2004 Spring/Summer E-News
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We just finished up our final Ski Mountaineering Course of the season which means that we are ramping up for summer! Climbers have been visiting City of Rocks since late March and the unseasonably warm weather probably means an early start in the mountains. Continue reading below for a preview of our summer programs as well as a little tidbit about summits and surnames! | 
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Business as Usual!
For the summer of 2004 we'll again be running Mountaincraft and Rockcraft, our longstanding climbing schools. These programs base from Redfish Lake, run every weekend from June 12 until Labor Day, and are a great way to get into rock climbing, touch up on skills, or learn about leading. Of course, the mainstay of our business is custom guiding, which will be happening from Mt. Borah to the Elephant's Perch to Warbonnet Peak. Contact us to set up your dream climb, to catch fish in the high backcountry lakes, or simply to have us show you around the Sawtooths. |
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Elephant's Perch/SMG Adventure Series
Also back this summer is our adventure program with the Elephant’s Perch store in Ketchum. The schedule includes 4 free clinics at the Perch ranging from self-rescue for rock climbers to equipment for backpacking. We also have 6 summits lined up for our Saturday Peak-a-Week series culminating with Mt. Borah on August 21st. |
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In Men's Journal Magazine...
SMG got a brief mention in Men's Journal for guiding at Castle Rock State Park near the City of Rocks. “The Castles” opened to climbers Memorial Day 2003 and there is lots of rock to explore. Highlights of the area include entry-level, bolt-equipped, multi-pitch friction climbs on Lone Rock, new hard cracks like “Southern Rock Opera” and “Excalibur” and the potential for many more first ascents. |
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Rock Shoe Demo Day
Together with Lost River Sports in Hailey, we’ll be conducting a Five Ten rock shoe demo day on Saturday, May 15 at 10:00am at Bath Rock in the City of Rocks. SMG will offer a clinic in self-rescue in the afternoon and guides will be on hand to answer any questions from footwork to rope tricks. |
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Winter Recap
SMG had a great winter season highlighted by dozens of graduates from our avalanche education program. With the growth of backcountry skiing, more and more skiers are seeking to become avalanche savvy. All of our courses were booked to capacity and we added three overflow classes to keep up with demand! A reminder to everyone who studied with us: weather, terrain, snowpack, human factor!! As usual, spectacular terrain and great snow led to a busy season at the Williams Peak Hut. We’ll be building a new 20’ yurt for the 2004/2005 ski season at Williams Peak and people are already making reservations. Contact us soon to make sure you get the dates you want! We also ran two ski mountaineering courses this spring. We covered the use of ice axes and crampons, map and compass use, and detailed tour planning skills. The grand finale included ski descents of Thompson Peak, Williams Peak, Point 10, 084, Mt. Carter, and steep couloirs like Big Fatty. |
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Are We Ready for Mt. Stur? by Erik Leidecker
Note: this story is excerpted from a version that ran both in the Stanley Insider and The Wood River Journal. A common trend in the business of naming mountains is to give credit to early homesteaders. McGown, Merritt, and Decker Peaks are all so named. Pinchot Mountain, Grandjean Peak, and Sevy Peak are named for former Forest Service Director Gifford Pinchot, and former Sawtooth Forest supervisors Emile Grandjean and Robert Sevy. Other mountains, like Snowyside, the Arrowhead, and the Temple have their names for obvious reasons. Rakers are the teeth in a crosscut saw designed specifically to remove sawdust during cutting. Mt. Heyburn, which towers dramatically above Redfish Lake, takes its name from former U.S. Senator Weldon Heyburn. |
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2003 Spring/Summer E-News
2003 Autumn/Winter E-News |
