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Eiger: One Day Ascent

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

I first climbed the north face in 2003 with friends from Chamonix. The idea had sprung when I crossed ice axes with a friend on a classic Chamonix ice gully and I mentioned that conditions on the Eiger must be stunning. We had just had a spell of 6 weeks of blue bird weather and I knew that the climb had seen lots of traffic. The next day, we were driving there to climb the mighty north face.

In my family, the north face of the Eiger could almost be condsidered an heirloom. My dad had always talked about it and wanted to climb it but deemed that having kids and climbing the Eiger weren’t compatible. I therefore felt that I should climb it before I had kids. I climb so much because I always have this perspective in sight. Although, realistically, I don’t think this would change much for me. But it’s a good excuse.

The whole drive there though, I thought that I would say that I was going to bail right once we got to the parking lot, then on the train, then at the hotel at the base of the Eiger (the Eigergletscher Hotel), then at the base of the climb… but suddenly, I have 400m up the face and there was no turning back. I was overwhelmed in some way and the whole climb felt unreal. But it was a landmark in my career as alpinist.

Last Fall, Adam was looking for a partner to climb the north face of the Eiger. I had already done it and had no desire to ever get back on the face. But he really couldn’t find anyone motivated, so I said I would go. At the last minute though, Tim Connelly motivated to go and I then realized that I had really wanted to get back on it, especially with my husband. The whole next day that Adam was on the route, I so regretted not sharing that experience with him. View his video here. So I went and climb the north face of the Drus instead, one of the most beautiful alpine route I have never done.

Yet, the Eiger loomed in the back my mind. I suddenly had the desire to climb it in a day. I figured I would train all winter for it, but training really isn’t something I ever do. I climb all the time, go ski touring a lot, but I never had the perspective of training for an objective. I don’t really know how to I guess. Plus, I traveled so much this winter that there was never any time for specific training. I thought about the Eiger on and off but it was no longer a big goal of mine. I climbed routes like the Supercouloir, Pinocchio on the Tacul, etc. Yet, a week before going on the climb, I tried to do a route on the north face of the Droites with my friend Tania. It had just snowed and the accumulation at the base worried me. We were sinking in to our waists and making slow progess so we pulled the plug and decided to go ski touring instead. In a day, we toured to the base of the Droites from the Argentiere glacier, skied to the Col d’Argentiere and then to the Col du Tour Noir, making for around 2,500m elevation gain. It isn’t that much, but I thought that if I could do that easily, then I was fit enough to climb 1,800m on the Eiger. I felt good. With a window of great weather ahead and Adam and I looking for an objective for the week, we decided to give the “Eiger in a day” a go. Upon arriving there, we heard the record had been broken down to 2 hours 30 minutes! So there was no longer any excuse for us not to be able to do it in a day. With that in mind, we headed for the north face, with no bivy gear or stoves, committing to being back down by dusk.

The climb went really smoothly, with a perfect track the whole way. The climbing felt a lot easier than the first time I did. I never felt tired or wishing the climb would be over already!!, a feeling I often get on long routes. We both knew the routes and I felt that knowing what was ahead was made it less stressful. What was stressful however was having the helicopter about 100m away from us for most of the day, dropping off the new record holder, Dani Arnold, on sections of the face, just to take footage of him. Definitely ruined the wilderness experience for us.

We topped on on the Mitteleggi in the afternoon. And then came the crux: the knife-edge ridge that leads to the top. Quite unnerving. We hung out on the summit for a quite a while, enjoying the fact that we had just shared one of the best climbs of our lives together. Eventually, we descended the west face back to the Eigergletscher, where comfortable Swiss beds awaited us.

View the gallery on my facebook page by clicking here.

Keep up with IFMGA/UIAGM Guide Caroline George’s alpine adventures on her website Into The Mountains. Into The Mountains is also her guiding site where she and her husband, Adam George, share their passion for climbing with others by offering guided trips and instruction on rock, ice, and alpine climbing in the European Alps and North America. Check it out!

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Caroline George climbs the Supercouloir

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

Tania and Caroline climbing the Supercouloir

With a month spent rock climbing in the middle of winter (Thailand/Jordan), I feel like winter has eluded me. So, despite summer like temperatures in Chamonix this past week, I was excited to swing my tools a little more into some sweet alpine ice.

