More Ouray

What the ice looks like on the Killer Pillar, a mixed route that we climbed after the Skylight. This route is only one pitch tall and pretty exciting. In mixed climbing, you have to use the ice and the rock with your crampons and ice axes. Ice screws are still used but cams and nuts are also placed in the rock just like traditional climbing.

Chris at the top of the Killer Pillar. Notice that he is standing on the rock on either side of the ice.

Some the the other ice routes in Ouray. As you hike up the road the waterfalls are within a few feet from the side.

Chris and I at the top of the waterfall. We rappelled off the pine tree in the picture.

The top of the Skylight. I am deep inside that crevice. The ice was really solid and easy to climb. If you got tired you could just lean on the walls because it was so narrow. We use two ropes in ice climbing in case one rope gets cut by a crampon or ice axe or falling ice. The two colors help remind the climbers which one is set for pulling while on rappel.
What normally happens when you ice climb is that your hands begin to freeze after 30-40 feet. then you try to rest and shake and get the blood flowing again. After you begin climbing again, your hands warm up and the rest of the route is quite nice to climb. If it is really cold out, your hands will be cold the whole way and then after you stop the blood will return and a feeling a great pain blasts through your hands as they warm up.

piz : )

Ouray Ice Festival 2011

For those of you who have never seen an ice screw in the ice. There is a carbiner attached to the screw and the rope to that. You just turn it like a crank and it bites into the ice. The trick is to pick a nice solid section as you head up the waterfall!

Chris Alstrin on lead on the route called Skylight. It is a two pitch ice climb. You can see the think ribbon of ice that we climbed on the next pitch. We hiked from the car up a well packed road to these ice falls located just a few feet off the road. The views were great and the weather was not too cold. Actually, when the sun came out and we were finished climbing we just wore light jackets. It felt like it was in the 40's!

Me sporting my borrowed ice axes and warm Arcteryx winter gear!

Chris in front of the route and right off the road that we hiked up on.

As usual, our shenanigans before dawn in downtown Ouray. Chris helping adjust my crampons since I was borrowing gear that he had set up for his boots.
The Ouray Ice Festival was a blast after we finished climbing some routes in the morning. More pictures in the next post!

piz : )