Sunday, February 21, 2010

Waterfall Ice Climbing In The Canadian Rockies


For most of us ice climbers, the Canadian Rockies is an ice mecca! For those who have not visited, there are some many amazing climbs waiting for you to experience. Sadly, the most recent ice climbing guide has gone out of print, yes, supposodley there is a new one on the way, but from past experiences this could be a while. Here is a link, for those without access to the guidebook, looking to plan a trip to climb some ice in these parts. It outlines many of the classy routes and some other great information collected on a web page from the 1999 Ice Climbing Guide.  All the pages are easily printable and covers most areas worth visiting. I hope this helps, ENJOY!

Link: Waterfall Ice Climbs Page

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Music!

Easily my favorite Punk band, Strike Anywhere has been lighting it up for years now and judging by their new album they wont be stopping anytime soon. With a progressive style and meaningful vocals, the long dreaded lead singer and and energetic band is a treat to see live every single time! I will include a few of my favorites here from three different albums for your listening pleasure, enjoy it!!!!
ALLEN



Prince George, B.C - Rock & Ice Climbing Up North!



The Prince George area in northern B.C is a little off the map for most of us, but for those who might venture that way here are a couple of guidebooks/topos to get you out climbing.


Mt.Pope
The rock climbing is concentrated amongst a few crags, with some really good bouldering near town. If you are willing to go the distance, PG is surrounded by three big mountain ranges; The Rockies, Coast Mountains and The Cariboos. Lots of untouched lines for those willing to seek them out. Included here is the climbing area & bouldering close to town: The Giscome Boulders; which are quite developed and host many good problems, & The Roadside Bluffs; pretty short but sweet, and just above the boudlers,  Also, nearby Mt.Pope is known to have a couple of really good multi-pitch routes. Combined with a few nights camping and some paddling on the nearby Fraser or Holmes Rivers, you could definitley have a fun outdoor adventure here. If you can find 'CENTRAL BC ROCK' by Lyle Knight which is out of print. There is a lot of good info in there about climbing near PG.

As far as the ice climbing is concerned, for people with a sled and a keen sense of adventure, there are limitless possibilities, along with the ACC guide included here that should keep you occupied for a while.
Have fun and enjoy this wonderful area!






Friday, February 12, 2010

Revy Ice Climbing Video!

Me and my climbing bro Pat have been ice climbing a whole lot around Revelstoke. We have been getting on some epic routes that have not seen many ascents. Adventuring around here has been a lot of fun, no real information, just going out and climbing whatever we could find. Although it is getting warmer, the ice season has been exceptionally generous to us. Pat has put together a few raw but great videos with music and such of our adventures. Give them a watch and share the fun we have had this winter, there will be more to come!! LAteR ALLEN

Link to Video: Vimeo Ice Video

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Rock Climbing - INDEX, Washington!


Index is a very popular climbing destination just north east of the big city of Seattle. The walls here have been getting climbed for many years but locals have done a very good job on keeping it a secret. Granite cliffs towering above the little town of Index (pop. 160) have brought climbers from all over to test their mettle against the gnarly big walls full of amazing climbs for many years. Index is just off the Steven Pass Highway 55 miles northeast of Seattle and it hosts great camping, lots of routes and a wonderful atmosphere. This area has a very similar climate to Squamish with the moss filled forests and lots of rain with the driest times coming during the summer months. Leavenworth is just a little drive away and hosts a much drier climate if you get rained out. Bouldering, awesome cracks and vertical faces await, and with this link to a very good guidebook page, you should have enough beta to get out and enjoy this great place. If you need more "Sky Valley Rock" by Darryl Cramer is a more recent full length guidebook. ENJOY!



Monday, February 1, 2010

Escalades Du GLACE Dans Quebec! ICE Climbing In Quebec!


Here is a awesome installment of some Quebec ice climbing topos. The climbing here is amazing, along with hundreds of classic routes, Quebec is also home to one of the biggest ice/mixed festivals in the world called 'Festiglace', just north of Quebec City. With dependable winters, lots of ice and tons of motivated climbers Quebec is a ice climbing destination worth a visit. These topos should be enough to get you started, they cover a little from all over the province and a number of classics! For all those that dont know any french, I apologize, because these are all in French.....

Link: Quebec City Area Ice    Link: Maurice Ice        

Link: Charlevoix Ice

Link: Nipissis River Ice           Link: Gaspe Ice           

Link: Chaudiere-Appalachain Ice

Link: Cote Nord Ice               Link: Bas Saint Laurent Ice




Along with the topos provided here there are some great websites that offer lots of beta, photos and current conditions, just to name a few:
http://escaladequebec.com/
http://grimpesurglace.com/
http://neice.com/
http://fqme.qc.ca/