Tonsina Creek Devil's Doorbell
4th of July Creek
Jailbait
Varcolaci
Lunar Orbit
Blood Moon
Suicide Basin
Infinite Jester
Path of the Fallen
Bathtime with Toaster
Victor Creek
The King's Hand
Seward
The Rhinestone Wizard
Valdez
Oberon
Titania
August 2023 –
AIC is happy to bring you the next installment in our Ice Gallery series where we highlight those individuals that leave their mark on the sport of ice climbing in Alaska. Raven Johnson is no stranger to many of us with their many notable first ascents (and descents) in and out of the state. Sit back and enjoy a few questions and answers with Samuel ‘Raven’ Johnson.
AIC: Where do we find you today as you answer a few questions for AIC?
RJ: Today, I am hanging out home in Seward looking for an active rest day activity after my first longer trail run of the season yesterday. Scheming about whether a hike to snowline for a summer ski or carrying my bike up a mountain for a technical downhill bike outing makes more sense.
AIC: What do you do to mentally and physically prepare for some of your FAs?
RJ: It depends on the year. Thankfully, exercise is necessary for my mental health, so I am always doing something. Mostly, quick nature access and a lot of mountainous terrain within spitting distance keeps me in good general condition since I am always out moving over the land. I experience the curse of multi-categorical obsession associated with high functioning ADHD, which always has me wanting to learn new things or deepen my creative connection with the environment and with various disciplines of sport. Two of my favorite technical sport disciplines currently are ski alpinism and winter climbing, so I am presented with the unique challenge of needing to be in something resembling top shape for two very different sports at the same time of the year, especially mid February through late April. I typically do a mix of training, primarily through multisport activities in the outdoors surrounding Resurrection Bay and off the road corridor between Seward and Tern Lake. I also train intermittently at home, where I have been slowly developing a dojo space in my garage and working calisthenics options into my living space. The dojo space is a gathering place for gravity sport community events, and also some basic training equipment. So far this includes 12 foot, 15 degree spray-style boulder wall made from salvaged material and mostly donated and wholesaled holds. The dojo space also contains an olympic lifting platform made from salvaged materials, a basic assortment of bumper plates, an adjustable bench, and a basic rack, a box, etc. In my home, I have installed ring bolts where I can hook up things like gymnastic rings or wooden dowels to train other movements against gravity, which I find instrumental in being able to climb harder ‘off the couch.’ The above options allow me a lot time in terrain having fun while also allowing me to focus in on movements needed for a sport (i.e. training for spring ice and mixed projects inside while primarily skiing as an outdoor outlet) or for my own physical therapy at home.
AIC: What is the most dire situation you have experienced on a route?
RJ: There have been quite a few. Starving on Kyrgyzstan/China border (twice) while completing new routes on The Ochre Walls and Pik Panfilovski Division SE. Hit by large rockfall descending the infamous Nameless Tower gully, and again but narrowly missed by epically huge rockfall descending from below Uli Biaho tower in the Karakoram. A hungry and repeatedly runout large first ascent of a rock and mixed route on Trango II, completed in less than ideal conditions with 5 days climbing on 2.5 days of food. Hit by avalanche while transitioning from rappel to anchor on Latok II. A no protection crater into a snowmoat at 13.5k on the East face of Hunter while completing the coveted second ascent of the Diamond Arete. Ripping a hold off in the wrong spot on Birdbrain Bouldevard. Descending the east ridge of Mount Hayes with dull crampons in -40 degree weather, solo. Running past seracs only to watch them rip hours later while completing a great new route. The list goes on but those are a few nuggets. Probably the most scared I have ever been was in 2012 with the late Ryan Johnson when we climbed ourselves into an awesome and forbidding spot in the middle of the giant mixed line on the Southeast face of Kizil Asker, on the Chinese side of the Western Kokshaal Too, part of the mighty Tien Shan. We climbed to a bivy mid bigwall only to be slammed by storms, with the giant funnel producing world class ice and mixed pitches, while also being a persistent debris pathway. Thankfully it is incredibly steep so sheds quickly but those mid storm avalanches are no joke. We tearfully made the decision to abandon our high point and began rappelling, hit repeatedly as we tried to escape the clutches of the face in this condition. Descending the lower third of the route we entered a one pitch choke holding a nice grade 4 waterfall. All of a sudden we heard the sound we’d been dreading for the past 24 hours on the face, the sound of heavier, denser debris. Ryan threw himself on top of me in an effort to shield me, but we both ended up taking a beating anyway. Thankfully we were in one piece physically and lived to finish the descent and tell the tale, and do our best to heal.
