On Ice Climbing.

Although I'm a climbing arborist by trade, this winter I've been dabbling in ice climbing quite a bit, and I must say, I am fastinated.

Waterfall ice especially has me most captivated; climbing and hearing the roar of the water beneath. The banks of the gorge deep with shale and ledgerock, covered in some hemlock and laurel and by now of course the late January snow. Some so deep they see little sun and so the ice lays heavy and sure.

Climbing like this I believe helps my body especially with regards to arboriculture work, where most of the climbing in the canopy takes place on the rope itself, which is much more a tool rather than something to just fall back on. Climbing ice on crampons and axes is more delicate, forcing my style to take on a light and rigid character, very independent of the rope in a sense and much more about the medium of the ice. I like this ability to experience the different styles, so that they can compliment each other.

The small window of time too, the water freezes and it seems like it should be taken advantage of. The experience of climbing on a medium that is very indefinate as far as the seasons are concerned, yet in a moment on ice, time somewhat stands still.