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Jedi Mind Tricks M13 - Ryan Nelson and Jared Ogden claimed joint First Ascent

Scott Muir First British Repeat and 3rd Ascent Overall

Easily the best route I’ve ever repeated. The combination of Alpine Environment with a big walk in, plus some very technical, physical and mentally draining climbing make this a contender for the most committing outing you could undertake at this time in mixed climbing to travel and complete. The nature of the rock leads to some very sketchy holds, the sun hits the cliff for most of the day so the ice only forms when it’s snowy and cloudy. A time when approach becomes difficult with deep powder and high avalanche risk on the path to the cliff. At night it was cold –17, and in the sun during the day it was sunbathing weather. I spent 4 days working and failing on this route continuously. The most days I’ve spent on a route since my dual with Musashi in Canada a few years ago.

The isolated Wild West town of Lake City is amazing with loads of good amenities, shops, pubs, motels and a growing little Ouray style Ice Park to pass an easy day. The best eating in town is across from the garage in the middle of town and used to be the mortuary! There is a very helpful tourist information centre. In winter, the town is very quite though and the approach road to the mines may be closed – if your lucky, as we were, they heard we were in town and ploughed to the gate (thank god cause it had been very stormy) so we could get the RV up there – exciting, but very dodgy.  Dossing up there in the van felt very isolated and we didn’t see any climbers for the whole trip apart from the local activists.

The cliff is aptly named Gods Crag due to its unbelievable location.  It sits a good 2hrs up the Valley towards Ouray when the conditions under foot are good. Ouray is only a few hours by Snow Mobile from Lake City.  In bad conditions it may be better to ski, hire a snowmobile or walk. This could take between 3 and 6 hrs – good luck.