Saturday, May 21, 2011
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Montana Ski Patrol 07/08; Mountains.....




My current mailing address is:
Warren Harden
P.O. Box 160091
Big Sky, MT 59716
Shipping address is:
Warren Harden
Glacier Condo # 133
2575 Curley Bear
Big Sky, MT 59716
I hope this finds everyone well and I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Winter 07/08
Spring - I broke my right ankle/leg (ouch)

(The Kicking Horse River set in the Rockies of British Columbia)
Thursday, January 04, 2007
meanwhile back at the ranch ....... (@ home in TN)
It starts with "Country Christmas" at the Opryland Hotel. Every year they decorate the place and Convention Production Rigging hangs all of the Christmas lights, globes, bear, pandas ... you name it and thanks to the help of my buddies Mark McKinney and
Unfortunately, you can’t work all the time so I have gotten in little rock climbing as well. These are shots from
I have also been fortunate to get on some big stuff. Since Mark and I have been working together, our work schedules are pretty much the same and we have taken advantage of that to do couple of winter ascent wall routes at Looking Glass Rock in
Next we roped up for the Scott Fisher Memorial (5.10, A3) put up in 1997 after the many deaths (Scott Fisher included) on
All of this of course has been worked in and around the holidays which was the main reason I came home. I have really enjoyed being home to reconnect with friends and spend time with my family. One of the ways the family gets together is duck hunting on my step father's farm and cabin. It has been nice to have the flexibility to spend a lot of time at the farm cabin. Time spent not only hunting but preparing, repairing and lots of eating. This is shot of the bottom and our blind. Good times.
So what’s next?
Parting shot, duck hunting can really be tough. You must always stay alert.
(Harden Battels, nephew)

Friday, December 01, 2006
Back to the Valley and the road home...

I returned the Valley for a week of climbing with the Sloss family. Drew and Casey came back for a fall tour and we stacked it objectives. We wanted to climb some of the classic easier routes as a group of 3 and Drew and I wanted to test ourselves on some of classic moderate 5.9's and 10's.
(Casey following on Snake Dike, Half Dome)
Our overall ticklist for the week included Jam Crack, Munginella, Central Pillar of Frenzy, the Grack, the East Buttress of El Cap and a grand finale on Snake Dike, Half Dome. Strong work and good times.
From Yosemite I headed east to reconnect with Ben and Indian Creek before heading home, see why?
(Coin Crack)
(Rain Delay)

So much can and should be said about the events of the last 2 months and these pictures only capture a little of the good times had in great places with even better folks. All I can do for now is say that although I have returned home, the trip is not over and there is more to come.
I would like to address a few of the questions I have been asked most since returning.
q. You must have seen some wild stuff, did you ever get into any bad situations or what was the most threatening thing that happened to you?
a. No, nothing. Besides going a little postal trying to find the laundromat in Las Vegas or being overcharged for internet usage ($12) in Ontario nothing bad happen to me. The most offensive person I met was the US Customs Agent. As for natural threats, you accept that challenge when you sign up. That is just part of the deal.
q. What was the best part of your trip?
a. The people. It is really rewarding to meet and engage folks with no agenda. There are some really good, intelligent people out there and a lot can be learned. You just have to get out of traffic to meet them.
q. Would you do it again?
a. Yes, and often.
........ more to come. I didn't come home and quit climbing.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Rain in the Valley - Sun in the Desert



These are some shots of Owens River Gorge and the Happy Boulders of Bishop, CA.
And a parting shot on Mono Lake @ dusk. Back to the Valley.

Friday, October 06, 2006
Yosemite WALLS!!!!
A planned visit from another Tennessean, John Bass, got Ben and I to scheming on something big that we could all do together. It seemed that the southern contingent needed to do a wall, a first wall, and what better a target than the Nose of El Captain. The team while not experienced at Big Wall climbing was perfect for a good solid go at their 1st wall. Ben has spent many seasons in
The plan is 3 days and 2 nights plus one day fixing lines. Ben and I will climb, haul and fix lines to Sickle Ledge (5 pitches, ~400’) and rap down to meet John on Wednesday evening. All goes well except that it takes Ben and I all day instead of the 5 hours we thought it would take to fix to Sickle. Traffic killed us. The route is really crowded and it’s hot. Regardless we get the pitches in, haul “Lewis” (our 80+ pound haul bag) to Sickle, fix and rappel to the ground. After hooking up with John we set in on final preparation with a little celebration, finish packing another haul bag and head to beg for an early start.
We start the morning by running 2 bears off at our fixed lines and one by one we begin jugging the 3 fixed ropes to our high point; Ben first, then John w/ the haul bag and lastly me with a small pack retrieving ropes on the way. We arrived in time for the traffic jam that we left the afternoon before and for a sunrise that was already warming the wall up. The next 3 pitches went slow. Not the climbing but the overall moving from pitch to pitch. Sickle was also the last flat stance we would have until
(This Ben leading over to the Stove Legs Crack and traffic)
Now we are free to move but its getting dark and we are somewhat wasted from the day. Just three hundred feet to
So this was our
In hindsight, I’d do it all over again. We had a blast. Its hard work and can be uncomfortable but man what a view!
Next up:
Bouldering
Bishop
And a visit from Drew and KcD!