Sunday Ice Days

[peter]

So, who is organizing regular outings this winter, for ice climbing? CNS has the gear ... Sounds like a couple of weeks to go.

I am in Chamonix, but it has been snowing like hell, shutting upper ski slopes, and causing lots of avalanches. I have waded up to my chest in snow enough this week to actually miss the mild temperatures and ocean access back home.

Have been ice climbing though, today in Switerland, Trient Valley, as well as around Chamonix-Argentiere. Have to decide whether or not to bail and head to another area in the next couple of days. The ice isn't great, and the approaches are difficult. Why aren't there more elevators?

On the bright side, we do get to climb/wade at 1500-3400 metres, giving more than a good work out.

Peter

[Zamboni]

I'd like to know the same thing! Hey Teth you have the gear.. Your the man.. Whats the word? I'd put things together, but I don't think CNS wants somebody who has only been on ice once, putting this together!


Zamboni!

[peter]

I see 58 hits to this post, in less than 24 hours. There has to be interest out there.

Eager? Dorse? Mitt? Graham?

Who's up for it?

Peter

PS Easy but open ice today, on a river running at the Mont Blanc tunnel, then lunch in Italy.

[szymiec]

Hey,

I am into getting this going. I am all set up for some good top roping.

I have a few screws but i am no leader. Still working on the whole -thinking & doing ten things at once- skills.

Regardless, i am ready to go at a moments notice. Once catch, NO CAR! Boing!

Thinking about Halls Harbour this Saturday. Anne?

Chris

[mike]

3 rats and one brat, Peter. Nice one.

For all the organization it takes- why don't we just use this site as the go to guy.

As far as gear- maybe we could leave it at steve-o-renos or some other convienent location. I've got a vacant apartment that hasn't been locked for months. We could leave the gear there. Seems to me that a place for the gear is the only problem, other than Peter's having to wade through waist deep snow to ice climb. (Dood- go skiing!- more fun in deep snow than wading to the base of avi chutes).

Perhaps the other option is to pass the flag around, based on whose here on any given sunday.

I'm willing to help out, but I can't commit to the whole thing, due to the sporadic, spur of the moment, travelling nature of my employment.

Anyone else?
Mike

PS- When is the ice coming anyway- I saw a bit on the bedford highway by the bridge (my ns ice meter), it looks like it's almost ready. Any new news from the valley? What about Parlee beach?

[The Mitt]

When I go have no problems grabbing the gear the night before, I just don't want to be "The One"

Mitt (AKA BRAT

[The Teth]

Conan:

True, we might not want someone who has only climbed ice once to run CNS Ice days, but as a CNS member you could barrow the gear, and you know... see that it gets out to a cliff each weekend. The distinction would be that it would not be a CNS event, which means we can’t lend you the rope (CNS policy) but we can provide the tools, crampons, and helmets. Hopefully you can get someone more experienced out to supervise. If you are interested, then PM me your contact information.

If anyone with more ice experience wants to run CNS Ice days, or a session of CNS Ice days, then let me know.

Teth

[mike]

Just got back from the quarry in Bedford... They've got a new gate but still have a place to park outside it- no trespassing still seems to be in effect. The ice is progressing nicely, but there's not enough depth yet to make it a day out. Doesn't look like it's bonded to the rock that well either. Nice to look at without all the usual snow.

I replaced the hoses that were installed late last year (please don't touch). Hopefully the quarry will have more ice than ever this year.

Mike

[szymiec]

Yeah, we went out the bedford quarry yesterday and nothing much was happening.

There are 2 formations, the one with the hoses was consuming itself due to the high h2o volume and temps. I think it need a few good -10 days to get formed and bonded better. It is currenly about 15M wide.

The other formation was nice as well although being out there yesterday really made me worried about having a bunch of people standing around there. Walking from one ice line to the other, it was very clear that rocks & ice have been falling.

Man that rock is really messed up! Is anyone else concerned about having a crowd out there?

Chris

[mike]

I'd say, based on the no trespassing signs- that a crowd isn't a good idea.

I've spent alot of time in the quarry in the past few years- a few times a week. I've never seen any rockfalls or fresh evidence. That certainly is no measure of whether the rock is going to fall however.

I've done a bit of mixed playing around in there- really not safe- good practice for the mountains though.

So is it ever gonna get cold this winter???????????????
Mike

[peter]

Commitment required:

- to go each week, or ensure a substitute
- to be the refer-to person for people contacting CNS
- to talk it up each week on the website
- watch the tides and conditions and get consensus on location
- ensure knowledgeable people set up the top-ropes
- caution people on hazards as they arise, as a peer not instructor
- keep the gear and bring it, drying out in between

By and large, the task is not onerous.

CNS pays the mileage of the co-ordinator, if that helps.

Peter

PS Dave and I got in a day's climbing near La Grave, Haut-Alpes, on Friday: 300 metre grade 3, with short grade 4 sections: most excellent. It is the f@u&c&k%i$n!g Icefields Parkway, but in France. Miles of routes. Good until March or April. Hint, hint ....

[Fred]

It's plenty cold here Mike. Drive on down some weekend and we can hit some ice.

[mike]

Hmmmm. Where exactly is here? Sounds like a good idea.

Mike

[shannon]

Hi ice climbers,

We plan to be in halifax area the last weekend in January, and my wife would like to have a go at ice climbing. She is a newbie, but has boots, helmet and crampons, harness, and my axes to use. I was hoping that ice sundays would be going, so that she could have a go at it. She gym climbs and is super fit. We live in PEI, so the accessability to ice is limited to Orby head, and right now, getting to it is not the safest thing in the world.

So, I was hoping that she could connect with a group that sunday to spend some quality ice time.

shannon

[The Mitt]

I would say that there is a good bet we will go out. I will not be the organizer however when the ice is fully in I will post here and take out the gear so people may climb, on an as time permits basis. If that's OK with everyone.

[mike]

It's ok with me. I'll do the same.

Where is the gear anyways? And what is the gear? What's CNS got in the ice climbing cache?

Mike

[peter]

CNS has top-ropes, miles of slings, 'biners, etc., as well as spare harnesses, helmets.

It also has a pair of straight ice tools, one pair of alpine style strap on crampons for all boots, and a pair of BD step-ins.

I usually travelled to ice days with a couple of ropes, lots of slings, the ice gear, and enough harness/helmet combinations for three or four people.

[The Teth]

Just a pet theory but.......is it possible that the ice in Nova Scotia isn’t forming because Peter’s not here? Superstition? Are we going to have to wait for next year?