Ouray Ice Fest held this weekend
(Above is a local clip from the 2009 Ice Festival.)
The first time I ever swung an axe at ice, I was surprised. It felt good…really good. It was so different from rock climbing; instead of my hand fumbling, fingers aching, trying to find something to hold onto, the axe made a nice “clink” sound, sticking perfectly into the ice and giving me purchase. I felt like a superhero as I picked my way to the top of the frozen waterfall, right axe, left axe, then moving up with my feet, digging in with the teeth of my right crampon, then the left. It was oddly meditative and beautiful, despite the exertion and the cold. Why, I wondered, isn’t everyone doing this?