Solo Steve Ice Kayaking

I snapped this photo the other day of Valdez Alaska local, Solo Steve, trailing a wooden kayak behind him while soloing Bridalveil in Keystone Canyon. Not sure what the kayak is for.

I don't think anyone alive (except Solo Steve) knows what the kayak is for. Regardless, this is an awesome photo.

It's the ice climbing equivalent of the John Sherman photo of him soloing 5.13 in flip flops while drinking a beer.

What

When we climb we often bring along our inner demons and excess baggage.

Solo Steve has obviously rid himself of all his demons and excess baggage.

That or he's stashing the 'yak for a first descent of the falls come spring.

Helluva pic Taylor!

wtf? that's alittle out there.

John Sherman's was staged, so I've heard, he was clipped in direct for photo.

same deal in this video just on POS

youtube.com/watch?v=giJxVry…

Sweet... hahaha.

here's a video he posted of the actual climb

youtube.com/watch?v=sJzM1bm…

i still don't get it but that's awesome.

I was wondering about the fixed line to the climber's right.

The line to the right is a rope I set up an hour before I climbed with the sea kayak in case a crampon broke or I got scared and wanted to rappel off the climb. I used it to rappel down after I reached the cave. Unsurprisingly, it was pretty awkward and hard pulling the sea kayak over the lip into the cave one pitch up because there is a drop down into the cave - so the weight of the kayak pulled me in an upward direction as I tried to climb down into the cave. I wanted to stash the sea kayak there and then come back and do the run - down one pitch - when the River overruns the main highway into Valdez - then Bridal Veil flows directly into the river instead of onto the rocks below! A first decent and an utterly wild one at that! (no just kidding) I did the climb because I felt that I can free solo WI5 easily enough that I could even do it with a sea kayak - so I went a head and gave it a try (after doing it on a WI4 first). You can see more videos on youtube if you search with my name: Steven Frisch. Here is one of the slide shows:
youtube.com/watch?v=UqTzvi4…