A week earlier, my partner Tania and I had tried to climb the Supercouloir but it had just snowed and huge snow mushrooms were looming high above us, making the route impossible to climb. We resorted to climbing the nearby “Goulotte Lafaille”, a 400m long ice route on the Mont Blanc du Tacul (4248m). We made quick work of it, simul-climbing most of the route. The next day, I left on a Haute Route, guiding 4 amazing British lads from Chamonix to Zermatt. Upon returning, the weather proved to be – yet again – beautiful and we decided to get back on the Supercouloir.

The Supercouloir was first climbed in 1975 (before I was born!). This rock/ice line is the most striking feature on the east face of Mont Blanc du Tacul. It is nestled between two beautiful pillars, one of which is the worldclass Gervasutti pillar. I had climbed this route in 2003, via the direct start, which is no longer in condition at this time of year. It was my partner’s dream to climb this route and I was excited to do it with her. Tania is full time doctor and was on the guide course with me in Switzerland. We have climbed extensively together in the past, but since my departure to the States, we were lucky if got to do one outing a year together. Recently though, we have made up for lost time.

We slept at the Cosmiques Hut – a beautiful refuge only 15minutes away from the top of the Aiguille du Midi cable car. We reached the base of the route by dawn. The sun hadn’t touched the rock yet and it was very cold to touch and was still covered in ice in places. I had to resort to using an ice axe to make it up the iced up slab/super thin crack. I led two pitches in one and reached the now bolted anchor, greeted by the sunshine. We climbed in rock slippers, hauling a pack loaded with our ice climbing gear: crampons, ice axes, boots, ice screws, jackets, gloves, etc.). We made quick work of the remaining 3 pitches taking us to the bottom of a left slanting snow ramp, which took us to the ice. We switched to our ice climbing gear, left the rock gear and climbing slippers at the anchor and made our way to the ice. We climbed the 300m long ice climb in two pitches, simul-climbing 3-4 pitches at a time. By noon, we started rapping down the route, excited to get back to the sun. Although temperatures were nearing 80F in the valley, a cold breeze running down the climb made it feel like we were in an icebox.

We skied down the classic Vallee Blanche in order to catch the Montenvers train. This is the first time that I had to carry my skis to reach the train. Because of the incredible heat in Chamonix right now, we have lost 10cm of snow per day and the mountains look like it’s mid-June! But ice conditions up high are still good and am excited to have a late warm winter season, making ice climbing just a little more pleasant.

Photo by Caroline George. See the entire slideshow of 19 photos from Caroline’s trip up the Supercouloir on her website Into The Mountains, where she and her husband Adam George share their passion for climbing with others by offering guided trips and instruction on rock, ice, and alpine climbing in the European Alps and North America.

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Caroline George climbing in Thailand (video)

Friday, March 25th, 2011

Video of Girly Guide Caroline George climbing in Thailand. Thanks to our sponsor (and hers), First Ascent for sharing!

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How to sharpen your ice tools

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

Girly Guide Margo Talbot – whose new book “All That Glitters” is coming out in May, made a nice, short video on how to sharpen your ice tools.

Now is a good time to sharpen those tools up so that they are ready to go come December! Now, who’s ready to “Rock”? :)

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Kitty Calhoun on how to choose a rope

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

The first thing to decide is how you will most often be using the rope: Do you need a dry rope? Will you be mostly top-roping? Will you be doing multi-pitch routes or long approaches in the mountains?  Each of these factors affects your decision as to diameter, length and dry/or not of your rope.  So lets look at your choices:

1)     Single ropes – 9.4mm-11mm.  The larger diameter, generally, the longer the rope will last.  The larger diameter ropes are harder to feed through belay devices and are heavier.  Conversely, the smaller diameter ropes are lighter, but do not last as long.  I would choose a 10.2mm for top-roping and on big walls, where I have to do a lot of jumaring.  I  would use a 9.4mm for alpine routes, and a 9.9mm for most of my climbing (I used to use a 9.7mm but it was discontinued.  It got so fuzzy anyway, that it felt bigger than my 9.9mm)

2)     Half ropes -  8mm-9mm.  These are two ropes used together in such a way that you clip one line of pro with one rope and another line of pro with the other to reduce rope drag, or simply alternate clips.  If you clip both strands into the same piece of pro, the impact force goes up on the pro and on you (not good).  The advantage of this system is that it reduces rope drag on wandering routes and you have two ropes in case one gets chopped.  Also, you have two ropes to rappel.  The disadvantage is that it takes extra time and is more awkward to manage the ropes while belaying on a hanging or semi-hanging belay.

