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Messages 1 - 43 of total 43 in this topic |
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 5, 2011 - 07:30pm PT
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A classic Ascent 1971 survey of the state of the frosty art four decades back!
Yvon Chouinard photo of Doug Tompkins soloing on Hell's Lum, Cainrgorms, Scotland.
In the V-notch, Palisades.
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perswig
climber
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Those boys knew how to keep their heels down.
And the friction coefficient of wool on ice.
Nice read.
Dale
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Now we're getting somewhere. Chouinard's Climbing Ice is superb. I've read it at least 15 times and refer to it still today, more than 30 years after its publication and before the advent of coffee-grinder screws, step-in crampons, and leashless tools. I would go far to say that the book is cutting-edge, even in this modern era of ice climbing.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 6, 2011 - 12:12pm PT
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Rippling Water Ice is Nice and Will Suffice! Bump
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wbw
climber
'cross the great divide
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Now we're getting somewhere. Chouinard's Climbing Ice is superb. I've read it at least 15 times and refer to it still today, more than 30 years after its publication and before the advent of coffee-grinder screws, step-in crampons, and leashless tools. I would go far to say that the book is cutting-edge, even in this modern era of ice climbing.
I don't know ms ..., personally I think that it is a classic, but rather dated. All of the emphasis on on French technique seems quaint when front-pointing is so much faster and secure. It's one thing to stop and rest the calves by placing the crampons sideways to the slope, but using that technique as much as Chouinard pushed it, for movement, even back in the day just seemed unnecessary, and rather contrived. It used to make us feel guilty for frontpointing.
I do admit that it looked all masterful and stuff, in those great pictures.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 8, 2011 - 09:13pm PT
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French technique is way exciting once the angle increases and requires more concentration and courage than slamming in front points. These early seventies articles and Climbing Ice are really where French technique lives on!
These photo trips were also where Tom Frost refined the alpine skills that served him well on Annapurna South Face, Ama Dablam and Kangtega.
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BMcC
Trad climber
Livermore
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Hadn't read this in a long time. Thanks for posting it!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 20, 2011 - 09:16pm PT
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Slippery Bump...
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Aug 20, 2011 - 10:11pm PT
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Great shizz this.
Even though I'm more of a rock man with a gammy leg myself.....
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 16, 2011 - 10:45pm PT
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The shizz is starting to frizz up real well right about now...Sharpen 'em up Frenchie!
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Decko
Trad climber
Colorado
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Nov 16, 2011 - 11:02pm PT
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SAWEETTTT.......
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 2, 2012 - 12:12pm PT
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Der Sierra eis bump!
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Powder
Trad climber
SF Bay Area
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Wow
Great read. Thanks!!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 9, 2012 - 10:15am PT
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Bump for the fine points!
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Bumping and marking so I can give this a read later when I have time.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Feb 25, 2012 - 10:06pm PT
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Winter fun today ;)
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 26, 2012 - 12:54am PT
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Since we are still on the first page...The Outside Ice Climbing issue December 1977. Classic stuff...Ice 9 no less!
Thanks to Jim Phillips for this one.
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AKTrad
Mountain climber
AK
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Feb 26, 2012 - 12:56am PT
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Still have my Chouinard crampons and Zero ax. Seems like yesterday!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 26, 2012 - 01:11pm PT
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Slippery Bump...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 4, 2012 - 09:06pm PT
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Cat O Nine Bumps...
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Maybe Hennek can give us the real story behind that cover photo of Tompkins?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 10, 2012 - 02:44pm PT
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That shot is iconic...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2012 - 06:38pm PT
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As is this one from Climbing #2 July 1970.
Frost photo.
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WBraun
climber
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Dec 23, 2012 - 07:48pm PT
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There's one thing about ice climbing.
It's cold.
It never goes away. Feet, fingers, and toes freeze.
Why are we so stupid and love to suffer like this?
It must be a fools paradise .......
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2012 - 08:28pm PT
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There are many which is why the universe is top heavy>>>>~
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philo
Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
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Dec 23, 2012 - 09:00pm PT
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There's one thing about ice climbing.
It's cold.
It never goes away. Feet, fingers, and toes freeze.
Why are we so stupid and love to suffer like this?
It must be a fools paradise .......
Stupid Werner. :)
Excellent thread Steve. I remember being stoked by these articles.
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Dec 23, 2012 - 09:02pm PT
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now we're getting somewhere
with global warming, ice climbing is becoming the most-valued climbing experience one can have, in my opinion. I don't know that there's going to be "ice climbing" in 20 years, much less 50.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Dec 23, 2012 - 10:11pm PT
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Hennek-possible you could enlighten us as to the "real" story behind the Tompkins photo? You were there, we have been told.
