Winter Losing its Grip?

Last week, I skied in the Sandias where the unforecasted storm dumped a mere 36" of snow in a single storm. I was using a shop-vac to get the standing water off my roof. Having construction on the house doesn't help in times like this and there was a load of leaks until the water could be taken off the flat territorial New Mexican 1980's style roof They didn't build a pitch in the roof for drainage back then for some stupid reason.

Photo by Jason Nelson. The new caved coined the "Hall of Justice" because of the Superhero theme that Nelson started when putting up the first mixed routes.


Driving into Ouray, Colorado this week, I was shocked to find no snow in town and a dwindling Ice Park from RAIN !? The temps in Ouray have been balmy and it hasn't been freezing for nights on end. The Ice Park that was open to ice climbing is now closed to the public until conditions improve since the ice has dwindled to look like a late Spring melt-down. The avalanche danger is high to extreme so I'm glad I'm climbing rock with ice tools once again.

Meanwhile, I came to climb with Jason Nelson. He has put up a climb, "Holy Girl Pile, Batman" WI4 M12, in a remote cave that I have been wanting to get on for nearly two years. I figured it would be a good time since I am getting ready to return to the International World Ice Climbing Competition as there is really only 2 or 3 routes of this difficulty in the USA. The difference is that climbing outside is really nothing like climbing in a IWC. On real rock one can spend a lot of energy looking for the next hold. It would be rare that someone would be able to walk up to a climb rated M12 and be successful on the first attempt.

The climbing is awesome and highly exposed. The climbing is overhanging from the time one gets on the route. After the 6th bolt the climbing gets intense and technical. I had a good time working through the route and figuring out where the holds were and how the moves go.

We're also putting more bolts/extensions in the routes he already has established. This cave is going to be a spectacular place to train for IWC. I was in Vail last week and decided that it would be o.k. for training too, but the harsh reality, is that I'm still not really sure of how to train the best, most optimally, for the IWC. On-sighting climbs is a great skill, but there's more to it than just being able to read where the route goes, and more to it than brute strength. Technique and confidence may trump everything.

having my confidence shattered in several venues over the years, its hard to pick oneself up out of the mental mud pit and persevere. But this isn't an option I'm talking about, it's a mandatory shift in daily perception. Gotta' get up every day punch that clock and figure out how to be the best with what ya got.

There's no coach to tell me how or when to train, watch what I eat so I don't develop a worse blood dyscrasia, how to work around a fused cervical spine, or an aging body. The love of the mixed climbing movement keeps my spirit high. Really, it's this sport that saved me from a bitter otherwise. Thanks to all those whose shoulders I stand on, those who continue to develop this sport of mixed rock and ice climbing, and those who hold the key to be my inspiration.

What keeps us going is the personal challenges that we set for ourselves. New Year's Eve is coming and so is the time to consider what challenges will make us rise to the occasion and better ourselves.