UKC

Winter Dance....bolt ladder free'd (WI6+ R M8)Video

© Kristoffer Erickson / Montanaice.com
Dougald MacDonald

This has been read 21,383 times
Whit Magro and Kristoffer Erickson have free-climbed the classic Montana (USA) ice route Winter Dance, nearly ten years after its first ascent. Winter Dance (WI6+ R M8) is a spectacular line high above the floor of Hyalite Canyon. During the first ascent, a long bolt ladder on the second pitch was used to bypass an overhanging rock band and reach the main ice daggers.

Erickson led the long WI4+ 5.9 (M5) first pitch and the WI5+ final pitch. Magro got the bolt ladder (M8) and the extremely difficult ice of the third pitch, which was given WI7 after the first ascent but has settled to WI6+. Magro took three hours to lead this pitch, and the two finished the climb in the dark, returning to the car 12 hours after leaving.

VIDEO of the ascent HERE.

Read the full report by Dougald MacDonald at Climbing.com.

This post has been read 21,383 times

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Comments

Michael Ryan
11 Dec, 2007
Really? Try climbing many routes on El Cap without them. Malham wouldn't be a world class sport climbing destination without them. Bolts are as much part of climbing as are nuts.......when used as protection in crackless rock! I think you will find that these chaps used the bolts for protection not aid as on the original ascent.
TonyM
12 Dec, 2007
In reply: Video is a good advert for what can be done with a pair of Grivel X-Monsters...
Lemony
12 Dec, 2007
Was that not the point Ackbar was making?
Michael Ryan
12 Dec, 2007
I've no idea what point he was trying to make really - but whether you aid or free climb or dry tool or whatever, a bolt ladder is a bolt ladder. Whit Magro and Kristoffer Erickson have free-climbed Winter Dance, I don't think they took the bolts out of the M8 pitch. "a long bolt ladder on the second pitch was used to bypass an overhanging rock band and reach the main ice daggers. "
TonyM
13 Dec, 2007
Am sure they won't have done, since I suspect they'll have used them for protection while leading and and working the route.
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