Too Warm? Beware!

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Dangerous Liaisons

Warm spells can create freeze-thaw cycles that are the stuff of new route dreams. But, as NEIce member RAH found last week, underestimating how much warmth is too much could have been fatal.

Now your see it, now your don't!

Now you see it, now you don't!

For the whole story, see RAH’s post:

https://www.neice.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=56833#Post56833

Another close call last winter at Willoughby for NEice member dpowers.  A huge water release: https://www.neice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=6941

December 15, 2010

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Photo of the Week

Twin Towers Poko

Miron on Twin Towers, Poke-O-Moonshine, Adirondacks NY 12/11/10, Photo grzegorz

AAC Grant Deadlines Fast Approaching

The American Alpine Club awards more than $50,000 every year for projects ranging from worldwide exploration to local conservation. The application deadline for two of the AAC’s more prominent grants, the Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Award and McNeill-Nott Award, is January 1, 2011. Deadlines for other AAC grants are quickly approaching.   More…..

December 7, 2010

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Winter! Here it comes…

Mike Garity on an icy Pinnacle Gully, Huntington Ravine, Mt. Washington NH - Alan Cattabriga

Mike Garity topping out on Pinnacle Gully, Huntington Ravine, Mt. Washington NH 12-05-10 - Alan Cattabriga

After the last thaw, most of the good climbing has been up high. That is about to change. After torrential rains last week the cold is back with  a vengeance. A temperature of -4 is forecast for Lake Willoughby VT Thursday night. Look for perfect ice making conditions over the next week.

StandardLine

It's Back!

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The Ice has Returned to the usual Early Season Locations

After a week +  of warm weather, which took it’s toll on what little ice we had, the cold temps have returned! Climbable ice was found in the Adirondacks & Northern New Hampshire over the weekend.

Rowdy Dowdy on the thin start of 'Screw and Climbaxe'. A few worthless stubby screws halfway up. Half a dozen parties climbing the two routes that were 'in'. - rockytop

Rowdy Dowdy on the thin start of 'Screw and Climbaxe'. A few worthless stubby screws halfway up. Half a dozen parties climbing the two routes that were 'in'. - 11/21/10 North Face of Pitchoff, Adirondacks NY - Rockytop

Right on Schedule!

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The Black Dike

Cannon Cliff, Franconia Notch NH

November 3, 2010

Michael Wejchert leading pitch 3 of the "Black Dike" - Photo by Ryan Stefiuk

Michael Wejchert leading pitch 3 of the “Black Dike” – Photo by Ryan Stefiuk

It looks like the 2010-2011 ice season is right on schedule!

“Great conditions were found on the right exit today. Plenty of ice up there. The sun was cooking Fafnir and Quartet, which both have some ice on them.” – Ryan Stefiuk  – Big Foot Mountain Guides

The Black Dike (WI 4-5), Franconia notch NH is usually the first high-quality ice climb to come in and it usually happens this first week of November. We are off to a great start…lets hope it continues!

 

 

YES!

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Let the “Games” begin!

Damnation Gully – Huntington Ravine, Mt Washington NH

Sunday October 10, 2010

AlfonzoEarlyIce1

Alfonzo finds some early ice on Damnation Gully, Huntington Ravine 10/10/10 – Doug Millen

 

While others were climbing warm rock at Rumney, or having their Sunday coffee, Alfonzo, the alpine junkie was in his element climbing some early season ice. We found more ice than expected, and it was well bonded, but by mid morning the sun was starting to take it’s toll. Looks like a great start to the season. Look for more photos in the gallery .

Doug Millen

NEIce Season Round-up

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NEIce 2009-2010 Round-up

tablets

Most of the Tablets at Lake Willoughby lying at the base a week ago. Photo by RAH.

NEIce opened the season with a new website as it reached the 10-year anniversary milestone, a fact which stands as a tribute to the region’s wonderful ice climbing community.  Temperatures this weekend hit an unusual mark for April reaching above 80 degrees Fahrenheit in New England. While there are still pockets of solid ice to be found on Mt. Washington, we take a look back at the highs and lows of the past season.

This past winter got off the an early start in mid-October but was slow to kick off as most routes didn’t form until early December.

Photo of the Week 3/10/2010

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Medusa

Climbing the wild ice on 'Medusa', Wi4, on the Gaspe' Peninsula, Canada. (Photo by MtnRkr) Climbing the wild ice on ‘Medusa’, Wi4, on the Gaspe’ Peninsula, Canada. (Photo by MtnRkr)

Lots of NEIce members were out there getting after it this past week.  Travelling to the Gaspe’, Canadian Rockies, and also nearer to home on Mt. Webster in N.H.

Alfonzo gives a great Trip Report of a posse of NEicer’s sending on Mt. Webster: Mt. Webster’s new Kick My Pick Hole route

Chance meeting in the Canadian Rockies: RaginTurk and Spectre run into Ridgerunner and LarryB

Photo of the Week – 3/3/10

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Mike Rawdon on "The White Fang", Underwood Canyon, Adirondacks, N.Y.

Mike Rawdon leading up "The White Fang", at Underwood Canyon, Adirondacks, N.Y. The route offered a spicey start for the given grade of, yup, 4+. hmmm?

Another photo of White Fang: Mike R. checking out the start. Not for everyone.

Looking up the fang.Looks steep!

-Nearing the end of the season is a bittersweet time as we get psyched for all the hard climbing being done when fitness levels reach a peak for many climbers just as the ice starts to bake in the longer, sunny days toward springtime.  Seek out those north-facing flows for safer days.  Also, don’t forget, it’s this time of year when an awesome day of plastic ice  in the morning and sunny rock in the afternoon can be done for a special two-fer day out.

Things are hot down in Southwestern Pennsylvania lately too… and we’re not talking about the temps!  Check out Ian Austin’s steep new route,“Double-A” which the duo have given a WI6.

Then there’s the wild projects the crew is working on down there! Check out Joe Torretti getting after it!   A Meadow Run project

Photo of the Week 2/25/10

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Matt McCormick on the first ascent of "Hydropower", M9-, Wi5 in the Black Chasm, Catskills, NY.

Matt McCormick on the first ascent of "Hydropower", M9, Wi5- in the Black Chasm, Catskills, NY. Photo by Ryan Stefiuk

StandardLineNews & Information

Hydropower M9 WI5-

Erik Weihenmayer Climbs Ben Nevis

Home Made Tools

Hydrophobia at “The Lake”

Mahoosic Notch, Maine – eguide

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