BECKETT HONICKER

If you ever meet Beckett Honicker, you will be surprised he’s only 24 years old. He’s climbed The Nose in a day and redpoints 5.13 trad routes. And Honicker is the head guide and co-owner of the El Portrero Chico Climbing School, near Monterrey, Mexico.

Honicker started climbing after hiking the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail, when he dropped out of high school at age 17. Near the end of the Georgia-to-Maine journey, he fell in love with New Hampshire’s craggy White Mountains. He returned home to Knoxville, Tennessee “with a new set of eyes.” Honicker recalls that “all of my friends had gotten into hardcore drugs and I didn’t want anything to do with it.” He simply turned around and went back to New Hampshire, landing in North Conway.

By age 18, Honicker immersed himself in the local trad-climbing scene. After sending famous testpieces at Cathedral Ledge such as The Pendulum Route (5.11c), he realized his potential as a rock climber. Honicker’s guiding skills paralleled his trajectory as a climber. By age 19, Honicker took his first AMGA course, taught by Brad White, the head guide of North Conway’s International Mountain Climbing School (IMCS). After seeing Honicker in action, White hired him to guide at IMCS, where Honicker has remained for the last five summers.

Click here to take this month's suvey sponsored by Lippi

When buying clothing for climbing (including jackets and other gear) do you consider the cross-functionality of the items you purchase for activities besides climbing?

No, my climbing gear and apparel is sacred and only for climbing
Yes, I consider if I can use it for other sports
Yes, I consider whether I can use it for everyday activities, even at work
My entire wardrobe consists of only climbing gear and apparel - what else is there?

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Lowe Alpine
Win a Lowe Alpine TFX Summit 65+15 pack! One lucky reader will win the TFX Summit Pack, worth $300. Enter between June 1 – July 15 at www.rockandice.com. Winner will be picked at random.

“Built for the long haul. The TFX Summit carries expedition loads with east, no matter how intense the pace or terrain. Comfort engineering from concept to reality. Comfort – Guaranteed. Visit http://www.lowealpine-usa.com/ for more information on this pack as well as the entire Lowe Alpine product line.

1st Annual Rock and Ice Photo Contest Presented by Mammut Please keep the great submissions coming for the inaugural Rock and Ice Photo Contest Presented by Mammut. The winners for each category will receive a killer prize from Mammut and a number of photos (winners and runners-up) will be published in issue #174 of Rock and Ice (on newsstands December 1, 2008 - January 15, 2009). This is the perfect opportunity to launch your career as a climbing photographer, or show the world some of the burly routes you and your friends have been projecting. The five categories are Ice/Snow, Mammut, Lifestyle, Rock, and Bouldering and the deadline for submissions is August 15, 2008. For more information flip through the Photo Annual or check out http://www.rockandice.com/mammutphotocontest/

Here is an example of the stunning photos we've received so far...
Dan Dalton leads the 130-foot freestanding pillar, The Fang (WI 5). Photo by Scott Borger.

INTO YOUR AIRWAVES
Watch David Breashears' "Storm Over Everest" Now Online Free If you missed Tuesday's PBS broadcast of FRONTLINE's "Storm Over Everest," the latest work from world-renowned mountaineer and filmmaker David Breashears, you can watch the complete documentary free and with no commercials on FRONTLINE's Web site at http://www.pbs.org/frontline/everest/. The streaming video is available in full-screen format to users with the latest Flash technology. "Storm Over Everest" recounts the dramatic story of the blizzard that hit Mount Everest in May 1996, trapping three climbing teams high on the mountain and killing eight climbers. Combining surprisingly intimate interviews with the survivors, breathtaking original cinematography, and dramatic recreations of the storm, the two-hour documentary tells the fuller story of what really happened during that legendary climb.

BLOGGING FROM EVEREST
To give viewers a taste of the excitement, anticipation, hard work, and preparation that goes into an Everest summit attempt, FRONTLINE invited lifelong adventurer and climber Doug Pierson to share his experiences as he attempts his first summit of the mountain. Follow along with Doug, and his adventures with the Mountain Madness team, on our Everest blog at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/everest/summit/

SPLITTER CAMP
A proficiency with cracks is the keystone for anyone wishing to go beyond indoor gyms and bolted crags. If you see alpinism in your future or you just want to travel to different areas to climb, the ability to climb cracks is a must. Of all of the varieties of climbing, developing expertise with cracks is the most dependent on using proper technique.

Splitter Camps, held October 4 through 6, will demystify crack climbing. Three intensive days with renowned instructors including Greg Child, Jim Donini and Jay Smith at legendary Indian Creek will greatly improve your technique while giving you a new appreciation for crack climbing. Indian Creek is a climbing wonderland set in the high desert an hour drive south of Moab, Utah. The climbs at Indian Creek start at 5.9 and may seem strenuous to the uninitiated. The Splitter Camps are intended for climbers who at a minimum can follow 5.9 trad or 5.10 sport. The course will be trying and exhilarating and guaranteed to improve an attendee’s crack climbing immeasurably. For more information or to sign up, visit www.moabdesertadventures.com

PARTY OF TWO MIRACOUSLY SURVIVES FULL ON AVALANCHE
BY PATRICK BAGLEY

Huntington Ravine is a craggy bowl, scooped from the broad shoulders of Mount Washington, the Northeast’s highest mountain at 6,288 feet. The icy gullies that weave through the age-old schist have attracted climbers from Boston and surrounding areas since the 1920’s. Unfortunately, misadventure has long been part of climbing in the objectively hazardous Ravine and the ever-growing popularity of ice climbing has only increased the frequency of accidents on Mount Washington.