3)     Twin ropes – 7mm-9mm.  (PMI makes half and twin ropes in 8.1mm  and 8.6mm). Another two-rope system, but here you have to clip both ropes in each piece of gear so there will be  more rope drag than with half ropes.  Like half-ropes, you have two ropes to rappel but have the disadvantage of  dealing with the extra time and awkwardness of managing the ropes while belaying on hanging or semi-hanging belays.

4)     Other factors – the most common lengths are 60m and 70m.  You can normally get away with a 60m rope (and this saves weight and money) except on some long single pitch routes.  As for dry treated ropes – the water-resistant coatings are often applied to the sheath and to the core fibers as well.  This makes the rope more water-resistant, stonger, and it lasts longer.

So what to make of this?  I have run out of space, but you might want to find out about fall rating and impact force and how to care for your rope.  Ropes do have a shelf life and at most, a rope is only good for 4-5 years.  I use PMI ropes (don’t have space for testimonials here).  I get a 70m 9.9mm dry rope at the beginning of every ice season and try to make it last a year.  I also carry a 70m 7mm dry cord (static) with me on multi-pitch routes for rappelling.

- Kitty Calhoun

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Caroline George talks about new route, “Uprising” in Jordan

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

Photo by Jim Surette/GraniteFilms.com

Last week we reported the news that Girly Guide andFirst Ascent athlete Caroline George had just put up a new route in Jordan. Now we have her full recap of the new line, “Uprising” rated 5.11b.  Thanks to our sponsors First Ascent for the share!

We achieved our goal here in Jordan, putting up a new route in a really remote area on more precarious rock. The route is 700 feet long, hardest pitch is 5.11b, and we named the route “Uprising”, in view of the events in the Middle East. We had a few other names in mind, since the base of the route is littered with full metal jacket bullets and the wall scared with getting hit by them. We topped out as the sun was setting down and rappelled by headlamps in the dark.

It was a full team effort: Sarah and I led all the pitches. The leader would lead with two ropes, fix one rope for Jim to jug up and film the second person following the pitch. The person would climb dragging yet another rope for Adam, who would stay at the belay and hand drill bolts for anchors, thus being respectful of the ethic here, which is of drilling without drill machines.

Uprising

Uprising: 5.11b (one section), 700-feet, 5 pitches. Named after the recent events in the Middle East.

The sun was already low on the horizon when we topped out on our new route. We looked around at the vastness of the desert below and beyond to the Saudi border. The smiles one our faces spoke for themselves: We had come to Jordan with the hope of doing a first ascent, and we were bursting with excitement for having done just that. But our elation was short lived as we still had to rappel down to the bottom of the route, 700 feet below, and darkness was setting in.

Sarah and I had scoped out the route a few days earlier. The rock looked mainly dark above – a good sign – but there were a few areas of lighter rock, which would remain an unknown until we would climb to it. We decided to come back and give the whole route a go. We left Wadi Rum around 9 a.m. and headed south, back through the desert. We planned on being there for two days, not knowing how long it would take us to do the route. We hiked through mushroom-like formations to the base of our climb and geared up for the climb.

Our highpoint was 60 meters off the ground. We – Adam, Jim, Sarah and I – all climbed to that point. While I led the next pitch, Adam started hand-drilling bolts for our anchors. The pitch followed a featured crack system, from wide to a thin-tips layback crack. I thought I would build an anchor in a sheltered alcove, but the rock was breaking instantly as I touched it, so I kept climbing into a deep cave, which offered good protection for an anchor. Jim jugged up one of the lines while Sarah climbed to me. Adam followed on the rope Sarah was dragging behind her. Sarah led the next pitch – a beautiful traverse on dark rock, which proved to be way more fragile than we had thought. The route continued up an obvious notch/chimney to a big ledge. As the sun was setting, I led up the chimney/wide crack system to the top of the climb, which topped out on the tower we could see from below.

