Climbing Denali's Slovak Direct w/ BD athlete Andy Houseman and Nick Bullock

Climbed Denali's Slovak Direct route in 84 hours, battling epic spindrift, difficult ice and mixed climbing and challenging weather.
by

Black Diamond athlete Andy Houseman, along with his partner Nick Bullock, made a trip to the Alaska Range this past spring where they made the sixth ascent of the massive and infamous Slovak Direct route on the south face of Denali. The route, put up in 1986 using fixed lines over the course of 11 days, is over 9,000 feet tall—making it one of the biggest, most committing lines in the range. The pair climbed the route in 84 hours, battling epic spindrift, difficult ice and mixed climbing and challenging weather. The video below provides a first-hand look at the sheer scale of the route and what it takes to climb such a massive, remote face.

 


0
0

Add your comment

by Anonymous - Already have an account? Login now!
Your Name:

Comment:
Enter the text you see in the image below
What do you see?
Can't read the image? View a new one.
Your comment will appear after being approved.

Related Posts


From Teton Gravity Research, UNDER THE INFLUENCE is a film about the people, places and moments that define our riding. Follow the exploits of these legendary riders as they traverse the globe in search of the unique terrain and conditions that emerged...  more »

Tatum Monod spent most of the winter of 2017 working with our crew in and around her adopted hometown of Pemberton, BC while filming for our latest feature film. Along with an early season bottomless pow trip to Mustang Powder and a couple days at the...  more »

When ever you attempt a ski line that can mean life or death, you better be sure that the gear you're using is bomber and can take the g-forces that you'll inflict on it. With that said, we were curious what ski gear Cody Townsend had in his arsenal when...  more »

In pursuit of the best that the winter had to offer, the Absinthe crew employed a dual strategy to both hustle & hunker down waiting. In a year of erratic snowfall, there was no other way to slay. But by splitting up and spreading out across the...  more »

"The North Face: Always Above Us. Leading the life of a climber involves a tremendous amount of sacrifice and hardship, but for team athletes Conrad Anker and Kris Erickson, there's no living without it.In 1999, on an expedition in Tibet, team alpine...  more »

Ueli Steck training for Everest to climb a 'different route' with Simone Moro without oxygen. We caught up with the 'Swiss Machine' to find out how he has been preparing for the highest peak in the world.  more »

The Chugach is a renowned range located in the heart of Alaska. An iconic boney ridgeline, steep faces sustained for 1,800 vertical feet and hairy terrain, it symbolizes the essence of big-mountain skiing. Ingrid Backstrom, Jess McMillan and Chris...  more »

Travis and fellow rider Eric Jackson take us to the top of powder-packed peaks and chutes across Alaska. Travis also goes on a search for the infamous "Alaska Crack." Not only does he slay that line, he goes on a binge, finding a ton of cracks across...  more »

Submit your own

Contribute:



Ask a Question