The Ice FAQ
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Ratings: includes a detailed description of
the Canadian-French system.
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Style: the touchy debate on free climbing ice.
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Technique:
strength, protection, misc.
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Gear: discussion on tools, wrist-loops, etc....
Ice climbing gear
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Tools: my personal recommendations.
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Screw placement: some tests performed
by BD on holding power of threads (Chris Harmston)
Locations
Images and Stories
Personal trips
I started to climb ice in the Alps. See my
collection of pictures of classic climbs and testpieces.
In North America, I explored a few areas, among them Quebec, New England (from
which comes the
Tales from the wet side:
a report by Greg Hager on a 1994 trip), Utah, and Colorado (don't miss
the pictures of
The Fang).
So far, my favorite area is
the Canadian Rockies.
In March 1994, I went on my
first trip there. We struggled against bad conditions but managed to
climb some classics, until an avalanche hit us on Polar Circus
(
short report,
pictures,
recit en francais
).
I returned to the Rockies in February 1996.
This second trip was eventually more successful,
ending on Sea of Vapors. See
pictures
and
read
my account as well as
Wayne Trzyna's and Bob Cordery Cotter's.
However, my most memorable experience was climbing
a new line in British Columbia, The Theft, 240m, V 6R, with
Kevin Normoyle, another "rec.climber".
The report is just a summary, but there
are some pictures
and also
a "bumbly" version of the events,
Eric Hirst style.
Other interesting accounts
The NA ice-climbing season 95-96 summarized
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Glass Menagerie: a poem by Mark Moran
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Omega: New England's rarely formed technical and emotional statement,
by Mark Moran
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Call of the Wild:
FA of the first WI6 climb in New England,
by Mark Moran
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Octopussy: Jeff Lowe's degree 8 testpiece, by Wayne Trzyna and
Bob Cordery-Cotter.
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Necrophelia:
thin climbing by Wayne Trzyna. 7/99
Mt McKinley, Alaska
The trilogy about my climb of the Upper West Rib solo
Other climbing reports
A different perspective
These stories, all by Mike Sarmiento, show that
you don't have to go far or climb hard routes to have an
excellent adventure.
