tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Jan 14, 2012 - 05:06pm PT
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Ed. here in the NE most people lead. the ice is hacked up pretty good in keene valley and frankenstine but mostly virgin sticks in Smuggs and Willoughby as well as some of my other spots. the black dike gets pretty hacked up once everyone knows it is in but when I led it the day after Christmass a few weeks ago it was virgin sticks the whole way up. was anyone climbing leashless but useing teathers?
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johnboy
Trad climber
Can't get here from there
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Jan 14, 2012 - 05:11pm PT
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Thanks for the TR Ed.
How'd ya like the mono points. They scare me, like they'd skate out when twisting a bit reaching around.
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fosburg
climber
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Jan 14, 2012 - 06:52pm PT
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Thanks for the nice report! We were out there too and had a blast, definitely going back soon.
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Decko
Trad climber
Colorado
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Jan 14, 2012 - 08:32pm PT
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You nailed it on he Head Ed,
Most climbs in Colorado are hacked out staircases.
Ya need to head up to Aarons neck of the woods to Cody for the really long fun beautiful climbs of the South Fork........
Beautiful long routes, no pick holes......
Ice climbing like it used to be....
Oh and did I mention there is no one else or just a few more people in the valley....
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em kn0t
Trad climber
isle of wyde
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Jan 14, 2012 - 10:15pm PT
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Waiting with worms on my tongue* for part II of this TR...onward to Ames Ice Hose!?!!
*(baited breath)
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10b4me
Ice climber
dingy room at the Happy boulders hotel
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Jan 14, 2012 - 10:19pm PT
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Ouray is a great place to ice climb. was hoping to go this year, but probably not going to happen. maybe next year.
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slobmonster
Trad climber
OAK (nee NH)
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Jan 14, 2012 - 10:36pm PT
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And not even a mere mention of the BEST PARTY in all the San Juans.
I moved to the area in 1998... pretty much exclusively to climb ice. The Ouray Ice Park was in full swing by then, starting to get picked out, etc., but there was always virgin ice to poke at if one had the motivation to find it. The Park itself, although incredibly fun and technically challenging, was (at that time) still a training ground. Myself and partners would try to combine Bridalveil, Ingraham, and the Ames Ice Hose in a day, for example.
(The Hose will forever be a kick ass route.)
I'm glad you had fun, Ed! The area is full of good stuff to explore, and remember that you were there for the busiest, most zest-filled moment that punctuates an otherwise quite wild place. You'll be back.
(Jacket looks good btw. If you want to buy some new crampons to replace those old Footfangs, they will be on sale at Marmot very soon........)
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FBaker
Trad climber
Concord, Ca
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Jan 14, 2012 - 11:29pm PT
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WBraun
climber
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Jan 15, 2012 - 07:56am PT
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Thanks Ed
Good video of the climb.
After seeing you guys doing that scary thing I'm running away ......
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Brian
climber
California
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Jan 15, 2012 - 10:17am PT
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Glad to see you got out to Ames and the Ribbon. I'm so thankful to Ouray for its dedication to the ice park (and for having that resource for high-avy days), but the real gems of the San Juans are, obviously, not in the park. There is a lot of ice to be had outside the park.
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hucklebear
Trad climber
NY
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Jan 16, 2012 - 10:42am PT
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Great video & TR, Ed. I second the soundtrack props!
Ames looks amazing, and I would loved to have done it too, but the partner who was up for it could not make the Festival ;(
Was so cool to meet you and figure out that the name on the clinic list that seemed so familiar led back to ST and all your excellent posts & research.
I had a blast out there too, and here are a couple of photos to add:
We hung out after the clinic and had some fun on this sort of thing, TicTac which is apparently M7 just now due to "not so much" ice. Really fun movement finally getting into the little icicle.
My friend Kathy stylin Little Sausage.
Ouray is fun even fun when you get to climb out of a mixed route hole, into a cool ice chimney and thereby use rock moves!
And then the general joy of just steep, fun ice...
Safe climbing, everyone...
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Jan 16, 2012 - 10:48am PT
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Good stuff !
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fattrad
Mountain climber
GOP Convention
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Jan 16, 2012 - 10:57am PT
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Nice TR Ed. Tell me more about the crampons???
The evil one
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jan 16, 2012 - 11:56am PT
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how very scottish of you on the Black Dike pics! ;)
just saw a pair of strappy cramps at Factor 4's house the other day.
I so love my step ins when I think about how we used to rent those at Western BITD.
lol
dig it Ed. thx
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