Ouray Ice Fest 2011

Crystal and I ventured down south for the annual Ouray Ice climbing festival this past weekend.  Ouray is this quant little town in the San Juan Mountains that has a box canyon within walking distance to downtown.  In winter the water is diverted from an aquaduct over the canyon walls forming an amazing amount of ice climbing.  I had been to the festival a couple years past but this year was more interesting, probably because I have more ice experience, but mostly because a few friends decided to make the trek out there with us.  Jason, BV and his girlfriend Ryann joined us.  Climbing can be a little challenging during the Ice Fest due to crowds but since we had a larger group we were able to claim a couple routes, climb them, and then trade within our group when we were done.  Ironically you don’t come to the festival if you are looking to do a ton of climbing and avoid crowds.   Nope.  You go to the festival to take advantage of the ridiculously inexpensive clinics taught by people you only meet in climbing magazines, the free gear demos (tools, crampons, jackets, and pretty much anything else), and the slide shows/movie premiers.  Crystal and I took an Ice technique classes, mine with Heidi Weirtz, and hers with Kim Reynolds.  I also took a Leading Ice clinic with Mark Wilford.  I feel like I took a lot away from these clinics despite ice climbing for 4 seasons.  I would highly recommend them, especially since they only run $40 for 3 hours.  This is pretty cheap compared to what guides are charging throughout CO.  As an aside Ouray now has two breweries!!  Who would've thought.  The Ouray Brewery is the more prominent one on main st.  The beer is good, the atmosphere eh, the server bitchy, but the growlers only $10.  Then there is the Ourayle House Brewery a couple steps off of Main where the beer is hit or miss, but the bar tender is friendly, and the atmosphere is "hole in the wall eclectic".  Anyway, we had fun!  Role the pictures...

There were lots of venders present with plenty of gear available to demo.  You could literally show up with nothing and get outfitted for the day.

Just to show how busy this place gets during the fest.

This is the Competition route.  There is a climber on it at the very bottom of the ice pillar.  The two guys hanging out are actually at the mid-point of the route where contestants change ropes to avoid ropedrag on this ridiculously long route.

Jason was a little nervous on the snowy drive home.  Not sure if it was my driving or all the sharp objects in the trunk.

10 Days

So it's been 10 days and I have gotten out 6 days total.  So far a cold day of skiing at Copper which was ok...We have gotten so spoiled by the storms that anything under 5 inches is uninteresting.  I mean this is the first season I haved craved big skis...like 130 underfoot big.  Anyway, the day started with the car thermometer reading -7.  I ended up with 15,810 feet of vertical descent which I don't think was bad for a day you wished you had a down suit.  I also have logged 5 days of Ice climbing and 16 pitches.  It has been cold in Denver so the falls in Clear Creek Canyon froze up.  Brandon and I took advantage of the cold snap and got on the first pitch of Coors Lite which was thin but climbable.  The other 4 days were at the Ouray Ice Fest which I will post a trip report of seperately. 

Here are some pics...the first pitch of this climb has three separate steps and the pictures only show the first.

Me on Coors Lite

Brandon getting on his first ice climb ever.

New Years Resolutions...

I don't have a New Years Resolution this year, instead I am giving myself a challenge. I'm calling it my 1K Challenge. 

Rules of the game:
100 sport climbing pitches
100 trad climbing pitches
100 boulder problems
100 ice climbing pitches
100 road bike rides
100,000 feet of elevation gain on my mountainbike
100,000 feet of elevation gain while mountaineering
300,000 feet of ski descent

-Sport and trad have to be led and no pitch repeated.
-Boulder problems cannot be repeated
-Ice climbs can be repeated and toproped
-Road rides are 20+miles. I’m going to count riding to work and back as a ride (30mi RT)
-Ski descent can be lift served or backcountry
-one trip can count for several categories...for example skin in, do a couple pitch ice climb and then ski the summit back to the car. This would count for mountaineering elevation, the pitches of ice, and ski descent.  Backcountry skiing counts for mountaineering and ski elevation.

The major challenges with this are going to be the ice pitches and the climbing.  I will only have at most 6 months to get all of the ice pitches in and condition of ice plays a factor. You can hike 2 hours into an ice fall and find a waterfall...day failed.  Another issue is Colorado weather has a tendency to shut you down, rain/snow is not conducive to climbing, warmth ruins ice and skiing, and avalanche danger dictates backcountry skiing and winter mountaineering options.  A degree of willingness to recreate in uncomfortable yet safe conditions will be required. This will be a shift from the usual, which is....  "hey it looks [cold/hot/wet/cloudy/windy/shady/sun exposed/crowded/deserted/bold/uninteresting/other minor complaint] maybe we should go into town and [get lunch/grab a beer/ go to the gear shop/shop/other less interesting but more comfortable activity]....partner agrees.

Wish me luck.  I will update my progress as I go.

Boxing Day in Steamboat Springs

First I need to apologize for the lack of posts over the last month.  I actually have been up to things, just haven't got around to posting.  I don't feel all that bad considering only 3 people look at the blog so far.  To make up for it I am going to post several reports at the same time.

Crystal and I headed to Steamboat springs on Boxing Day (12/26).  We arrived late due to the inability to drag our asses out of bed so we spent the first day cruising around town and reacquainting ourselves with the town since it had been a couple years. 

