So? How's the season coming along? Everyone knows it has been a pretty exciting season thus far. I did my first day on ice in the Catskills in November...which has never happened before. After that it has been slow, but good. So far my best route has been PT on Poke-O-Moonshine..I'm sure like everyone else. Man....that whole route was in 3+ conditions. First pitch was so fat and stepped out I don't think I swumg more than twice for any tool placement. Pitch two was not as hacked, but still in beautiful shape. The rock and chimney was completely filled in, leaving only a short grade 4 crux. It was my first time on the route, and I can't brag that I have actually led it because it was so easy, but still, it was amazing.

So how has yours been? The rock has been real good lately too. Been out two times this past week.

RR

This season has rocked! Uh, no pun intended. I got out a couple times in early December, and have been out at least once, and sometimes twice, each week since New Years. I've climbed with a variety of partners old and new. Haven't had a bad day yet, though finding a coyote in a leg-hold trap did put a damper on things one day. I've gotten more comfortable following W4's, including one W4+ route I did twice in 3 days. I did my first ice lead on an easy W2 line on Bridal Veil Falls. And the fun continues!

Kathy :^D

Sweet!! Sounds like you are having a great time being out there in the cold. The best climber is the one having the most fun

I don't have ice gear or a leader for ice. But I did manage to get out for a couple pitches on rock two weeks ago. For now I'm just trying to get shaped up for the spring.

An excellent outing in the winter is to do a traverse of the GT Ledge. From just right of Frog's Had to who knows where...(actually I have never finished it). I've only gone as far as Double Crack. Great fun..lots of running belays, and a few belayed pitches.

Y'all know I'm more of a backcountry skier than an ice climber, but I got out on ice one day. We did the Central Pillar of Pitchoff (on the right-hand, WI3+ easy side) and it was the first time I'd climbed waterfall ice since 2005. In general I had quite a bit of trouble getting good sticks with my front points, basically I wasn't able to to frontpoint any of the crux and resorted to kicking steps the whole way.

It was a warm day, 40F or so, and I was using a pair of Grivel G14s that are pretty beaten up and maybe need filing (they used to be rentals at IME, and I bought them at end of season.) My friend Andrew, who was leading, seems to think that the secondary front points are set too far back for my boots (?)

Pretty ugly though.. I resorted to hanging on the rope once or twice; had some clearance issues with the picks too, everything on that side is a little recessed.

Huh?


and, I hope you wore a helmet this time?

I've been out every weekend since Thanksgiving or thereabouts. Bailed off CHiller PIllar again, but last year I made it about ten feet. This year, about 2/3 way up. Also led the first pitch of Spike (yay no ice) and some otehr piddly stuff. I'm not leading any harder but apparently I am "more solid" whatever that means so yay. I feel like Im finally getting the hang of really swinging my Quarks well, but I just ordered myself Nomics, so we'll see how they work for the rest of the season. I definitely feel like I'm crying less on the steep steep ice!!!
Boo car trouble forcing me to buy a new car and take this weekend off!!!!!

Also did 4 rollies in a rollies circle and that's the new female record at the bivy for the season It;s a good thing not too many strong chicks actually come by and even fewer do rollies!!!

Er, what's a rollie?

painful