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dbrayack
Feb 13, 2007, 2:14 PM
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Last weekend, I had my first Ice encounter. (I wish it had been a girl on girl on danno encounter...but hey...)
It was kind of cool. My intial expectation was: Swing your axe (tool as I was later told) into the ice, kick your cleats into the ice pull down, wash rinse repeate. Pretty repetitive, and almost 0 technique?
After trying it, I realized my initial expectation was fairly accurate. I realized that it was a fairly physical sport, rather than the balances and grace of sport climbing.
However, we did one route which required a fair bit of dry tooling. This was quite difficult and actually pretty technical, though I found I was still mostly just doing a lot of pull ups.
At one point, I tried to get into a Figure 4 to pull a roof, got into it, but could pull....I dropped an axe and fell upside-down (scary with knives attached to my fee).
I got back on and ended up having to do several one point pull ups....not very technical at all.....so I think that my expectation in this regard was similar.
Perhaps I was just doing it wrong? Or do you all find its just pretty physical?
One thing I liked was using some balance to drive an exceptionally high axe, bring up feet and repeate....pretty cool. Also, I soon was competent at getting a solid axe placement.
At one point, I remember driving in axe, and hearing the ice crack...I knew I had a count of 5 before it broke (just like holding a sloper on a sport climb)...I was like....5....4.....3......2..... (as I swung my other axe).....1.......bam! Thankfully, my second axe was quite good + I just hung by one arm until I managed to set another good axe...er tool.
I don't know if I would consider Ice Climbing as a second sport (for myself), but it was something fun to try.
It was an interesting perspective....to climb, but to be a beginner again...I was borrowing Tools, Boots and Cleats...it was like borrowing a harness, chalk bag and shoes all over again
-Danno
Photos are of Jay Young (J_ung) who took me ice climbing. Thanks dude!
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redpointron
Feb 13, 2007, 2:22 PM
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nice t.r. danno. with your mad photo skills and a taste for the ice, we'll have to convince you to come out to ouray next january for the fest.
regards.
r.r.
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redpoint73
Feb 13, 2007, 2:34 PM
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So where did you go? It looks a bit snowy to be Virginia, but I know its been a record cold winter down there.
There is certainly technique involved, but I find ice to be much burlier and physical then rock. On rock, I can easily milk an undercling or sidepull, turn into the wall, and shake out. On ice, you usually at best you have one arm over your head, getting pumped as you shake the other. And I don't feel like I can use body position to as much advantage as on rock.
A figure-4 is advanced stuff, and burly as hell. I've been ice climbing for 6 years and have yet to do one. Something about trying to get my crampon covered foot over my arm seems a bit sketch.
BTW, the cool kids call them "crampons", not cleats.
Welcome to the cold world of ice.
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dbrayack
Feb 13, 2007, 2:37 PM
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Like, I said, I'm a totally Newbie as far as ICE, that's why I like it so much...Crampons is hard to spell 
Its actually in West Virginia. We've had like 7 days in a row under 32 or something like that, so its been a good year for it (So I'm told).
Its all gone now though (thankfully, hopefully we can start rock climbing again.)
-Danno
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redpoint73
Feb 13, 2007, 2:49 PM
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I just forwarded this thread to my friend. He just moved to DC from Boston and is missing the ice. He may start salivating just looking at the pics.
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j_ung
Feb 13, 2007, 2:50 PM
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I think it's important to state that in "taking Danno ice climbing," it was really a case of the blind leading the blind. This was his first time and only my third. We just set up topropes like they were rock climbs and had at it. There was another, far more experienced guy with us, named Jacob Something, who kept us from killing ourselves and each other with spikes.
And, that is West Virginia! It's the Junkyard Cave at Junkyard Wall, New River Gorge. Our extended (1.5-week) ice season is pretty much over now, though. Maybe next year again!
(Cleats...  )
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dbrayack
Feb 13, 2007, 2:56 PM
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j_ung wrote: (Cleats... )
Hey man, lets conquer that route...i got me one of those spring loaded camming devices and some carabiners + some cord...Lets conquer!
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Dillbag
Feb 13, 2007, 3:35 PM
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...don't you mean "clippy-things"?
Sounds like you first trip out was pretty sweet... Yeah, ice can seem like it's just a series of pull-ups and it is definitally very physical... The technique comes in when climbing thin (no big swings, just little taps) ice, small pillars (barn-door central!) and when leading... trying to get a good rest position!
Check out some videos of ice climbers on thin stuff or on pillars and you'll see the need for the technique!
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kachoong
Feb 14, 2007, 7:33 PM
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That's awesome stuff, guys!! Great job! My first reaction was.... Ice at The New? Looks like it was a lot of fun!
j_ung wrote: it was really a case of the blind leading the blind.
LMAO!!
Although it would be awesome to get on some ice right about now, I'm already getting excited about the Rendezvous.
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deadhorse
Feb 14, 2007, 8:00 PM
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last time i was at the new it was raining like crazy and only a few degrees above it being snow so naturally i was staring at all the waterflows thinking- damn, i bet that's a totally different kind of fun in the ice. In leading ice, since you can't have a 'sport' (bolted) ice route (that i know of??) are all the leads trad leads? or do you just not classify like that in ice? also are those ratings (the W's) about the quality of the ice or the feature?
Props danno, it seems like you're always doing something i wish i was doing.
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maldaly
Feb 14, 2007, 8:45 PM
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jay and danno,
You guys need to get out here. There's still a month of ice left in Ouray before the spring ice season starts up high in May. Ice climbing is all about footwork, balance and finesse. At least it is for me... I'm the guy who has never been able to do 20 pullups but I somehow manage to get up steep ice. Free lessons and a room for you two in Ouray on March 18 if you come out. If it's all melted out by then we'll go rockclimbing or fishing.
Mal
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foeslts16
Feb 14, 2007, 8:53 PM
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Registered: Dec 27, 2002
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welcome to the family...... there are VERY few things in life as fulfilling as ice climbing...what a rush. nice pics, makes me want to jump in the car and make the 3hr drive to our ice.
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redpoint73
Feb 14, 2007, 9:45 PM
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deadhorse wrote: In leading ice, since you can't have a 'sport' (bolted) ice route (that i know of??) are all the leads trad leads? or do you just not classify like that in ice? also are those ratings (the W's) about the quality of the ice or the feature?
You usually protect ice climbs with ice screws, placed in the ice itself. Sometimes, you can access the rock and can place trad gear, or even clip bolts, but thats more common on "mixed" terrain than pure ice. There is even a route at Rumney that was bolted specifically for ice. Its a rock climb in the summer, when its not dripping wet.
The waterfall ice (WI) rating is about the steepness, and sustained nature of the climb. The quality of the ice can change throughout the season, but the WI rating is always the same. So in this way, ice ratings can be even more subjective than rock.
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dbrayack
Feb 15, 2007, 12:46 PM
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Registered: Dec 16, 2002
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Man, thanks for the invite, I'd be totally psyched to get out there, though I'm in the process of buying a new car, so it'll be a while before I can afford a trip.
You're coming to the Rendezvous right? Heck yah!
-Danno
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