• SKIING THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA PART 1
• GETTING INTO WINTER CLIMBING SHAPE WITH FA GUIDE CHAD PEELE
• CARSTENSZ PYRAMID THE HEROES PROJECT EXPEDITION IN THREE ACTS
• KYLE MILLER ON FIRST FILM PREMIERE AND TRANSITIONING FROM SKI BUM TO PRO ATHLETE
• BE FIRST RECIPIENT JON TURK RECAPS HIS EPIC, FIRST CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF ELLESMERE ISLAND
• TAHOE GUIDE MEETING DAY 2 THE GUIDE BUILT PROCESS

As summer passed and fall arrived, I found myself sharpening my ice picks and dusting off my tools. Fall is a great time to begin a training program and get outside in preparation for the upcoming winter. For me, this meant joining the local cross fit “cult” and dry tooling at the local crag. Dry tooling is a great way to get direct strength for ice climbing and is perfect for off-season training, as it doesn’t necessarily require ice. When dry tooling, climbers climb steep to overhanging rock with their ice tools and can work on grip strength, footwork and overall endurance. With a dedicated (and hopefully fun workout), one can strengthen and improve one’s performance in anticipation of the upcoming season.

As the temperatures dropped and the water began to freeze, my friends and I started to incorporate actual ice climbing into our program. Early-season ice can be a lot of fun (think of the first day of spring when you put on cotton shorts, except the opposite!), as nothing compares to actual ice climbing.

Every year the Ice Breaker Festival in Bozeman, Montana is hosted in Hyalite Canyon where ice and mixed routes can be found for all abilities.

My good friend and climbing partner Andres Marin and I flew in from Colorado champing at the bit: either of us had climbed in Montana before and we were both excited. We arrived in Bozeman in the early afternoon and proceeded to dump our duffels at the hotel and scout out the local scene. Our first stop was Barrel Mountaineering to inquire about local conditions and check out some last-minute gear additions. Unfortunately, as we were browsing the store, we learned of a tragic accident that had happened earlier that day in Hyalite Canyon. World-renowned ice climber Guy Lacelle had been swept off his feet and over cliffs by an avalanche and sustained fatal injuries. At 54, Guy was still one of the strongest climbers around and was a well-known personality at ice climbing locations and events around the world.

Our fire of energy and excitement was quickly extinguished. It was a crushing blow to the climbing community, and the sadness of Guy’s passing was evident everywhere. While the festival coordinators decided how best to proceed with the fatality and high avalanche danger, Andres and I discussed our motivations and desires for the next several days. Although I did not know Guy as well as I would have wished, Andres did, and felt strongly that Guy would not have wanted sadness to interfere with one’s climbing, especially during a festival. We both agreed to get back on the horse and start exploring Hyalite the next day while doing some climbing. Given the recent accident and the current avalanche conditions, we chose a climbing area that was safer than others in regards to avalanche potential, while hosting a high density of quality routes.

The next day we woke up and drove into Hyalite Canyon, about 45 minutes from Bozeman. Andres and I were impressed with the beauty of the area and the quantity of visible ice dripping from the walls and peaks above us. After a quick tour around the ice clinics and many social greetings, we headed over to our climbing destination. Here, we chatted with climbers, climbed several good routes on both ice and mixed terrain, and had a killer time. Hyalite was definitely getting the nod from both Andres and me.

The next day we got an early start, picked up fellow RMI guides and good friends Jason Thompson and Tyler Jones, and headed into the canyon to capture Hyalite’s classic routes. We busted a move to the unnamed wall and proceeded to climb:

The Good-looking One: A great 45-meter grade WI5 route of solid steep ice with nice hooks.

The Thrill is Gone: Another area mega classic (35-meter M4 WI4) that starts off on straight but steep rock and moves to thin ice.

Magically Delicious: A cool moderate route with thin and shallow ice in a right facing corner. This one was cool, as the delicate start has no gear and climbers need to have their head screwed on right (or wrong?) for this one.

The Roman Candle: This is a relatively new mixed route put up last year by a local Bozeman climber. It starts off on steep rock and quickly turns overhanging. As you move up, you delicately shift onto a free-hanging ice dagger, rest as much as possible and then fire onto good and then “scratchy” micro holds to continue onto the chains. Although it was rated M8, this was a hard route and both Andres and I had fun “working” it.

Meeting new climbers, exploring a new area, and climbing with good friends is what the climbing is all about. Friends, fun, laughter and living while experiencing life together is and should always be the ultimate goal regardless of the pursuit.

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