Out of the Gate
Starting to think about ice of course and what Ice Climber isn't right now? As I'm listening to Josh Grobin's "Canto Alla Vita" courtesy of Pandora. It seems a fitting song, it's big, dramatic, over the top and soooooo good. And perhaps that's where most of our Ice Climbing aspirations are right now. As we sit warm, inside, without the visceral experience of cold feet and screaming barfies yet.
I have a concern... that the ice isn't ready yet, the ice at lower elevations that is. This time last year I was slogging through thigh deep snow with Colin as we put up a first ascent on Mist Mountain. VERY high on Mist Mountain. The approach took us 4.5 hours and even the big-guy admited it was one of the hardest approaches he's done for an ice route. Which is saying alot. That climb almost did me in, just the approach was draining, and then to gingerly climb up thin ice, chipping each hold, not getting much of a rest. (Colin is 6ft 6" so trying to draft on his tool placements is nearly impossible for me) Probably the hardest climb I did all year for sheer physical demand.
Back to my concern that there isn't enough lower ice for the throngs of us ice climbers. In tandem is the Banff Film Festival which also increases the amount of Ice climbers per square feet of ice. Tom and I are staying in Banff and like the other eager beavers, we hope to climb ice this weekend. But I'm starting to think that perhaps we should be waiting and concentrating on drinking by a roaring fire this weekend. Mon Dieu! Say it ain't so!!
Ah well, tonight I'll still get all my gear together, re-file my ice axes and make sure sure I have enough clothes. I've been mulling over purchasing heated footbeds for this season. They're expensive but its interesting that cost becomes irrelevant when you're cold and *wishing* you had considered that purchase you didn't make. At one climb, I could have sold my hand warmers for $20. However you couldn't have pried those little carbon packets from my clutched fingers that particularly cold day. When it comes to cold weather, I'm a big baby and I'll do what ever it takes to stay warm, happy and dry.
So at the very least if we can't find ice to climb Tom and I will be hanging out at the Banff Springs which isn't a bad place to spend the weekend!
I have a concern... that the ice isn't ready yet, the ice at lower elevations that is. This time last year I was slogging through thigh deep snow with Colin as we put up a first ascent on Mist Mountain. VERY high on Mist Mountain. The approach took us 4.5 hours and even the big-guy admited it was one of the hardest approaches he's done for an ice route. Which is saying alot. That climb almost did me in, just the approach was draining, and then to gingerly climb up thin ice, chipping each hold, not getting much of a rest. (Colin is 6ft 6" so trying to draft on his tool placements is nearly impossible for me) Probably the hardest climb I did all year for sheer physical demand.
Back to my concern that there isn't enough lower ice for the throngs of us ice climbers. In tandem is the Banff Film Festival which also increases the amount of Ice climbers per square feet of ice. Tom and I are staying in Banff and like the other eager beavers, we hope to climb ice this weekend. But I'm starting to think that perhaps we should be waiting and concentrating on drinking by a roaring fire this weekend. Mon Dieu! Say it ain't so!!
Ah well, tonight I'll still get all my gear together, re-file my ice axes and make sure sure I have enough clothes. I've been mulling over purchasing heated footbeds for this season. They're expensive but its interesting that cost becomes irrelevant when you're cold and *wishing* you had considered that purchase you didn't make. At one climb, I could have sold my hand warmers for $20. However you couldn't have pried those little carbon packets from my clutched fingers that particularly cold day. When it comes to cold weather, I'm a big baby and I'll do what ever it takes to stay warm, happy and dry.
So at the very least if we can't find ice to climb Tom and I will be hanging out at the Banff Springs which isn't a bad place to spend the weekend!
posted by Lise B at Tuesday, October 31, 2006
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