Needles Climbing Guides

It is very cool to announce that Sierra Mountain Center is now the only permitted guiding service allowed to guide trips in the Needles area of the Southern Sierra!  The Needles are an incredible place to climb- with a rich history and a very unique energy.  The classic climbs such as Igor Unchained, Airy Interlude and White Punks on Dope are known the world over for their outstanding quality and aesthetic.

Sierra Mountain Center will be running several climbing camps in the Needles this spring and fall, so get in touch and come climb with us!

Needles Guiding Service

Ryan

Whitney in Winter

Last month I climbed Mt. Whitney via the mountaineers route with two cool and motivated dudes, Kuan and Drew.  The snow was firm, the nights were cold, and the packs were definitely heavier than during summertime ascents, but those guys were really stoked on being out there and pushed through to summit in blistering cold winds.
Kuan sent me a huge folder with all of his pics so I will share some of them here with you and let the pictures tell the story.

Ryan

March Madness in the Sierra Nevada!

Spring has sprung, Easter is upon us, and snow is beginning to fall again in the mountains.  Just when we thought that summer had landed for good, April is looking to be unsettled and wet.  Just how wet is yet to be seen, but this could be just the thing our snow pack needs to get us skiing all the way through May, although rock climbing is shorts was kind of nice for the mast couple months!

The past month and a half has been pretty busy at work, from ice climbing to ski touring to rock climbing, a Mt. Whitney summit and more.  

Patricia makes her way to the top of Mammoth Crest

Resting between sage and snow on our way to Old Man's Bowl

Patricia makes nice turns in difficult snow in the Tele Bowls

Jay makes quick work of the couloir leading to Nevahbe Ridge, Mt. Morgan

That is one long ridge!

Summit of Nevahbe Ridge.

With any luck we will be able to still take off on our intended Trans-Sierra Ski tour from Mammoth over to Yosemite Valley, but we are making contingency plans of warm weather rock climbing if the weather looks to questionable to ski into the backcountry for 7 or 8 days, so that will most likely be the subject of the next blog entry...

Over and out- Ryan