We rappelled in the full darkness. As I sat on anchors, waiting for the rest of the team to rap to me, I reminisced about our climb. Although the climbing wasn’t always hard, you would often have to think very light thoughts while pulling on some of the loose and hollow sounding rock. You never knew if your foot hold or hand hold would bear your weight. What was even more scary was to think that the rest of the team was right below you and that they could get hit by rock if you misread the quality of the hold you were pulling on. Sarah and I had the fun part of the job, climbing the route, while Jim filmed and Adam drilled anchor. The behind-the-scenes work is often not as fun. At first, I thought we could deal with building anchors later, but while rapping in full darkness, tired from a long day on the climb, I was extremely grateful that these anchors were in place.

We reached the bottom of the route by 8:30 p.m. Getting off the climb was almost as exciting as climbing the route: We got a rope way stuck on the first rappel, rappelled in full-on darkness down a line we could barely see, and each time we kept our fingers crossed that the ropes wouldn’t get stuck. The climb is only really done when you are back down at your packs. We pitched our tents, had a quick bite of pita, babganoush and hummus and soundly fell asleep, reliving our adventure in our dreams. It feels so good to have done what you had set out to do.

Doing a first ascent in Jordan felt like coming full circle. I had returned to the roots of my passion, exploring what my parents loved to do best: adventure climbing and searching for new lines. Although this was my own experience, every step of the way was tinted with the bright and loving memories of my first trip here, without which, maybe I wouldn’t have become who I am now.

Caroline is now en route to Chamonix to strap on some crampons and skis – we will keep you updated with her latest adventures here!

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Angela wraps up CWP season as we prep for Chicks Rock! in March

Friday, February 25th, 2011

The Chicks with Picks 2011 season came to a close at the beginning of this month, and we are already looking forward to our first Chicks Rock! event of 2011 which is coming up at the end of NEXT month at Red Rocks!

Girly Guide Angela Hawse wrote a great wrap-up report of our 2011 CWP clinics with a look ahead into the rock climbing season. In her blog which you can read in its entirety here at Pemba Serves, Angela really captures the spirit of a Chicks clinic writing: “Opening circle stories range from quiet humble introductions, to tear-jerkers of personal tragedies and triumphs, to hilarious gut-busters that break the ice and testimonials from alums that always come back for more.  It is an inspiration to hear these women’s stories and an honor to help them along their journey to become better, more self-reliant and skilled climbers.  I look forward to this every year.”

We couldn’t have said it any better! It really is wonderful to hear the stories of triumph and inspiration, which we carry with us every day. It’s also fun to help facilitate women meeting new climbing partners – just this week we were able to connect a few women out in North Carolina who’ve been searching for other women to climb with. To top it off, we have had more Chicks sightings than ever, and hear about more and more of our alumnae going off on trips and climbing together which is EXACTLY what we want you to do :)

In concluding her wrap-up, Angela said: “Times shared together, tied-in, on ice, rock or snow can be sacred.  Words often can’t portray the experience, but those who have had them together know the significance.  Here’s to all this years Chicks that fledged in style and have been unleashed!  The world is a better place because you are out there doing your thing.  And we are glad you shared that with us.”

Indeed, we truly are! We look forward to meeting even more Chicks throughout the course of this year in our Chicks Rock! programs. Here’s what we’ve got on tap right now:

Do you want to know how the Chicks Rock! spring Red Rocks clinic has been reviewed by some of our participants? Check out Beth’s testimony from 2010 here, and Maria’s here. Both women credited the clinic with helping them break into a new level of climbing! Are you ready to do just that?

We are also doing a preliminary exploration of  potentially having a west coast clinic out at Smith Rock (Bend, Oregon) this fall, so stay tuned for more details!

In the meantime, make sure you keep reporting in those Chicks sightings :) we love to hear the reports of our Chicks out climbing together!

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Caroline George finds adventure on La Guerre Sainte in Wadi Rum

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

Photo by Jim Surette/GraniteFilms.com

Girly Guide and First Ascent athlete Caroline George continues to find adventure – the latest in Wadi Rum, Jordan! Read all about her latest climb from the place she credits for starting her passion for climbing. Thanks to our sponsors, First Ascent, for the share!

