Sunday, February 06, 2011

Ice Climbing -- a fun adventure

This weekend Py was a bit adventuresome to try some new sports -- Ice Climbing. Signed up via http://meetup.com for a Ice Climbing Class (by High Xposure Adventures) in the Catskills to explore some outstanding frozen waterfalls.

The road conditions on the Long Island are no fun and dangerous due to icy snow banks taking a lot of room left and right of the roads. The weather also kind of unpleasant for the weekend -- not really freezing -- what would be OK as things at least tend to get dry, even a sandy salty mix of dust. But this mess getting wet + melting water and eventually rain -- just nasty gritty slippery mess. This said, a road trip out of that into a different adventure where weather does not matter as much seam even more reasonable thing to do --plus seen a few new faces is always a good as well! The drive was fine, a little dusting of snow in the morning -- fine. Meeting with the organizer's guides at MD exit 20 -- getting boots and harness, with following short drive up to Hunter proceeding left onto 214 to the final destination.


At the trail head to the icy climbing spot "Stony Clove Notch" on 214:

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a short steep hike up to the frozen waterfalls...

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setting up camp...

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the guides getting up there real quick installing a several of ropes...


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and some climbing...

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Py did a few climbs at different spots -- a all new first time experience, fun!

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More pictures:


Thanks to our great organizers and guides! Was really a quite relaxed and enjoyable adventure!


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