Ice is Nice

Brrrrrrrr

Ice climbing is the ticket to staying sane through the cold winter months.  We got out last week for great season opener of 12 degrees.  Chewtoy got a rude wake up as we exited the Matrix and stepped into the howling wind.

 This is the team that showed up as we finished on Little Black Dike.  Two nice guys from Oneonta, NY.  They were glad everything was freezing up well after climbing in the rain the Sunday before.

Stony Clove is coming into shape very nicely but the approach up the talus was all rock and the descent was horrible.  Powder covered rocks with a dash of ice lead to a 20 minute slow plod which lead to a couple of tree grabbing slips and a good rip in Jeff's belay jacket.  A good dumping of snow will do the entire area some good from helping to fuel the forming of ice to making the descent the fun glissade it should be .