We didn't get on skis in the end, but we did boulder at the amazing crag that is Ibex, 3hrs drive south from SLC.
Ibex is in the middle of nowhere, 50 miles from the nearest small town on the edge of a dried up lake bed.
There are quite a few areas scattered around but we climbed only in the area around the massive Red Monster boulder. It is a huge lump of rock with one long steep face at a highball-able height. The setting is amazing: Steep cliffs facing the flatness of the lake bed surrounded by distant hills. And so quiet.
Apologies for the poor stitching together! Looking out across the lake bed with the main cliff on the left
Sorry for the poor montage, my camera phone doesn't really do the place justice. Rich on a classic slab problemI had my sights set on Ju, an iconic problem in these parts. A very long time ago I had failed on the last move during my last attempt before leaving SLC, and I was keen to try again.
For a while it looked like I wasn't going to get up the first move, but I worked it out and kept getting higher but it took a while. The sun vanishing behind the cliffs sent the temperature plummeting so we bailed, not totally psyched on the 3hr drive back to SLC before a dinner appointment.
I went back a couple of days later with some old friends from SLC (nobody seems to leave that town) and I managed to get up it after a few attempts. I floated\fought through the move that spat me off last time without any awareness that "this was it" and then I was standing above it. Cool. The sun vanished before we were climbed out but we drove across to the other side of the lake bed and finished off on a steep prow in the sun. Thanks to Mike for the pictures.
Cynthia warming up
The first move of Ju, in the sun.
Topping out, in the shade
The last problem of the day. I failed a couple of moves later. Oh well, have to go back..
For a while it looked like I wasn't going to get up the first move, but I worked it out and kept getting higher but it took a while. The sun vanishing behind the cliffs sent the temperature plummeting so we bailed, not totally psyched on the 3hr drive back to SLC before a dinner appointment.
I went back a couple of days later with some old friends from SLC (nobody seems to leave that town) and I managed to get up it after a few attempts. I floated\fought through the move that spat me off last time without any awareness that "this was it" and then I was standing above it. Cool. The sun vanished before we were climbed out but we drove across to the other side of the lake bed and finished off on a steep prow in the sun. Thanks to Mike for the pictures.
Cynthia warming up
The first move of Ju, in the sun.
Topping out, in the shade
The last problem of the day. I failed a couple of moves later. Oh well, have to go back..What an amazing place.
