NEice Ambassadors
New Hampshire
CATHEDRAL MOUNTAIN GUIDES
Bayard Russell, Jr.
Bio
CATHEDRAL MOUNTAIN GUIDES is a New Hampshire-based guide service run by American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) certified guide Bayard Russell, Jr. A highly experienced climber, Bayard is also a director of the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS), and an MRS Team leader. He has summited both Alaska’s Denali (Mt McKinley) and Mt. Hunter, completed multiple ascents of Yosemite Valley’s El Capitan, and established new routes throughout the northeast; ranging from multipitch 5.12d to M10 sport mixed and multipitch M9 trad. At home on both rock and ice, Bayard is well-equipped to help you further your goals, whether you want to rock climb for the first time, try your hand at mountaineering, or swing tools at steep ice and scratch around on mixed terrain.
More Info.
Ontario
Superior Exploration Adventure & Climbing Co. Ltd.
Shaun Parent,
Bio
SHAUN PETER PARENT
SUPERIOR EXPLORATION ADVENTURE & CLIMBING CO. LTD.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Over 30 years teaching and instructing recreational and outdoor programs
•Published Author
•Bachelor of Science degree (Geology and Geomorphology)
•Professional Geologist
CLIMBING AND OUTDOOR RECREATION EXPERIENCE
•Discovered and developed rock and ice climbing areas along the north and east shore of Lake Superior
Owner/President,
Superior Exploration Adventure & Climbing Company Ltd.
•Website:www.superior-exploration.ca
•Email superiorexploration@yahoo.ca
•provide rock and ice climbing courses and guiding in the Lake Superior region
Climbing School NORTH OF SUPERIOR CLIMBING COMPANY was endorsed by
•Outdoor Explorer Magazine as one of the top five Ice Climbing Schools (2001)
•National Geographic as one of the top six schools for Ice Climbing instruction (2001)
Rock & Ice Climbing Developmnt
Developed rock and ice climbs along the north and east side of Lake Superior since 1980
•locations include: Thunder Bay, Orient Bay, Squaw Bay, Kama Bay, Ice
Station Superior, Paradice, Agawa Canyon, Montreal River, Cerro De
Hielo, Mile 38, K-10, Summerian Slabs, Alien Wall, River Bend Rock, Westy Wall,
Agawa Canyon, Only 17 Wall, Lil Agawa Canyon,
Awards
North of Superior Climbing Company
City of Sault Ste. Marie Business of the Year Award (Tourism)2009
Other
• Founder, North of Superior Orient Bay Ice Festival
• Founder, Agawa Canyon Ice Festival
• Founder, Montreal River Batchawana Ice Festival
• Founding Member, Thunder Bay Section of the Alpine Club of Canada
More Info.
New York – South
Alpine Endeavors, LLC
Marty Molitoris,
Bio
I’ve been guiding for over 22 years and have been based in the Gunks ad Catskills since 1995. I founded Alpine Endeavors, a local guide service that has operated all over the world. We believe in upholding the highest standards and only employ guides who are AMGA trained and certified.
I’ve climbed and guided thousands of days in rock, ice, and alpine terrain, and have published two editions to, “An Ice Climber’s Guide to the Catskill Mountains”, and am working on the third edition. I have to admit I never thought that would happen…
I believe in supporting the local community and have made many contributions to help local organizations – generating thousands of dollars over the years. I am also a member of 1% for the Planet and donate 1% of our gross revenue to those businesses and organizations who help the planet be a better place.
I live in Rosendale, NY, with my wife and two children, our cat, and a collection of odd hens.
More Info.
New York – South
Valley Vertical Adventures
Ryan Stefiuk,
Bio
Born and raised in New Jersey, a land of endless suburbia, Ryan Stefiuk somehow developed a love of the outdoors at a very young age. He discovered climbing towards the end of high school and has been hooked ever since. As a climber, Ryan has chosen to focus his energy on long rock and ice routes, and hard mixed climbing in the Northeast. He has climbed extensively throughout the United States and Canada and is responsible for much of the modern mixed route development currently taking place in the Catskill Mountain region.
Ryan is an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course provider, Wilderness First Responder, NY State licensed Rock and Ice Guide, and has taken the AMGA Advanced Alpine Guides Course, AMGA Ice Instructor Course and AIARE Level I and II courses.
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Vermont
Petra Cliffs Mountaineering School
Andrea Charest,
Bio
I’ve been rock and ice, and backcountry ski guiding with Petra Cliffs for almost 10 years. In April 2012, my husband Steve and I purchased Petra Cliffs, and are looking forward to expanding the outdoor programs as well as improving the indoor climbing gym.
I’m primarily a Northeast climber, but I jump at any opportunity I have to travel. Jan-May this year brings Ouray, St. George, Red Rocks, and Bozeman. I love teaching beginners, improving intermediate climbers’ technique through balance, footwork, and thoughtful motion, introducing multi-pitch climbing and lead skills, and teaching women’s clinics– there are few things better than the sound of a group of women laughing in the mountains!
More Info.
Select a Region
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- New York – North
- New York – South
- Pennsylvania / NJ / MD / DE
- Maine
- MA / CT / RI
- West Virginia / VA
- Quebec
- Ontario
- Newfoundland / NS / NB
Climbing Grades
Mixed Grades: M1-M?
