winter climbs, 1983-4. cream sickle, - amazon web...

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Utah Winter Climbs, 1983-4. In February of 1984, Jim Knight and I climbed a prominent new 3-pitch waterfall, Cream Sickle, located just below Timpanogos Cave in American Fork Canyon. The crux was a 50-foot thin hollow pillar of ice plastered to an overhanging comer. Protection would have been a horror except for a few thin cracks, into which I could bash a knife-blade. Our descent was made in the dark by rappelling down the climb. The river crossing was easy since a large avalanche had covered it the day before. Post Nasal Drip, perhaps Provo Canyon’s last prominent unclimbed fall, was finally ascended by Rick Wyatt and Evelyn Lees. This climb is just right of Miller’s Thriller. The last time it froze was ten years ago. Driving south on Interstate 15 towards Mount Nebo, one may notice a long thin smear of ice coming off a large limestone buttress. Jim Knight and I hiked a half hour up “North Creek Canyon” and stood below one of the most irresistible climbs. We climbed beautiful 60° to 80° ice that day, only to be stopped by fading light 500 feet up. On our next attempt, accompanied by my brother Jonathan and Bruce Roghaar, we climbed the entire

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Utah

Winter Climbs, 1983-4. In February of 1984, Jim Knight and I climbed a prominent new 3-pitch waterfall, Cream Sickle, located just below Timpanogos Cave in American Fork Canyon. The crux was a 50-foot thin hollow pillar of ice plastered to an overhanging comer. Protection would have been a horror except for a few thin cracks, into which I could bash a knife-blade. Our descent was made in the dark by rappelling down the climb. The river crossing was easy since a large avalanche had covered it the day before. Post Nasal Drip, perhaps Provo Canyon’s last prominent unclimbed fall, was finally ascended by Rick Wyatt and Evelyn Lees. This climb is just right of Miller’s Thriller. The last time it froze was ten years ago. Driving south on Interstate 15 towards Mount Nebo, one may notice a long thin smear of ice coming off a large limestone buttress. Jim Knight and I hiked a half hour up “North Creek Canyon” and stood below one of the most irresistible climbs. We climbed beautiful 60° to 80° ice that day, only to be stopped by fading light 500 feet up. On our next attempt, accompanied by my brother Jonathan and Bruce Roghaar, we climbed the entire

1000 feet of the fall. There were some sections of steep snow, but the last pitch was surely challenging, being a thin vertical smear.

Brian Smoot