Venusian Blind 5.7

First off, a little context...

Before last weekend I had:
-only led 4 single pitch trad climbs
-only built 2 gear anchors
-never done an alpine climb
-never swung leads
-never been backpacking

All of that I wanted to change before my life gets flipped upside-down in a few months, and fortunately I have a cousin who has lots of experience in all those things, and is apparently dumb enough to trust me with them, even knowing how little experience I had.

Even more fortunate, his trust proved well founded, we had an amazing and successful trip, and I only truly thought I might die for less than an hour, when I got temporarily trapped on the scree-talus-morain-landslide hell between Alice and Temple on the descent after dark when I tried to go to retrieve our ice axes.

Now on to the goods!

Loading up before starting a four day diet of backpacking food.
Since we were passing by we decided to add a fifth trad lead to my resume.
Acclimating on top of Fourth Buttress at Chipmunk Flat on the SPH. We spent a night up there to adjust (happily monster-free).
We don't have to grow up anytime soon, do we?
Next day at the North Fork of the Big pine Trail head. Pack 'em up...
...and move 'em out!
Scenery's pretty good right out the gate.
Overall, a beautiful trail. I want to come back and enjoy it as a day hike someday (we were chuggin'!)
First peek of the peak!
Game's suddenly feeling pretty real. Our camp was right by the small snowfield in the bottem left of the picture.
Even much-maligned Mt. Alice has moments of peaceful beauty. She wasn't ever quiet for long, though.
Having a hard time getting to sleep, and it isn't because of how bright the moon is.
Ready to go!
Feeling like Ueli.
Amazing 3rd/4th class approach. You get real high real quick.
Sick, brah!
View from about halfway up.
We had the entire mountain to ourselves, including Moon Goddess to our right...
...and, not surprisingly, Jenga Arete to our left.
The last hurdle before the summit ridge!
There aren't words to describe a view like this, and everything that goes with it.
If anyone finds a red 5.10 Guide on Venusian Blind my cousin would love to get it back. Its strap broke somewhere on the second half of the route. Fortunately he's very ingenious, and his sleeping pad sandals carried him and his 60 lb. pack all the way back to the car.
Success!