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Take it backIce Climbing in Loch Vale
After having a very busy two weeks, I decided to unwind a little on Sunday and went to Loch Vale (~10,160 ft) to do some ice-climbing.
There were four of us, Steve, Constance, Jeff and I. Steve was our guide and Constance and Jeff were doing mostly mixed climbing while I was doing mostly ice. It was extremely cold and windy, very long (~5+ miles each way) and very tiresome and stressful. But it was totally and absolutely worth it! Read on for some pretty pictures.
On the way to Estes Park
On the way to Estes Park
On the way to Estes Park
Driving through the Canyon
Driving through the Canyon
Driving through the Canyon
Driving through the Canyon
Driving through the Canyon
Steve hiking through the snow
Constance posing for the camera
Steve with a grin
Karthik finds something funny
Constance in the snow
Constance giving the fingers
I’m tired and I need a drink
Karthik at Loch Vale – yes! We’re finally there.
Folks getting their climbing gear on
Gorgeous Ice Formations
View of Loch Vale
View of Loch Vale
Steve leading
Steve leading
Steve leading
Steve leading
Finally, the top-rope has been set
Natalie from Roy’s team climbing the Chimney
Natalie from Roy’s team climbing the Chimney
Jeff climbing
Steve belaying with a grin
Oops, Jeff just lost his grip on the ice-axe
Constance climbing in the snow
Constance climbing
Constance climbing
Constance climbing
Constance climbing
Constance climbing
Jeff belaying Constance and Steve doing something in the snow
Karthik brandishing his ice-axe
If at first you do not succeed, mountaineering is not for you
Karthik trudging through the snow for his climb
Karthik posing for the camera
Do I crack this rock or do I crack this ice?
Okay, the ice-axe is stuck. Damn!
Karthik hanging on his ice-axes (take the picture quickly, damn it!)
Traversing rock and ice with crampons is hard
Steve (or is it Jeff?) climbing
Steve (or is it Jeff?) climbing
Karthik trying to climb
Damn, this ice is delicate
Karthik climbing (top middle in blue)
Heavy snow
It was snowing heavily, and the wind was terrible
Jeff and Constance posing
Top roping the Chimney
Top roping the Chimney
Top roping the Chimney
That looks like an impossible climb
Steve giving us a ‘demo’ that the climb is hard but quite possible
That overhang looks so hard
Steve manages to make a hold for his ice-ax
Steve’s almost there
Steve makes it to the top
Ice-axes are Karthik’s weapons of mush destruction
Constance on the rocks
Constance on the rocks
Oh, Constance lost her ice-axe. So, she uses a ski-pole to lift it up!
Constance picks up her ice-axe!
Karthik climbing the Chimney
Jeff having a little ‘fun’ with the tree
Damn, this tree is harder than the rock
Karthik climbing up the Chimney
Karthik climbing up the Chimney
Damn, I’m almost there
This is harder than I thought
The ice is too thin up here
Oh man, is he going to make it?
Jeff posing for the camera
Random gear picture
Karthik dragging his backpack across the snow in the parking lot
Obviously, everybody thought it was the funniest thing ever
The team – Karthik, Jeff, Constance and Steve
Constance tried giving me horns but was too late. Hah!
Goodbye, Blue Sky
The whole climb lasted from ~9 AM till about 4:40 PM. By the time we got done and got back, it was almost 6:30 PM. After this trying experience, Matt and I went to a fantastic Nepali restaurant called Himalaya (!) and had a wonderful dinner. T’was a trying but fun day.
Niyant Said,
February 13, 2007 @ 12:27 am
Aweosome!., The chimneys are good fun to climb right ? the waterfall must have been painful though, using that darn ice axe usually is, I reiterate .. awesome snaps ….
metlin Said,
February 13, 2007 @ 12:32 am
The chimneys totally were awesome. The waterfalls are painful and using an ice-axe is hell. And I totally suck at climbing rock with crampons and the ice-axe. Rock to me is hands and ice to me is tools. Kinda needs a mental re-orientation to use tools for both!
Niyant Said,
February 13, 2007 @ 12:39 am
wouldn’t you say that it requires a lotta practise ?, which is the good part : ). you i guess are good (have not seen you in person), we should definetly go on long climbs when i get some experience and money
metlin Said,
February 13, 2007 @ 12:43 am
I agree, it does need a lot of practice and I am not exactly in a place that has a lot of mountains (nor ice — lots of snow, but no ice). I am not good, I am passable and since you have climbed in the Himalayas, I am sure you are better! And yes, we should totally do a climb together sometime. How about heading out to Washington and tackling something like Mount Rainier, Mt. Baker or Mt. Shuksan (soft technical, all three)?
Niyant Said,
February 13, 2007 @ 1:04 am
I did not climb much or well. Need practise.Only thing i am happy about is that i read Enders game at 15000ft. Agreed! should head for a climb soon …i mean, you keep heading for yours, will join you in one.
metlin Said,
February 13, 2007 @ 1:12 am
Next time you are in Chicago, we should head out to the Red River Gorge which isn’t too far off from Cincinnati, and do some trad. Should be fun. And I’ll take you up on that Washington thing – we’ve gotta do that sometime.