M1 - Feels like 5.5 climbing.
M2 - Feels like 5.6 climbing.
M3 - Feels like 5.7 climbing.
M4 - Feels like 5.8 climbing.
M5 - Feels like 5.9 climbing; using the blades of ice axes in cracks to torque and dry-hook is useful.
M6 - Feels like 5.10 climbing; using the blades of ice axes in cracks to torque and dry-hook is mandatory.
M7 - Feels like 5.11 climbing; using ice axes and crampons in such a way as to make the climb impossible with out them. Usually somewhat overhanging.
M8 - Feels like 5.12 climbing; using ice axes and crampons in such a way as to make the climb impossible without them. Involves overhanging and sustained climbing.
M9 - Feels like 5.13 climbing, using ice axes and crampons in such a way as to make the climb impossible without them. Involves severely sustained and extremely overhanging climbing.
M10 - Similar to 5.14 climbing; gymnastic ability, physical stamina, and a strong mind are all prerequisites; a handful of climbers in the world are capable of climbing this grade.
M11 -M? – The system is open ended.
Ice Grades: WI 1-7
WI 1 - Easy, low-angled ice. Walking up ice where crampons are necessary. The easiest ice for which a belay rope would be used. A basic level of technical expertise for safety is required. General angle: 50 degrees.
WI 2 - Moderate, low-angled water ice with short bulges. Good protection and anchors. Front-points of the crampons may or may not be required. General angle: 60 degrees.
WI 3 - Steeper water ice, with longer bulges. Some continuous front pointing but with good resting places between. Generally good protection, screws can be placed from comfortable stances. The ice is usually of good quality. Requires adeptness at placing protection and making belays. General angle: 70 degrees.
WI 4 - Sustained climbing with some vertical sections, separated by good belays. The ice may have some technical features like chandeliers but generally the quality of ice is good and offers secure protection and belays. Usually demands that screws be placed while on vertical or near vertical ice. General angle: 80 degrees.
WI 5 - A long, steep, strenuous, columnar pitch of ice. Sustained difficulties with little opportunity to rest. Expertise in dealing with the different ice formations is required (e.g., chandeliers, cauliflowers, candled sections). Adequate protection requires effort to place. The climb may sometimes be run-out above protection. Belays may be difficult to create and/or hanging. General angle: 90 degrees.
WI 6 A serious lead on severe and/or thin ice. Long vertical and/or overhanging sections, extremely sustained difficulties. Few, if any, resting sites. Ice may not be of the best quality, often thin, chandeliered and hard to protect. Expert technique and a powerful, positive mind frame are prerequisites. Hanging belays of dubious quality may be required. General angle: 90+ degrees.
WI 7 Ice that is very thin, long, overhanging or very technical. Free-hanging columns of dubious adhesion. This grade requires creative techniques to climb and to find protection. Protection may be non-existent. A very physical and emotional pitch. Total commitment is required. Belays require a very high level of expertise, and may be marginal at best. This grade applies to only a handful of routes led by an even fewer number of world class climbers. WI 7 is the outer space of ice climbing. General angle: 90++ degrees.
Aid ratings: A1-A5
There are two aid rating systems being employed today: Traditional Aid (A), and Clean Aid (C). Traditional Aid allowing use of a hammer; Clean Aid does not involve use of a hammer. Otherwise, the two seem to correspond well with the numbers:
A/C1. Straightforward aiding; secure gear and lots of it; little chance of falling.
A/C2. More involved aiding; minor traverses and/or overhangs; secure gear and lots of it; length of potential fall from crux is short.
A/C3. Technical aiding; traverses and/or overhangs; gear less than optimal; climbing may be thin with run-outs above secure gear; somewhat lengthy potential fall from crux.
A/C4. Very difficult technical aiding; major roofs and/or traverses; poor gear with long run-outs; length of potential fall from the crux may be as long as a full pitch.
A/C5. Involves aid climbing which defies death; a fall would be onto the belay or the ground.
** a plus sign (+) or a minus sign (-) may be used within a(n) A/C grade to indicate a greater or lesser degree of difficulty, respectively.
Protection ratings:
A protection rating indicates the spacing and quality of the protection available, for a well-equipped and skilled leader.
G – Good, solid protection
PG – Pretty good, few sections of poor or non-existent placements
PG13 – OK protection, falls may be long but will probably not cause serious injury.
R – Runout, some protection placements may be very far apart (possibility of broken bones, even when properly protected)
X – No protection, extremely dangerous (possibility of death, even when properly protected)
Commitment ratings: UIAA I-VII
Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme
(UIAA) seems to be the standard from which most commitment ratings are drawn. The commitment rating is intended to describe the overall time commitment of a particular route, including the approach and descent logistics. Generally, the UIAA scheme has been adapted herein in a continued attempt to accord with more widespread rating systems. While there are few, if any, ice routes in the Northeast which are more committing than grade III, the entire scale has been paraphrased here as a reference:
I. Route which may be completed in a matter of a few hours.
II. Route which may be completed in half a day.
III. Route which may require an entire a day.
IV. Route which may be done in a very long day by a fast team, but a bivouac may be needed by teams of average speed.
V. Route which will require at least one bivouac on the route. May require two or three days to complete the route.
VI. Very long alpine climb taking as long as a week to complete.
VII. An alpine climb of epic proportions.