AIC: What are your thoughts on the sport of ice climbing and the changing weather, especially here in Alaska?
RJ: I don’t always get upset about fickle conditions as it makes the experience deeper. And I think Alaska encourages a practical and adaptive mindset when it comes to such adventures. But, the warming trend is making the game harder. For where I live in Seward, routes that were already rare have become rarer or harder to catch. When its good its really good, but when its not its hard to stomach. I think the potential in Alaska is unreal, but the venues may change or rise in elevation if the warming trend continues, and timing will be more important. The logistics of first ascent on any sizable ice and mixed climbing venues in some ways will likely have to mirror the tactics of alpinism to have any chance of success in increasingly variable conditions.
AIC: How has fatherhood changed you as an ice climber? How do you look at risk differently through this lens?
RJ: I solo less, and nowhere near my limit, and try to train and get out as much as possible so that I am familiar with conditions for whichever sport or activity I happen to be hyperfixated on at the time. That way I increase my safety margins and ability to seize opportunities safely when conditions and fitness align. I’ve also found myself working harder to avoid unnecessary hazard exposure, and ‘taking the lead’ on making sure rap anchors are bomber when we’re out in these wild places pursuing first ascents and descents in ‘project season.’
AIC: What individual in life has most influenced your climbing career?
RJ: Ryan Johnson, for sure. He had not only he big vision and desire that defines many high end mountain athletes, but also also the humility to confront some of his own demons both at home and in the mountains. He taught me that projects don’t need to be secret, you can share them, and that its OK to really put yourself out there in the interest of building your local adventure community. Most importantly, that its ok to be a flawed human and aspirational parent who is just working to grow while pursuing these transcendent goals in the mountains. I admire especially those athletes that have maintained a creative and exploratory connection with the mountains over the lifespan with athletes like Jack Tackle, Carl Tobin, Roman Dial, Charlie Sassara, Jon Walsh, Jim Elzinga, and the late Brian Teale coming to mind.
AIC: What route are you most proud of?
RJ: I’m honestly not sure. Each route is its own special experience so it is hard to rank them. I have had my most profound experiences completing the first ascent of Severance Ridge (VI 5.11 A2 AI3 M5) on Trango II in the Karakoram and climbing on and surviving Kizil Asker twice. Blitzing the second ascent of the Diamond Arete (AK6 AI5 M6) on Mount Hunter was a real fun experience with Freddie Wilkinson, who is a total character. Soloing the first ascent of the Morningstar variation (2000m AI3 M3) to the Walter-Bauman route on the Southeast Face of Mount Hayes was huge air underfoot in a super unforgiving location. A 2015 first ascent of Flight of the Zephyr (600m AI4 M7) on Panfilovski Division Southeast in China reminded me that I still have technical onsight chops when called upon. My favorite crag line is Infinite Jester (350m WI6 M6+ R) off the Mendenhall which I put up in 2020 with Ryan Sims, and we’re hoping to keep chasing that vibe with new technical lines in remote locations.
AIC: What route has eluded you?
RJ: I attempted the coveted Southwest face of Kizil Asker twice in 2012 and 2015, and got quite high up on it. Ines Papert and Luka Lindic finally completed it in 2016 on Ines’ 3rd expedition to attempt the line, calling it ‘Lost in China’ (1200m WI5+ M6).
