Birthday Wishes

To celebrate my birthday, Krista and I went ice climbing up at Bristol Cliffs in the morning.  Taking a different approach route that normal, we cut far left and discovered a flow of ice I had never seen before.  Though it has definitely been climbed before, I had never been up this particular route.  The climb was about one full rope length and WI2.  The ice wasn't particularly thick and there actually was a decent amount of water flowing underneath.  A fun climb overall; we dubbed it "Birthday Boy".  

After some climbing, we went out to breakfast at Snap's in Bristol, then later on in the afternoon we drove up to Burlington for some pizza at American Flatbread (amazing).  A wonderful day!

Flaking out the rope

Having fun!

Scoping out the rest of the climb

Starting up the climb

Krista and I at the base of the climb

On a Shoestring Budget

Drove over to NH to climb yet another amazing gully climb.  Shoestring gully is a ~6 pitch WI2 alpine gully climb.  Situated in Crawford Notch SP, amongst other classics such as Willey's Slide and Cinema Gully.  Shoestring was one of the best ice climbs I have done in years.  Despite the moderate nature of the the climbing, the alpine feeling of the route and the length (nearly 2000' of climbing/approach) added up to create a wonderful outing.  The only downfall of the climb was that near the base of the 2nd pitch, we were overtaken by a throng of climbers, due to some climbers ahead of us going a bit slow.  The ice was brittle (really brittle) and we were constantly pelted with chunks of ice.

Only two pitches from the top

Soloing the first "pitch"

On top at last; Mt. Willey in the background

A climber starting up the 2nd pitch

Shoestring gully on Mt. Willard

Crawford Notch: Round Two

Two weeks prior I had come to Crawford Notch, NH to climb Willey's Slide (in subzero temperatures).  This trip, my goal was the climb the immensely popular Cinema Gully.  Similar in character to Willey's Slide, Cinema is only 3 pitches long and roughly the same difficulty (WI2/WI2+).  The temperature was down right balmy (nearly 20 F) and towards the end the ice was getting a bit sloppy.  Overall the climb was very enjoyable and was in spectacular condition (normally this climb can be a bit "scrappy" with barely enough ice to place a screw.  I did bottom out a couple of screws, but for the most part, the ice was thick enough.  As mentioned, this climb is popular and Saturday proved this most assuredly.  There were over a dozen climbers on the face and at one point there were four separate belays at one ledge.  I have never ice climbed with so many people and I hope never to do so again.  Well worth the drive and having to deal with the junk show of climbers.

Myself starting up the last pitch, skirting one of the many climbing parties

Pondering the masses of people accumulating below me

Looking down Cinema Gully; here they come!

Posing at the 1st belay station (Willey's Slide visible to my left)

At the base of Cinema Gully

-5 in Crawford Notch, NH

Sunday I made the drive over to New Hampshire, specifically to Crawford Notch State Park.  Home to some excellent ice climbing including the famous Frankenstein Cliffs and countless moderate alpine routes.  My chosen route was Willey's Slide, a 4-6 pitch (depending on how much snow is at the base) WI2 ice climb.  Overall this climb is very easy and not very steep, but when it is -5 F without the windchill, everything becomes infinitely more challenging.  Unfortunately Isaac was unable to climb on this day, so I enlisted a climbing partner off of NEice.com, the east coast equivalent of the renowned cascadeclimbers.com.  The approach was a quick jaunt (15 min) straight up hill to the slide.  The first two "pitches" were easily dispatched by merely walking up them.  We roped up at the base of the first "steep" section of ice.  The climbing was easy and fun, though quite brittle.  We swapped leads and were at the top rather quickly.  A great day out on an easy, but incredibly fun ice route.  It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it was REALLY cold all day long (according to NOAA, wind chills at Crawford Notch were past -21 F today).

Looking towards Mt. Willard (Cinema Gully is the left trending gully)

Mt. Webster

Almost there!

Me leading the 3rd pitch

I didn't realize I was smiling because I couldn't feel my face

Halfway up Willey's Slide

Shelburne Pillars

Originally Isaac and I were planning on heading over to NH for some multipitch ice, but the weather forecast called for a significant amount of snow, so we chose to go to Smuggler's instead.  Twenty minutes into the drive this morning, it was painfully obvious that the normal hour and a half drive up to the Notch was going to be more like three hours today, due to snowy road conditions.  We downgraded to Shelburne Pillars.  Shelburne Pillars is an anomoly and its discovery as an ice climbing playground is a mystery to me.  It is located on a small river set in a low "gorge" of sorts, surrounded by suburbia.  To access the pillars, you park in a Rite-Aid parking lot and walk off into the woods.  Overall, it is a nice place to go for a few quick pitches.  

Isaac climbing a deceptively steep flow

Bristol Cliffs Ice Climbing

This was Isaac's first day ice climbing this season and it was awesome!  In addition it was my first lead of the season WI2+(wet!).  We each did several laps on very wet ice.  Leading was interesting in that none of the screws I placed were "good".  I learned quickly that once I started the screw, I had to commit, because the ice was so wet and the air temp. was so cold, that the ice froze SOLID in the screw almost instantly, rendering the screw useless.  Even with a special device to clear the cores of screws, they froze solid and the tool would not work.  Led up and set a TR.  Overall, a great day out.  We also checked out the gully up to the right of the main cliff, which I had never seen before.  Cool gully with a short pitch of WI2, with finish up a pitch of WI4.  This was Isaac's first time using his new ice tools as well.  Though they are straight shafted, they worked pretty well; they just require a more exaggerated wrist flick.  

