Showing posts with label mixed climbing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mixed climbing. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

New routes, ice festivals, and the search for winter!

Home on the range in the South Fork Valley
©Doug Shepherd
It was a crazy winter this year, from work to a weeks of 60-70F weather in Colorado.  The search for ice required some early mornings, driving, and crazy ideas - but that's what makes it fun!

Monday, April 7, 2014

2014 Ice Fest Wrap Up

Jared Drapala & Adam Butterfield: Mammut NA love!
"And do you ever sleep?" asked Megan Davin, one of Mammut's Customer Service Representatives.  I had been explaining that I was headed to one more ice festival, number five this season, for four days. The Northeast ice season has pretty much come to an end, but the beginning winter months of traveling, competing, guiding, repping, and being around my favorite people have been one fantastic whirlwind.

Ice climbing is not going to change the world. But in my clinics over the 5 ice fests, I had a neurologist, a classical pianist, EMTs, professors, students, an astrophysicist, and other amazing minds. Putting a smile on these faces- people who may just save the world- is my goal for every clinic. Teaching, explaining, encouraging, and smiling. I'd like to think I hit 64/64, and I have a lot of photos to back that up!

Monday, January 6, 2014

Changing seasons in the Rockies

Running from Crested Butte to Aspen, CO on a late summer day
Photo © Doug Shepherd
It's been a hectic late summer and fall season so far.  First off, my wife and I moved from Los Alamos, NM to Denver, CO in August and I have been trying to take advantage of living at the base of the Colorado Rockies as much as possible.  The weekend after moving, I joined good friends for a 40ish mile run from Crested Butte to Aspen, CO.  We passed through some beautiful scenery and paid way too much for pizza and beer at the end of the day in Aspen.  The next week, my friend Phil Wortmann talked me into "running" Kiener's Route on Longs Peak, a classic mountaineering route that traces up the edge of the Diamond face.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Fear the Braid

Perhaps only Red Sox fans will get the title reference, but their mantra worked for the Sox to clobber their competition, winning the 2013 World Series! I hope to keep a similar type of "Fear the Beard" magical motivation with me throughout competition season.

This season I'll be heading to Bozeman, MT in December to teach Mammut ice clinics and compete in the UIAA Open North American Ice Climbing Championships, then on to Ouray, CO the following month for more clinics and the Ouray Ice Fest competition.  The end of January brings my hometown Smuggs Ice Bash in Vermont, and in February, the 21st Mt. Washington, NH Ice Fest.

Training is underway. Ice isn't far from forming here in the East, and I can't wait for festival season to begin!  Get after it!  ~Andrea Charest