La Guerre Sainte (“The Holy War”) is much to Jordan what Lord of the Thai’s is to Thailand. It’s the local, 400-meter long, 5.12b multipitch (12 pitches) test piece. But unlike Lord of the Thai’s, which climbs up perfect overhanging limestone, la Guerre Sainte – also known to local Bedouins as “Jihad”  - climbs up a perfectly vertical wall that offers less than perfect sandstone and really sporty – ready sparse – protection. La Guerre Sainte proved to be both physically and mentally challenging. Quite the adventure. This route is also the first of its kind in Wadi Rum.

Route setters always look for weakness in the rock to climb up a face, which often materializes in cracks. Cracks take traditional gear – friends, camalots, nuts, etc. –  enabling the climber to progress safely up a line. Once the potential for such obvious features have been exhausted, people look at climbing straight up walls. With no cracks at hand, bolting becomes the only way to protect a climb. Although Wadi Rum has a pretty strict no-bolting ethic, an exception was made for La Guerre Sainte in 2000, when prolific route setters Arnaud Petit, Benoit Robert, Guy Abert, Philippe Batoux, Herve Bouvard and Alon Hod decided to tackle one of the biggest faces in Jordan: the east face of Nassrani. They bolted the route ground up in five days, which is an amazing feat.

Our ride dropped us off at the base of a massive, red sand dune, which encircles the bottom of the face. A quick scramble got us to the base of this massive sunbathed wall. I zipped up my Sirocco jacket to shelter me from the wind, which blasted the face throughout the duration of our climb. The first pitch climbs a right-facing layback finger corner to a huge ledge system. The climb continues up wild Hueco-like formations. The rock is red and sounds really hollow for the most part, and it feels like both foot and hand holds could break at any time – Not a great feeling when the protection is so sparse. I don’t like that much on sound rock, but it took that feeling to a whole new level. A fall here, in remote Wadi Rum, would have pretty dramatic consequences. With that in mind, the mental aspect of this climb felt overwhelming. Pitch 7 offers a 40ft runout on a sustained 5.11c pitch, so you’re looking at an 80ft fall, a couple hundred feet above the ground, with no means of communication in case of an emergency.

The crux pitches are concentrated on the headwall, where the rock turns to a whitish orange color. During the first ascent, the route setters had many doubts: “There were many light rock areas on this wall, which triggered a lot of doubts regarding the success of this undertaking, mainly in regards to the headwall which was almost fully white… It was an immense relief and one of my greatest joys as a climber when, after a few meters of the headwall, I yelled out to my partner:  ’The rock isn’t good… it’s excellent!’” wrote Arnaud Petit.

Indeed, the headwall proved to offer the best rock on the wall. With three pitches of 5.12b, back-to-back, it was also the most committing and most difficult section of the route. Adam did an amazing job leading those pitches, which although didn’t go free, felt like some spicy French freeing (read pulling on quick draws to get through). Still, the obligatory rating felt like a solid 5.12a.

We topped out as the wall went into the shade and immediately starting rapping down. When faces are this steep, it’s a full core work out to abseil with a pack on. A local Bedouin and his family awaited us at the base. He said: “Not many climbers do this route. You must be good!” That was a very nice compliment, although I didn’t feel as such on the route. He drove us back to Wadi Rum, a 20-minute ride away, with his son steering the wheel and his 12-year-old driving his other car!

We are now moving on to another adventure: Finding a possible new line to climb. Stay tuned!

Keep up with all of Caroline’s latest adventures here on the First Ascent blog. Also check out her website Into The Mountains, where she and her husband Adam George share their passion for climbing with others by offering guided trips and instruction on rock, ice, and alpine climbing in the European Alps and North America.

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Caroline George reports in from ThaiTanium Wall

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

Girly Guide and First Ascent athlete Caroline George has already had a busy 2011, and we’re only halfway through February! Just days after returning from Antarctica where she logged five FAs, she got on a plane to go climb in Thailand. Here’s her latest report from the far East, thanks to our sponsors First Ascent for the share!

Climbing out of a boat is the ultimate Thai climbing experience in my book. It had to be done and we did it.