Climbing up the center flow to dismantle the toprope

The awesomeness of Bristol Cliffs

Sportin' the DAS Parka (it was cold!)

Isaac lovin' his new tools

The new tools 

Arrhh! Thar Be Ice in Vermont

(Pirate Theme This Year)

Nate arrived on December 9th for his 3rd annual Vermont ice climbing extravaganza.  His arrival was perfectly synced with the freezing of the PNW and thus, highly accessible, rarely formed waterfalls (but hey, this usually happens when he comes out here).  Conditions were a little thin here for this time of year, but we made do.  Day one found us up in Smugglers Notch the "alpine" of Vermont, with a brutal one mile approach on a road.  Makes those 5 mile bushwhacks in WA look like cake.  First up was Grand Confusion (WI3+), which was fun.  Next on the list was a major classic called Poster Child (WI4/M4).  Last year when I climbed this route the mixed section was covered in ice.  I had never really climbed much mixed, so there was plenty of skittering crampons on rock and figuring out how to properly torque my tools.  The following day we headed back up to Smuggs and hopped on Ragnarock, a 3 pitch classic put up by John Bouchard in the '70s.  Pitch one was thin WI3, with plenty of swings into rock.  Pitch 2, normally rated M5, was more like M6 with the barely existent ice.  Very fun pitch.  Nate attempted the final WI4+ pillar, but it was quite hollow and sketchy, so we rapped to the ground.  On day 3 we once again hit up "the Notch".  Brutally cold barely describes the temperature this day.  A quick jaunt up ENT gully (WI2+/3) was fun, though cold.  The rest of the day was spent TR'ing a flow next to the road.  The next day was a rest day; much needed.  The last day we drove to Lake Willoughby in "The Kingdom" as they say in Vermont (The Northeast Kingdom), don't ask me why it's called this.  Lake Willoughby is awesome.  Home to WI5 and WI6 country.  We did two WI4+, so I can only imagine what the 5's feel like.  Climbed Twenty Below Zero Gully first.  Why it's called a gully I don't know, so far from a gully.  The second pitch of this route was a rain shower-read: soaking wet.  Next climb was another WI4+, don't remember the name.  Both climbs were amazing.  Thickest ice we swung into all week.  I'd also like to mention that we both slipped about a hundred times traversing to the climbs.  I've never walked on ground this slippery.  You were on your bottom, sliding down the hill before you even realized you had fallen...Awesome.  Ice season is in fully swing.  Couple more days of school and then I'll be swinging the tools again.  Good times.  Next year, Krista and I will be traveling to SLC to meet Nate for some ice.

At the top of Float Like a Butterfly at Lake Willoughby

Nearing the top of the 2nd pitch of 20 Below 0 Gully (WI4+)

Topping out Float Like a Butterfly at Lake Willoughby

Nate leading the 1st pitch of 20 Below

Reaching the 2nd belay on Ragnarock (WI4/M6)

Nate leading the 1st pitch of Ragnarock (thin ice, lots-snow over rock)

Nate traversing onto the ice on Poster Child (WI4/M4)

Nate on the tricky mixed start of Poster Child

Winter?

FYI, no pictures for this post, but some should be coming soon once I emerge from my cave of academic studies (and there is ice/snow outside).  Very warm Fall/Winter.  Here it is December 3 and it was 50F and raining today.  No snow, no ice; very weird.  Apparently this hasn't happened in over 15 years according to some reports I read.  However, in the next few days ice should start forming in places like Smugglers Notch and Mount Washington.  Just in time for winter break!  As many of you know, much of my time is spent studying and writing papers for the graduate program I am in.  Not to mention the delightful physics class I am in, which ends in a mere two weeks.  I will be happy when this semester is over, that is for sure.  Krista and I headed to Boston this past weekend to watch a Bruins game (hockey) and just relax.  Ate some excellent seafood and toured the city.  Bruins game was awesome (they won in a shoot out).  The only problem was the drunkards behind us who spilled beer on us (twice!).  We picked out our Christmas tree yesterday and will be setting it up this weekend.  That is about it right now.  Now time for some homework (as usual).  Some ice climbing reports may be coming next week, we'll see.

Fall Has Arrived!

Fall is officially here.  We've received our first frost and our first snow (on top of Mt. Abe) the other day.  Temps have been dropping below freezing at night; ice is just around the corner.  The leaves are changing color and another week or so, will be in full effect.  Lincoln often has some of the best foliage viewing around, which brings the "leaf peepers" in throngs to our quiet town.  Krista and I went raspberry picking the other day at a local organic farm.  I never realized the variety in raspberry subspecies.  I was "enlightened" by the Kiwi-Gold raspberry, a yellow, absolutely delicious berry.  In addition, we picked Nova, Anne, and Autumn Britten berries.  Graduate school is in full swing.  Makes under-grad look like pre-school.  I probably spend more time in front of a laptop typing than I do sleeping.  Ice season is on its way and I can't wait!  

Chapel Pond Slab

Isaac and I had been wanting to do a multi-pitch all summer long, specifically Chapel Pond Slab.  Finally, after a summer of nothing but rain, a nice stretch of weather arrived.  Our chosen route was Bob's Knob Standard (nothin' fancy with that name), grade II, 5.3.  The climbing was easy, but excellent.  It had been quite a while since I had done a multi-pitch route.  The scenery is amazing at Chapel Pond Pass.  Great day! (Pictures not in order)

Isaac on the final rappel

Chapel Pond from the slab

View across the Pass; Washbowl Cliff

Isaac at the third belay

Looking up from belay #2

Isaac following pitch 1

Me pondering the climb "hmm, I haven't climbed a multi-pitch in a year and I've done two leads all summer..."