Not sure if your name is spelled with a c or not? Is it Henneck?
Or, is it another scenario like when I used to spell Amborn with an e ,ie, Amborne and one day, he told me in a friendly, mates kind-of-way, It's Amborn, without an e, as#@&%e. Just askin.
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Dec 23, 2012 - 10:14pm PT
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Doug Robinson got short shrift over Chounard's "Climbing Ice" book. He wrote a lot of it and is only mentioned in the thank you's.
90% of that stuff was crap in that book. Get off yer ass, kick in your front points, and don't waste time learning a lot of ways to climb 50 degree ice.
edit: Werner is right. Ice climbing in New Hampshire was one of the most miserable experiences of my life.
Soloing around June Lake was a lot of fun, though. I did the Lachenal Direct route on the Triolet in the Argentiere Glacier. 30 pitches of it will wear your ass out.
I have a bunch of newly found old pictures from some of those routes. They are all 50mb scans. Does anyone know of a good freebe photo editor on CNET?
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Dec 23, 2012 - 10:51pm PT
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I disagree with the 90% comment above, even though that poster ranks consistently among the very best here.
the real genius of the book is that if taken to heart, one can move quickly up all kinds of alpine terrain -- i.e. can move fast in Big Hills -- without burning out calves with gratuitous front-pointing or piolet traction.
a single ax and flexible ankles go a long way toward hiking the big routes
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Dec 23, 2012 - 11:01pm PT
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Yeah, maybe 90% was too much.
I still say that if it is ICE, get on your frontpoints and run. Today's gear is just very good. Snow is different. You need to learn how to do snow so that you are in a good position to self arrest. Allan Bard and DR taught me that.
edit: I just looked at an old pic of a very long ice route on the argentiere basin. It was pretty steep and I am resting with right foot in on front points and left foot sideways on a knob.
Just use common sense. It ain't brain surgery.
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Plaidman
Trad climber
South Slope of Mt. Tabor, Portland, Oregon, USA
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Dec 23, 2012 - 11:10pm PT
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And the friction coefficient of wool on ice.
Not so slippery when you wear wool.
Got my first ice at Lincoln Falls Colorado.
All I can do is dream of ice climbing. When The Columbia River Gorge comes in we climb around the clock as it is out, as soon as it comes in. Got to get it fast.
Been working hard for my Montana trip this year. No ice in The Gorge. Got to travel. Well worth it.
Thanks for keeping the stoke alive Steve!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 1, 2013 - 06:20pm PT
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Spend your last Jackson on a pair of Dachstein Mitts and step on out!
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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just came back from an afternoon session of ice bouldering on the local drips. I had forgotten how absorbing it is to break things down and focus on the various tasks that, taken all together, constitute ice climbing.
For instance, I spent at least an hour focusing on getting the best feet I could possibly get. Sound boring? Hardly. The time flew by. And after an hour I felt that I had a pretty good handle on recognizing bad feet from marginal feet to good feet.
In the past I chicken-scratched up ice climbs, even "hard" climbs without much thought to feet or to anything else really. That changed today, and I'm really excited for the season to begin in earnest
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turd
climber
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Dachstein Mitts
Oh, wow. You just brought back some memories there.
That boiled wool was unbelievable. And they'd stick to the ice if you broke a tool!
You nailed it when you said those pictures are iconic. Now I'm going to have to dig out my copy of Climbing Ice and my Albi Sole guidebook. :)
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Jan 22, 2013 - 09:52am PT
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bump
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RDB
Social climber
wa
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Aug 10, 2013 - 03:40pm PT
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It snowed last night :)
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 7, 2013 - 01:17pm PT
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Freezin' real good around here this morning. I have been restoring an old Stubai Aschenbrenner axe for Mike Sherrick so I got the Tool Jones going early. Tough to get that last bit of tarnish to leave.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 7, 2013 - 01:27pm PT
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Nice find, Ed.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 15, 2014 - 01:31pm PT
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I just had the pleasure of running into Doug at the Metanoia premiere at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. I also picked up an early MacInnes-Massey ice axe recently so he has been coming to mind lately.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 24, 2018 - 05:46pm PT
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Bump for more content on ice...
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Feb 24, 2018 - 06:52pm PT
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Steve & all! Here's my contribution to this wonderful thread.
This Chouinard/Frost article was in the 1968 issue of Ascent, which at the time was the most cutting-edge & trendy climbing magazine in the U.S.
Click on the images to make them easily readable.
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