Sherman Climb
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• Statistics:
  • Date Hiked:  December 17, 2010
  • Miles Hiked:  2.0 (Estimate)
  • Elevation Gain:  1,000' (Estimate)
  • Hiking Partner(s):  Jeff Shafer
  • Routes:  WI4
• Description:
  • Jeff and I were burning more leave before the end of the year and decided to make an attempt on the Sherman Climb outside of Lake City (CO).  After getting some good information from fellow ice climbers Kevin Craig and George Barnes, we day tripped the climb from 3:00 am to 7:00 pm door to door.  Jeff drove his 2011 Subaru Outback from Highlands Ranch (CO) to the ghost town of Sherman (CO) as I dosed off from Poncha Springs (CO) to Blue Mesa Reservoir.  A few inches of fresh snow had fallen over the past 24 hours, but the approach was relatively easy taking approximately 30 minutes from the road closure to the base of the climb.  We geared up and I took an easy line on the first pitch not able to find the bolts on climber's left.  I brought Jeff up after sinking in two screws and slinging a small ice column.
  • We hiked up to pitch 2 for a hundred feet or so and built another anchor in the ice.  Jeff led out directly above us taking a harder line than required in a couple of sections.  He used the bolts in the rock face to the left of the pillar to bring me up.  I worked up and to the right getting a couple of screws in on a relatively thin traverse.  After reaching better ice, I continued to circle to the right on the cauliflower ice of the cone to a no hands rest on the pillar's right side.  I worked my way up the pillar and then slogged through some snow to reach a large tree on climber's left at the top of the climb.
  • Jeff joined me at the top of pitch three and we rapped back down to the bolts on the rock face.  We rappelled the second pitch and then scrambled around the top of pitch 1 until we found the bolts on a large boulder farther to climber's left and proceeded back to the base of the climb.  After a quick hike out, we found ourselves back on the road to Highlands Ranch (CO) jamming to some tunes and enjoying a cold beverage.
• Maps:
  • No map available.
• Photographs:
  • The Sherman Climb from near the road to access the climb.
  • The left side of pitch 1.
  • The right side of pitch 1.
  • Pitch 2 and 3 from the top of pitch 1.
  • Our view throughout the day.
  • A close-up of the top of pitch 2 and pitch 3.
  • Jeff heading out on pitch 2.
  • Another photo of Jeff leading pitch 2 before he was out of site.
  • James starting the traverse of pitch 3.
  • James getting closer to the cone.
  • James working around the cauliflower ice.
  • Finally on the pillar.
  • James checking out the top of the route.
  • Paydirt.  James peeking over the top of the pillar.
  • Jeff after having finished the climb.
  • Jeff on rappel from the top of pitch 3.
  • James on rappel from the top of pitch 3.
  • James on rappel from the top of pitch 2.
  • Jeff on rappel from the top of pitch 2.
  • The ice from the base of the route.
  • James and the Sherman Climb.
  • Jeff and the Sherman Climb.

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