On Sunday, March 30, 2008 numerous parties in the Ravine were taking advantage of the tail end of the East’s best ice climbing season in recent memory. Despite having a posted avalanche danger of “moderate” by the USFS, Climber B1 and Climber B2 had set their sights on North Gully (II NEI 3). When they arrived they were disappointed to see a Party A already on North Gully, but Party A was simul-climbing efficiently and they decided to wait for Party A to exit the route.

When Party A moved out of view, B1 and B2 assumed the route was clear. B1 found a good stance at the base of the first pitch and belayed unanchored as B2 started climbing. B2 successfully lead the first pitch and clipped into the fixed anchor as if it were a piece of protection and started rigging back-up protection for the belay.

Unknown to Party B, Party A was still climbing above them, navigating the easy non-technical snowy portion at the top of the gully. Encountering unstable snow conditions, Party A elected to hike on the edge of the slope, one at a time and unroped. Alarmingly, Party A triggered an avalanche. They quickly topped out and rushed down the decent route to help with a potential rescue at the base of the ravine.

Meanwhile, B2 was still rigging the belay on the first pitch when the slide hit him. Engulfed in the snow, he was knocked from his stance and pushed down the icy first pitch. The fall pulled B1 upwards from his belay stance but he managed to hold the ropes. B1 fell about 50 feet, but was relatively unharmed.

Sore and shaken up, Party B descended from the Ravine and spent the night in a cabin near the base of the ravine. Incredibly, nobody was seriously hurt.      

ANALYSIS
Due to the popularity of ice climbing in Huntington Ravine, the United States Forest Service (USFS) employs alpine rangers to assess the potential of avalanche threats on Mount Washington and inform the public of the dangers. Upon leaving the parking lot, Party B would have seen the USFS sign warning that avalanche danger on North Gulley was rated at a 2 (“Moderate”) out of a possible 5 (“Extreme”). “Moderate Danger” carries the warning that “human triggered avalanches are possible” and warns climbers to use caution while climbing. While “Moderate” does not preclude climbing, five of the eight climbing gullies in the ravine had “Low” warnings, stating that “human triggered avalanches are unlikely.”

Despite taking one of the riskier gullies, Party B made a number of correct decisions and acknowledged the dangers of climbing below another party, but they could have gained a better vantage point in the Ravine to confirm their assumption that Party A had exited North Gully.

Furthermore, according to a USFS report on the accident, there was a “classic setup” for avalanches leading up to the weekend Party B went climbing. On Friday, 6 to 8 inches of 7.8% density snow had fallen, then, through Friday night, the wind picked up from 1 mph to 99 mph, loading the ravines’ slabs with unstable and wind blown snow. Come Sunday, it would have been easy to see remnants of numerous natural slides at various locations on Mount Washington’s exposed upper flanks. 

PREVENTION
It is easy to make hurried decisions climbing the alpine arenas, but it is important to take a deep breath and examine your motives to complete a climb. Sometimes it is best to change your objective to a climb that might be a less exciting or glamorous, but safer and less crowded.

Also, do your homework before a climb. Check the weather for the day of your anticipated ascent, but also make sure you know of any significant weather events (large snow deposits, windy conditions, etc.) that occurred in the days prior to your climb.

Lastly, be aware of alternate climbs should your primary destination be occupied or unsafe. Huntington Ravine is large and rife with gullies and can be confusing to know which route is which. However, knowing the lay of the land will maximize your ability to select the best climb, given safety parameters such as avalanche danger and crowds. Alternate climbs don’t always have to be in the immediate area. If climbing in an alpine area doesn’t feel right, bail. Consider the retreat some extra hiking and go have a great half day at a local crag. 

5/17/08 Canyons of Frisco Climbing Gym USA Climbing Series Comp Frsico, TX 214-387-0906

5/17/08 Xtreme Fest of Blue Ridge Waynesboro, VA (540) 942-6735

5/18/08 New River Rendezvous New River Gorge, WV www.newriverrendezvous.com/

5/18/08 Vertical World - Redmond Spring Rendezvous Redmond, WA www.verticalworld.com

5/24/08 30th Anniversary Telluride Mountainfilm Telluride, CO www.mountainfilm.org

5/31/08 AZ Cliff Hanger & Phoenix Rock Gym Thrash & Dangle Fest Tempe, AZ 602.488.3730

5/31/08 Houstonian Vertical Mileage Houston, TX www.houstonian.com

6/28/08 Heason Events BMC Youth Climbing Series - Final Various Locations, UK http://www.heason/net/HTML/Heason-Events-Current-Events.htm

6/28/08 Heason Events Psyche Screening at Climbing Works Sheffield, UK http://www.heason/net/HTML/Heason-Events-Current-Events.htm

7/9/08 Climb to Conquer SADS Salt Lake City, UT 801.531.0937

7/12/08 Lander International Climbers’ Festival Lander WY www.climbersfestival.org

7/16/08 2008 Squamish Mountain Festival Squamish, BC www.squamishmountainfestival.com

8/9/08 Mammut Bouldering Championships Salt Lake City, UT http://www.boulderingcomps.com/

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