The Joker (WI3), Orient Point, Ghost River 2006
November 21, 2006
Peter Valchev & Dow Williams

Spectacular first outing for the season, pleasant above freezing temperature and fat ice. Approach pitch in good shape, the climb is a full 60m length, bolt & piton on top. Nice views of The Hooker (WI5), Candlestick Maker (WI5) and an unclimbed piece of ice. I tried out my brand new ice tools which was pretty sweet.

The funny story of the day: my feet were hurting, and especially so while I was leading the steeper sections. I thought that was odd since these boots used to be quite comfortable and the pain in my feet made everything feel harder as I couldn't frontpoint comfortably. Shortly before we got back to the car, I took the boots off to fix my socks (which had bunched up on a ball) and I realized I did not have my insoles inside! I was stepping onto the completely hard and flat plastic and more so, the volume and geometry of my foot inside was wrong. Exciting story, I know! I was relieved to find I wasn't imagining things, at least.

  hiking up... Climbing the approach ice, photo by Dow Dow slogging up to the climb after climbing the approach ice  

  Posing on the way up, photo by Dow left to right: The Hooker, unclimbed, Candlestick Maker Beginning the climb.., photo by Dow  

  Dow rapping The Hooker's crux section up close The Joker up close  

  Me and the joker behind me.. as we are leaving, photo by Dow Dow posing downclimbing a sketchy section before we rappelled  

  Downclimbing some snow & ice before the rappel, photo by Dow down we go! photo by Dow full view of Candlestick Maker  

  last view of the climbs hiking out, looking back...  

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