Kids in a Cold Icy Candy Store, a Juneau Ice Climbing Expedition

Jason Nelson of Visual Adventures has an adventure up his sleeve this winter.   He will be traveling to Juneau to meet Ryan Johnson who lives in the area and has been scoping out the best climbs in the Juneau area that are yet unclimbed.   The duo will be attempting some cutting edge ice climbing in the remote Alaskan wilds.

The Mission

Plain and simple, our goal is to complete big difficult ice and mixed first ascents in the Juneau, Alaska area. We will establish routes alpine style while incorporating mad skills. Due to weather and conditions being potentially finicky in Southeast Alaska, we will take a multi-tiered approach, which will include both main objectives and back up plans.

The Monsters

Our objective is 1,000 ft. of vertical ice in a Squamish meets Stanley Headwall setting. The ice is big, continuous, steep, and unclimbed. Access to the location will be obtained via either a helicopter or a boat ride followed by skiing.

The Players

Jason Nelson – With 16 yrs. of climbing experience across the globe, Jason is no stranger to the world of climbing. He has established new routes up to 5.13 and M12. Jason has placed in the top 10 each year he has completed in the Ouray Ice Festival. In 2009 Jason and Blake Herrington pioneered 3 new big climbs on the Mendenhall Towers above Juneau. This success inspired Jason to return. Jason is sponsored by Sterling Rope, Asolo/Lowe Alpine, Trango, Larabar, and Outdoor Research. In addition, he also has a degree in photography from the Colorado Institute of Art.

Ryan Johnson was born and raised stomping through devil’s club and working his way through the crevassed glaciers of SE Alaska. From the South Face of Denali to the unrelentingly steep walls of el cap, Ryan can be found with a smile on his face. His climbing has brought him to various areas throughout Alaska, Nepal, Canada and the Lower 48.