Here's a photo of Great Beard, just outside Seward, which Jon Cobb and I climbed the other day. As you can see, the ice isn't fully fomed up so I led up the rock to the climber's left of the hanging pillar. After tediously installing numerous pieces of protection in the rock, I climbed out on the ice which was very steep and technical. At that point I was wishing I had been using my leashes since I got very pumped and was unable to hang on to my tools. I ended up falling about 20' while my tools stayed where I left them. We climbed an easy route nearby and rapelled in to get my stranded gear, and of couse climbed it without too much trouble on TR. This is probably the best piece of WI in South Central AK that I've seen this year. This marks my first lead fall ever on water ice. It's my first day ever out with Jon...hope he doesn't get the wrong idea about me.The gear that held. I can't believe it.
Also of note is the outstanding conditions of the road cut climbing area on the Seward highway, just a few miles outside Anchorage. I had a couple good leads there...
