#alpineaf

I have so many things rattling around in my head from the past two days, but I’m too mentally exhausted to string the words together. I think @kylehornor put it best, “It’s not so much a climb as it is an adventure.” • I couldn’t agree more. The Torment-Forbidden traverse is dangerously close to the tippy top of my all-time climbs list! • • • #alpineAF #torment #forbidden #traverse #bostonbasin #northcascades #climbing #womenonrock #shemovesmountains #pnw #nwisbest (at North Cascades National Park)

The second half of the ridge is easy climbing terrain with spectacular exposure. We quickly arrived at the base of the West Ridge and continued toward the summit. A few simul blocks later, we stood atop Forbidden, surrounded by gnarled glaciers and distant volcanoes. The tongue of clouds crept farther up the valley, encouraging a rapid descent. There had been a helicopter circling the basin for the last couple of hours, adding some anxiety to our otherwise mellow morning of climbing. • • • • • • #northcascades #alpineAF #bostonbasin #climbing #pnw #nwisbest #womenonlead #flashfoxy #andshesdopetoo (at North Cascades National Park)

Rappelling on to the north side glacier was like entering another world. As we heroically swung across the moat, a gaping bergschrund snarled below. After navigating the upper glacier, we wandered through crumbling ledges to regain the ridge. By 7 we created back on to the narrow spine to a modest, but flat bivy ledge. • • • • #climbing #alpineAF #northcascades #tft #pnw #nwisbest #womenonlead #flashfoxy #shemovesmountains #andshesdopetoo (at North Cascades National Park)

Before dawn, we filed into the line of commuters making their way out of sleepy suburbs dotting the I-5 corridor. Three hours later we were hiking through the lush greenery of the North Cascades backcountry. As we emerged from the fog dampened undergrowth, glacial rivers cascaded down rocky slabs between green alpine meadows. In a few hours we were traversing below the mile long ridge toward the base of Torment. • • • • • #alpine #climbing #alpineAF #northcascades #pnw #nwisbest #themountainsarecalling #mountainmedicine (at North Cascades National Park)

There’s a special bond between people who share a rope in the mountains. The intense environment of risk assessment and decision making requires a lot of trust in both you and your partners experience and skills. I feel pretty lucky to have a number of amazing folks to climb with. One of whom, @kylehornor, has quickly become the person I’ve spent the most time with in the alpine. We’ve shared moments of strength, fear and overwhelming stoke, cramped bivies and roped up blue bagging 💩. Here’s to more adventures, friend! #climbing #alpineAF #explore #climbing #pnw #nwisbest #belayshionship (at North Cascades National Park)

Earlier this week I took my mom and sister to climb Ingalls Peak. Mom climbed this when she was 21 years old and still killed it a few days before her 60th birthday! @beckylynn1990 has climbed some single pitch before but this was her first multipitch, first alpine climb and first time rappelling! So proud of these two! • • • • • #familytime #alpineAF #climbing #tradisrad #pnw #nwisbest #alpinelakes #heartinwashington #mountaingirls (at Lake Ingalls)

Getting high this morning on Cashmere Mountain. 19 miles round trip, 6,000' of vert and an aversive swarm of mutant winged red ants on the summit. We didn't stick around long. • • • • #mountainmedicine #mountainrunnig #rundirt #hitthetrail #leavenworth #alpineAF #alpinelakes #cashmere #running #trailrun #gethigh #pnw #nwisbest (at Lake Caroline)

I'm trying really hard to find words to describe the last two days. My legs are sore, my feet are throbbing and my heart is overflowing. Maybe that's a good start. #enchantments #prusik #climbing #tradisrad #alpineAF #leavenworth #dertown #dertopia #pnw #nwisbest #sufferfest (at The Enchantments)