RMNP just before the convex slope steepens to 40+ degrees. The Old Fall River Road winds up the valley below the Bowl. May 1990

Cruising Sundance Bowl in RMNP just before the con...

Powder is rare above timberline in mid-winter. Skiing breakable crust on Bear Mtn in the Sts. John cirque near Montezuma, CO. December 1985

Powder is rare above timberline in mid-winter. Ski...

Looking back at our tracks on the E Face of Bear Mtn. Sts. John Cirque near Montezuma, CO. December 1985

Looking back at our tracks on the E Face of Bear M...

Kicking steps in windboard while traversing the Continental Divide from Stanley Mtn to Vasquez Pk. Near Berthoud Pass. CO. January 1986

Kicking steps in windboard while traversing the Co...

P1 of a 175', two pitch 10c sport climb in southern Boulder County. September 2009.

P1 of a 175', two pitch 10c sport climb in souther...

P2 of a 175', two pitch 10c sport climb in southern Boulder County. September 2009.

P2 of a 175', two pitch 10c sport climb in souther...

Rapping down the first pitch. September 2009.

Rapping down the first pitch. September 2009.

A steep, tricky 11b in Golden Gate Canyon, CO. June 2008.

A steep, tricky 11b in Golden Gate Canyon, CO. Jun...

The spectacular but easy finish to Beer Bong, 10b. Ten Sleep Canyon, WY. August 2006.

The spectacular but easy finish to Beer Bong, 10b....