We wanted to climb a multipitch route above the water that was far enough away that we would be the only ones there. ThaiTanium Wall on Ko Yawabun offered all of the above and more. A 30-minute boat ride from Tonsai took us to the island of Ki Yawabun in the middle of the Andaman Sea where the four-pitch route “For the Members” (11b, 11b, 11c, 11a) is located. It’s in the shade all day and was bolted in 2006 with titanium bolts – the new hope for lasting bolts on ocean side cliffs, hence the name of the wall.

Our boatman pulled in close to the wall at the base of the fixed ropes, which you climb up to the first belay stance to avoid the huge overhang at the start of the route. Adam – my husband and super hero rigger! -  jumared up the really beaten up fixed lines. As it says in the guidebook, “I think we can dub this fixed pitch “Squeal Like a Pig.” The ropes are so old that it seems a given that they will snap once loaded. At least the landing in the water wouldn’t hurt too much. Deep water jumaring?

Adam fixed another rope and we all jumared up, trying to stay out of the water as we swung out of the boat. The route is overhanging the whole way, and all you can see beneath you is the boat and beautiful dark green water. It climbs up tuffas and pockets that seem so big that you could almost sit in them. Sarah and I swung leads up this impressive line. Since it doesn’t see much traffic, the rock is really sharp. Unlike other climbs, the higher we got the warmer it felt.

After toping out, we still had to rappel down the overhanging face. We had to back clip some of the bolts to make it to the anchor below without being lost in space. The rappel was the coolest though as we rappelled straight into the boat! We finished the day with a welcome dive off the boat before heading back to Tonsai, driving by some of the most beautiful white sand beaches I have ever seen.

Caroline is now in Jordan, and will be reporting on her climbing adventures there as well for First Ascent, which we will make sure to post for you here on Chicks!

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A recap of the Bozeman Ice Festival by Caroline George

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

Girly Guide Caroline George checks in with Chicks to talk about the beginning of her winter season – the Bozeman Ice Festival! Caroline is now on her way to Antarctica, on an expedition sponsored by First Ascent to climb Mount Vinson. We are wishing her the best and will be keeping up with her progress on the First Ascent blog.

For the past three years, the Bozeman Ice Festival has marked the beginning of my winter season. I say goodbye to warm sun and rock, climbing slippers and tank tops and trade it all in for big boots, crampons, axes and of course, snow and ice. My husband, Adam, and I arrived a little early to reconnect with the feeling of standing on front points and swing tools into frozen waterfalls. Although the idea of standing in the cold all day is never that appealing at the start of the season, the magic of reconnecting with the ice instantaneously makes me forget about the pain of screaming barfies and a shivering body. This year though, the transition wasn’t as brutal as previous years when I would partake in the Icebreaker – a competition where we would run at least as much as we would ice climb, trying to hit three areas in the canyon, having lots of fun in the process, crossing paths with fellow competitors and trying to earn the most points by the end of the day.

The Icebreaker competition was cancelled because of a fatality that occurred in the canyon during the Icebreaker last year, when world renown ice climber Guy Lacelle was taken by a small avalanche and fell 500ft to his death. This was such a big loss for the community: we was not only an amazing climber, but one of a few people who really stuck to their life values. This event really scarred me because it was then that for the first time I came across a dead body in the mountains and with that, I wasn’t sure that I would return to the event. I didn’t really care to revisit the canyon, relive those moments, and was afraid of how it would affect me. But I am glad I came back.

The athletes gathered Wednesday night at the Northern Lights Store to talk about the event, talk about what each had done throughout the year, how conditions were in the canyon, etc. It was so nice to see many familiar and friendly faces. I am always comforted by the sense of belonging to this amazing community of people who live for this mutual passion. Joe Josephson – the organizer – was as enthusiastic as ever, making us all feel welcome. JoJo has traveled the world in search of new ice climbs his whole life, wrote guidebooks to the Canadian Rockies and to Montana, and his unconditional love for this activity combined with his permanent smile are contagious.