We had been planning this trip for a little while and unfortunately no snow was in the forecast.  Ah the realities of planning ski trips in advance....sigh.  The upside is we took advantage of a friend's timeshare and had a one bedroom condo within walking distance of the slops for $85/nt.  That's cheaper then the Motel 6 people. SCORE!  Anyway, we lucked out on the first morning with 3 inches of freshies.  After a good day we made the short hike into Fish Creek Falls to see if it was frozen and adequate for climbing as we had brought our ice gear.  Unfortunately the falls were not in condition but we will be back considering the approach is 5 minutes and practically in town.  In defeat we headed to Mahogony Ridge Brewery which was recommended by a local friend of ours as the best happy hour in steamboat.  We definitely were not disappointed with 1/2 price beers (which were ok), and $1 tappas which were amazing.  Fulfilled we headed to Strawberry Springs for the rest of the evening.  For those of you who haven't been there Strawberry Springs is a privately owned hotsprings on the edge of a creek just outside of Steamboat.  The road requires 4x4, (not sure why) and once you get there you are greeted by a grumpy old man who explains the less-than-enforced rules with a stern face.  Bring a flashlight as there is no lighting whatsoever.  There really is nothing like soaking in 100+ degree water after a hard day of skiing and eating.  And just so you know, it is clothing optional after dark, although I didn't notice anyone partaking in this option.

Here are a few pics from the trip...

Crystal getting fresh tracks in Chute 1

Winter Storms

Unlike last ski season the storms seem to be piling up and fortunately they have been hitting on the days I am off of work.  Here are a few photos from a powder day last Tuesday when Copper got 13 inches of snow.  Unfortunately both Brian and I forgot our cameras so all these pics were taken with my Iphone.

There is a very promising storm enroute to Colorado this week with predictions of 2-4 feet of snow by Thursday.  With the snow forcasters literally advising to quit your job in order to not miss the snow I am planning on getting out on the ice and snow this weekend with another post soon to follow.

-Mike

HAWAII!!!

The view from our Waikiki Beach hotel.  We only paid $64 a night which is why I won't be posting any pictures of the room itself.

Hawaii seemed like a bit of a generic destination but we came across a good deal on airfare and went for it.  The itinerary was originally more rugged including 2 backpacking trips.  Unfortunately the backcountry campsite was closed on the Kalalau trail and we ended up with only a day or two of camping which didn't seem worth it to drag our backpacking gear several thousand miles.  We ended up hiking the trails but just in a day hiking capacity.

The USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri

The exposed portion or the Arizona

Oil leaking from the Arizona

Crystal exploring the submarine USS Bowfin

Crystal scouting for incoming aircraft...

 We flew to Kona on the Big Island and drove to Volcanoes National Park.  On the way we stopped at one of the National Historical Sites.

Waipi'o Valley.  We hiked down to the beach in the lower left corner.

The Waipi'o Valley was one of the trails we initially were going to backpack but ended up just hiking down the the beach which ended up being satisfying enough.  The trail is seen in the above picture crisscrossing up the opposite side of the valley. 

We stopped by a coffee plantation on our last morning in Kona.  Considering how much coffee I drink on a regular basis, you would think I would be more knowledgeable on coffee production.  The farm was very cool and the staff actually stopped bagging coffee to show us around and explain how the roasting process works...very cool.

COFFEE!!  The red one is ripe for picking.

After the beans is extracted from the cherries they are dried out.

Spotted this little guy hanging out where the coffee was drying.

Old school roaster

The Kona airport is entirely open air...very cool until it rains.

An old lava flow that came across the road.

Almost a quarter mile deep in a lava tube.  I'm glad the battery in my headlamp held out.

 One night while we were in Kona we went on a night snorkel with manta rays.  I don't have any pictures but if you ever are on the island you HAVE to do this.  We basically floated around on the surface and watched 2 manta rays swim in loops eating plankton that was attracted to our lights.  The two manta rays were 8 and 12 feet wide and came within feet of us.

This is the boat we went out on to do a night snorkel with the manta rays.

 After 3 days on the Big Island we caught yet another flight and spent 4 days on Kauai.  Most of which was in Hanalei where we rented a condo.

Baby Bird

The Wishing Well.  The best shaved ice I have ever had.

Queens Bath is a tide pool on the north shore large enough to swim in.

The sobering warning before you head out on the rocks.  Not recommended when the waves are big.

Waimea Canyon, this place would make a sweet backpacking trip.

Shipwreck beach.  These waves were rough and were crashing in about a foot of water.  I cringed as these guys tried to surf.  If they didn't catch the waves they were punished.

Also at shipwreck beach

On our last day in Kauai we hiked the Kalalau Trail.  This trail is covered in several outdoor magazines and said to be one of the most difficult trails in the country.  You can hike 11 miles to a secluded beach where you can camp.  Unfortunately the beach was closed when we were there so we hiked the trail to another trail to a 120 foot waterfall, 8 miles roundtrip.  It was rocky, muddy, wet, with several river crossings. 

On our last day we decided to hike Kalalau trail to a 120 foot waterfall...It was muddy but a great time.