Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Fat Ice

Is the title referring to the climber... or the conditions?  The answer is probably both.

On Sunday I was very happy to be swinging tools again. Great first day of the season for me. Pete and I checked into Mt. Misery and it is forming up better already than it's been in several years. We climbed laps on Strait Up, Main Street, and I actually made a go at leading one of the easy slabs on the right. We finished the day playing gently on the pillars at the left end of the lower tier which are already touched down and solid (Golden Pillar I think?)

Golden Pillar is in.

Main Street is fat fat fat!
Being the father of a 6 month old I am finding myself at least 7 months out-of-shape. There has not been a lot of climbing in recent months (evidenced by the lack of activity here). Although I'm trying to keep up in noon-hour workouts it's just not the same as climbing, and I felt it on Sunday. On pitch 6 of the day my arms just couldn't get into a good lock-off... and when that stops working ice climbing gets sloppy. Not surprising... but I think I need to dial back on the cookies if I'm going to be aiming to lead WI4 again this year. Less cookies = more ice.  


1 comment:

  1. Good luck on the goal man, Im sure you can pull it off! When i used to go on trips with Rob, Stacey and the bunch we always called it the climb fat group due to coming homefatter than when we left. Lots of winter left to be zipping up larry, curly and moe with ease. Keep up the updates man, love em.
    Matty P.

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