The official start to the event was Thursday. Local climber taught clinics while I went climbing with Adam above Genesis 2, an area located straight above the parking lot. We had heard of a new bolted route being put up, so we headed that way. As often during busy events, the route was taken so we decided to explore a little and Adam found a fun looking line: it started up a chossy crack of bad conglomerate, reached a smear of ice, continued further up the crack to 40 ft of vertical and very brittle ice. Finding a First Ascent in such a well travelled area always feels like you found that precious hidden gem. Climbing it involved eating a lot of dirt and breaking a lot of ice but it was steep enough that we were pretty pumped from climbing it. A perfect mix. We then went back down to the line that was previously busy and got to climb it in the warmth of the late afternoon sun. We ended the day with a nice warm meal in town to refuel for the following day’s clinics.

The Bozeman Ice Festival is the only event to host a full day of all women’s clinics, taught by women guides. I was working with Mattie Sheafor from Jackson Hole whom I’d worked with at Chicks with Picks this year. We arrived early in the morning to a parking lot full of very motivated and excited women, standing in the falling snow with their packs on and ready to go before we had even left the warmth of our car. This surge of energy is better than any double shot of coffee in the morning. Our clinic was introduction to leading and multipitch efficiency on ice. To make sure that everyone’s expectations are met, I always ask what those are. Mostly, our ladies wanted to be more self reliant, more efficient on ice, be able to place screws and take them out properly and build anchors. So that’s what we worked on all day. While some were climbing and working on their “triangle” – aka, swinging one tool up and two feet below in line with the ice axe to form a triangle, which is the most efficient way to climb ice – others were learning how to place a screw, build an anchor, make V-threads and multipitch efficiency. Despite strong winds blowing the snow in all directions, the psych was high and time flew by. I get so much out of days like these: seeing people learn, improve and wanting to get the most out of the day makes my job so rewarding. We wrapped up the day with a hot mint liquored cocoa at the parking lot and huge platter of cheese. Yum! The little details, the little treats is what makes this event so special.

Clinics went on through the rest of the weekend. With a busy schedule ahead, I wanted to take advantage of my time in Hyalite canyon to climb for myself and to spend some time with friends that I don’t get to see very often. Audrey Gariepy is one of them. She lives in Quebec and travels the world climbing and plants trees in the summer. Our paths only cross at ice climbing events it seems. We did a trip together to Canadian Rockies’s Icefall Brooke a few years back and I hope we will get to do another trip someday. She is one of those happy people that I really enjoy spending time with. On Saturday, we hiked deep into Hyalite Canyon to climb Cleopatra’s Needle, a WI5/120m route which was in easier condition this year. The 1.5hour hike in went by fast because we chatted so much. Luckily, no one was on the climb when we arrived so we had it all to ourselves. Great climbing! As we rappelled another party was starting up. We thought we would climb some more, somewhere else, but instead we decided to watch these guy try to climb a nearby route called Airborne Ranger – a long pillar which was barely touching down. The guy made two moves and went airborne on Airborne Ranger! Ouch!

The following day was really warm. Majka Burhardt, Pete Doucette and I tried to go ice climbing, but traveling on snow had become heinous so we bailed and went jeans shopping instead! Love it!

Each night, we regrouped at the Emerson Center to watch slideshows by Will Gadd, Emily Stifler, Jason Thompson, Jim Shimberg and a beautiful heartfelt movie by Chris Alstrin who did an amazing job capturing who Guy Lacelle really was. It was inspiring to watch and so humbling to revisit with this amazing man. It felt like coming full circle with last year’s event. He is gone, but thanks to this beautiful tribute, he is immortalized in all of our hearts.

The 15th edition of the Bozeman Ice Festival was the best I have attended yet. The atmosphere was a lot more relaxed without the competition and we were all there to share in a passion and remember a man who’d inspired us all in one way or another. I left with a smile on my face and full of gratitude to reconnect with friends and meet new ones from all horizons. Thanks to all the people who made it happen. Will be back!

Thanks to First Ascent and Petzl for sending me there!

All photos by Caroline George. See more photos from Caroline’s trip here. Also check out her website Into The Mountains, where she and her husband Adam George share their passion for climbing with others by offering guided trips and instruction on rock, ice, and alpine climbing in the European Alps and North America. Finally, follow Caroline’s First Ascent expedition to Mount Vinson, Antarctica here on the First Ascent blog. Safe travels Caroline!

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