Posts Tagged ‘women’s ice climbing’

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Stairway to Heaven, Eureka CO

Saturday, March 21st, 2009
Stairway to Heaven

Stairway to Heaven

The ice climbing season is quickly coming to an end with an unseasonably warm stretch of weather. Drat, I hate to see my favorite sport melting away.  My last climb on my San Juan backcountry tic list for this season is Stairway to Heaven outside of Silverton.  Mr. X and I had tried to climb it together but two feet of snow and high avalanche danger kept us away a few weeks before. In celebration of getting my ice climbing grrrr back, I decided to solo it. I haven’t soloed anything this long so I was excited to be there by myself with that intense presence and focus I love so much. It took a little over an hour to climb it and walk off back to my pack. The ice was soft and starting to get drippy, yup, it’s time to hang up my tools.

For me, soloing (climbing un-roped & alone) magnifies the fine line between the edge of the abyss and of life itself. As a climber, skier and kayaker…I have walked on that edge for thirty years and I have seen many friends fall off into the darkness of death. The awareness of the fragility of life is always with me.

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Whorehouse Hose, Eureka CO

Friday, March 6th, 2009
1st Pitch (photo: Sandy Heise)

1st Pitch (photo: Sandy Heise)

Whorehouse Hose is another San Juan classic that is tucked up in one of those really cool places deep in a narrow canyon. You can see the first pitch from the road, but the rest is always a bit of a mystery as it steps up and meanders to the third pitch several hundred feet above. I love being there tucked away, out of site and out of mind. It’s places like this that first drew me to the aesthetic beauty of ice climbing.

I ventured here with my X-office assistant, Sandy Heise, since Mr. X was off doing his Cop thing in Crested Butte. Besides, I do love climbing with the girls! Especially Sandy after having shared plenty of office time together at the Chicks with Picks head quarters, it was fun to get her out to play! Sandy left the job three years ago after falling in love with a man from Durango…sweet. I’ve missed her calm presence amidst the chaos of the never-ending to do list that being self- employed offers.

Photo: Sandy Heise

Photo: Sandy Heise

The first pitch was really thin and I could see the water rushing underneath it about an inch away at times. The climbing was so delicate and fragile that I was grateful that I am relatively light at 110 pounds. The first pitch is an honest full rope length followed by a small snow field and easy 2nd pitch that was a snow ramp. Then you have to walk a little ways to third pitch around the corner. This pitch looks so different each time I’ve climbed it, this time it was easy with a lot of small ledges for some super fun climbing. Two rappels and you are down. Great day out with a good friend.

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Chicks with Picks 2010

Thursday, March 5th, 2009

March 5, 2009

Since our clinics fill up fast, here are the dates for our 2010 women’s ice climbing clinics:
Totally Chick: Monday 1/11 – check out  Sat 1/16 (4 climbing days)
The Complete: Sunday 1/24 – check out Fri 1/29 (4 climbing days)
The Betty Ice Ball: Friday 1/29 – check out Mon 2/1 (2 climbing days, ½ day clinics)
The Sampler: Monday 2/1 – check out Friday 2/5 (3 climbing days)
www.chickswithpicks.net for more information

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Getting my Grrr Back

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

It’s been quite a year: not only did we celebrate our 10-year anniversary at Chicks with Picks, host the first full-on women’s ice festival and start a new program called Chicks Rock…. I turned 50, got an amicable divorce, remodeled a house, took a group of women to Nepal and got my grrrr back.  Not necessarily in that order.

Grrrr

The Head Chick

Over the past ten years, I’ve been busy starting things such as Chicks with Picks, Mind Over Mountains,  dZi Foundation and becoming a certified Life Coach. That all looks good on paper & web sites, but the truth is the adventurous aspect of my life, not to mention my confidence, has suffered in the last few years. It was Kitty Calhoun (one of my Girly Guides) who looked at me this winter, saw the wind knocked out of my sails and encouraged me to “get my grrr back”. She kept throwing me back on the ice to do lap after lap until my arms fell off. So thanks to her, I decided it was time to reclaim my passions.

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End of the Season

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

Did that really just happen?  The ten-year anniversary of Chicks with Picks womens ice climbing has come and gone. Yup, time flies when you are having fun kicking axe and kicking butt! Notice that no one has tried to replicate this program but then again, why would they? Who knew that womens ice climbing would take off and gain such momentum since we hosted our first clinic in 1999 with 18 gals.  Women are smart – if you look at the odds, ice climbing is a great way to meet guys and lesbians, for that matter. Better than Match.com, Fitness Singles or E-Harmony for hooking up that like-minded, adventurous, soul mate to share gear with.

Getting to the top of an ice climb

Celebrate

In 2009, we offered our three standard clinics with a 4-to-1 ratio:  The Totally Chick, The Complete Chicks & The Sampler held court in the Ouray Ice Park and then in February, we introduced the first Annual Betty Ice Ball: a women’s festival of ice. Forty-four women gathered for half-day clinics with a 6-to-1 ratio, group dinners, slideshows, auctions and dancing to our local band “Fall Baby” – whoa some match making was going on that night! Women loved The Betty Ball and being able to attend Chicks with Picks at a more affordable price and we all know they will be back for more!

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