Chipping Ice

So I went to the Ice Fest to get my once a year Ice session out of the way and now I’m thinking about Ice gear. Ice climbing is pretty much all about chipping. They even make tools for your hands and feet to chip. Chip a hold with your ice axe and pull up, chip a hold with your crampon and step up, next ice axe, next hold. All these Ice climber are a bunch of sorry ass chippers.

I did do one route that was pretty fun. It was kind of a mixed climb. The first 25’ was a ribbon of ice that was no more than a half an inch thick and about 8 inches wide. I was amazed that the axes and crampons stuck in such thinness. There was a couple toe in, or maybe I should say crampon ins, on edges and scoops that there would be pretty tough to use with rock shoes. Of course the tip of the crampon just made the hold a little bit better. I guess it was a pretty hard route, I just thought it was fun.

Then I did some try tool routes. That’s just not right. But I guess it is kindof cool to be able to climb outside when its almost zero degrees out and have warm clothes on! On one “dry tool” route I had to put away the ice tools and hand jam with gloves on for about 15’.

I wish I would stop looking at Ice gear now. La Sportiva makes some boots with crampons bolted right to the bottom - wicked cool. And the Ice axes are like mid-evil weapons you get to toss around at the ice. Of course you have to go leashless. Leashes seem like cheating – kindof like pulling on quickdraws and claiming you flashed a route or something.

I did score a new 70 m rope. Second time at Ice fest, second rope won. If anything I’ll have to keep going to Ice Fest for the ropes.

Hilti.

Over The Top

Okay so supposedly there is a new climbing gym going up in the NW metro.

The owner is a well renowned climber having gotten the FA of a V12 in Duluth, MN, has climbed all 5.12's at Red Wang, MN in a day, and has flashed a V11 and several V9's in a day. His name... Nate Iverson. Oh, wait you've never heard of him before?... Oooh that's because it's total bullshit.

Well regardless, it will be nice to have another gym in the metro if it does happen. Check it; http://overthetopclimbing.com/

And here's a video link because I don't know how to make videos work here. But anyways, I think this is supposed to be that V12 on the 1st street boulder.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=q2rfSmk1fHU


Oh and try my new routes at the gym, they are sic! Even more sic than BB's routes!


Duchess

Once You Go Basque You Never Go Back

Shit dogs... I don't know if any of you pay so much crazy attention to all things climbing but have you seen what Patxi just did to all my future projects??? He is on a fucking tear all across Europe. So I was beginning to wonder... How can I gain Basque citizenship??? If this means I will make quick work of all things harder than 8b+ sign me up. I mean damm, and you get a super cool name that regular people can't even pronounce. I of course I know it by heart as I will be naming my first born USOBIAGA Prime Time Bodenhamer!!!

Well we need some posting from all you login members it's kinda turning back into my blog which was not the intention. Come on what's your plastic proj for the winter???

See yaa I'm off to 4 days in Sunny SO Carolina!!!

Jeah!