AIC: Many know you for your solo climbing in big ranges. But, we know that some climbing accomplishments can only be made through the partnerships we create. Tell us a little about your partnership with Ryan Johnson or others and how you were able to push limits.
RJ: I’ve done technical adventures with a ton of amazing partners over the years. Partnership in the mountains is kind of like dating, though, sometimes the experiences bring you closer and sometimes they push you apart. These days compatibility at a basic human level, and a mutual ability to enjoy each other through both the intense and humdrum aspects of survival in the mountains, are the primary factors I seek in partnerships. This has had me open my partner roster both to folks who are new as well as expand my interests so I can play with friends in their areas of strength across mountain sports. My partnership with Ryan Johnson was really special, but I’ve already shared a bit about that. Greg Collins has been a big influence on my life and desire to keep pursuing transcendent experiences in the mountains through the lifespan, especially on skis. Ryan Hokanson dropped me into the deep end of the pool when it comes to ski alpinism, and it has been profound for me to seek informal mentoring with him there, get on some of his long term projects, and finally bring him in on some of mine. Ryan Sims has a unique down to earth nature with the ability to dream big, and he is like a brother to me which has made him an ideal partner for me over the past 4 seasons, with high hopes for getting epic in bigger terrain and water ice and mixed FAs. Freeride World Tour veteran Hazel Birnbaum just moved back home to the area and I am hoping I can learn to ride big mountains a bit more like a skier than like an alpinist by getting into some real deal terrain with her over the next few seasons.
AIC: Some make climbing their entire focus. But, you have taken a different path in your professional life. How does your professional career extend to your passion for climbing?
RJ: My brain thrives most with multiple avenues for exploration from the intellectual to emotional and physical. I recognize early on that to focus in on one aspect of sport is often self limiting, and sometimes fatal. I have seen too many friends crash and lose their love for the mountains after being super focused solely on climbing. I have chosen to adopt a generalist approach, and would rather be pretty good at a bunch of stuff than super good at one thing. Since Ryan Johnson passed in 2018, I have been investing in personal and professional diversification to deepen and/or not lose my sense of passion for the mountains. This has included my PhD dissertation research on the meeting place between stress and outdoor pursuits which has been driven by professional and personal interest. Getting involved with the AAC’s climbing grief fund and the Responder Alliance shortly after Ryan’s passing has allowed me to grow my professional practice to include grief, accident, and loss recovery work with mountain athletes through therapy and coaching. It has also opened opportunities to act in support of professionals who work in the mountains through opportunities like a recent collaboration with the Denali NPS SAR and support crew of amazing rangers who awarded my colleague and I the Denali Pro pin for our collaboration with their team. I hope to continue to find ways to integrate my personal and professional passions for the greater good and my career longevity. I have structured my life and career trajectory around balancing my financial and parenting needs with ample time off work to facilitate my ability to be in mountainous terrain on the ‘go days’ and will most likely continue to do so as it helps me remain relevant as an athlete and a professional working in these nice areas.
AIC: Tell us about the inspiration in your artwork. Where did you get your start or training with your visuals?
RJ: My whole younger life I was artistically challenged, and didn’t find my stride until I adopted a non-representational approach to my artistic work. This allowed me to utilize organic processes to begin finding ways to express myself artistically without the rules or boundaries of ‘trying to make things look real.’ This really blossomed for the first time on an expedition to the Hayes range with Ryan Hokanson where we drank absinthe and I painted for most of two rest days on the Hayes glacier. Since then I have brought my supplies to some extremely remote campsites around the world, and also expanded further into expressivist work through more abstract interpretations of feelings, conceptual structures, and my physical environment. I’ve been on a lull with artwork since my PhD dissertation work really heated up, but am currently ‘building out’ a studio and music creation space in my home in Seward which I hope will facilitate a renewal of passion in this area.
AIC: What will be on your plate this evening?
RJ: Probably a one pan meal made from scratch, containing all the basic nutrients for me to recover from the past couple days of activity.
