Any climbing in Nome area?

[elliott.will]

This might be a dumb question, but I'm heading up to Nome for a few weeks for work. Anybody know of any climbing up there within skiing distance of the road system?

Will

[Clutch]

i've never been up there in the winter, but the hills around there are pretty low and rolling. I doubt there's much going on around there, although the skiing should be pretty endless. If you have a snowmobile and some time it may be worth looking further into the mountains to the north, but i wouldn't get your hopes up.

[bln]

A couple years ago I met 2 young chaps from Nome. Methinks they were teachers. Anyhow, I seem to remember them telling me about some short cicles and possibly some mixed, but that the rock is crap and the snow deep.

A pal of mine has lived in Nome for about 5 years now. He isn't a climber, but he machines a fair bit. He said he has witnessed climbers in the bowls/peaks above Grand Central River, near Salmon Lake. That said, I concur with Clutch in that you will need a machine to get there. Also, I believe Nome just got dumped on...........again, I confer to Clutch's response.

If you find some ice, have fun, take a pix and please report back.
Enjoy

[allapa]

Will, when are you coming back?

ATTN. Ice Climbers: If you are coming to Nome, bring your ice tools!

Close to town lie numerous chossy rock gardens with crunchy M-climbing on meta-sedimentary schistosoid and marble poop piles, if you enjoy experiencing the relief that comes with sinking your picks into a frozen moss cloud when your crampons are skating off rock and you're about to break your ankles, then Nome 4-season bouldering is for you, there are crags a pitch high also

Deeper in, about 30 miles north of town, the Kigluaik Range, accessible by big daylong outings on snow machine, climbs that have been done include the E. face of Osborne, 11 hours and 2500 ft of moderate mixed climbing, the NE Ridge of Osborne, done solo in Winter easy ice climbing but don't fall, the "Snakey Couloir" on Peak 3250+ at the head of Grand Central a snow gully classic these are just a few, there are numerous others including attempts and partial successes on burlier ice outings, also there are rock adventures for summertime in the Kigs-

OK, so yes, there is climbing in Nome, though no one ever seems to believe me

[allapa]

went north face Osborne last sunday for one last attempt of central couloir-- it looked quite climbable-- temps were coldish and i had high hopes-- uncoiling ropes at the base, the first falling rock tapped me on the shoulder, the next, an arm-breaker, hurtled by 15 ft away- i beame aware that the mighty north wall of Osborne was alive with the constant trickling of bullets- a no brainer retreat, spent the day doing some very fine telly runs on skis-

this attempt followed on an attempt at Iditarod time- i actually imported the Hammer from the interior- we got in there and chill factors were astronomical- "guess we have to go halfway up until our feet start to freeze, then we'll rap" said the Hammer, which is what we did- if only we hadn't destroyed our capillaries in the Alaska Range, we mighta done it that day

so it still needs to be climbed- come to town, bring your tools, ask around, we'll go do it-- but don't you dare go without me... rock season now....