My Ice climbing season started in November with some fun well known climbs around Field, Canmore and Banff. But, by far the most fun I’ve ever had ice climbing in 2013 while pioneering a new area near Golden we have titled “Emotions Craig.

This ice wall was spotted by Larry Dolecki while ski touring on an adjacent mountain in 2010 and together we made the first foray into this area (via helicopter) to pioneer some never before climbed ice. We named the area “Emotions Craig” and thoroughly enjoyed our chosen first route aptly named “Empathy” The name for this route came at about 3:15pm on February 1st after 6 hours of climbing and at the base of the upper curtain Class WI V curtain. Feeling the strain in my forearms but blaming the lack of daylight I wanted to chase the left line of ice up a narrower chute which looked closer to class WI III+ ice which would save time and my forearms. In my argument to Larry in the lead I announced “if you have any empathy you will take the left line” to which he responded “no I’m taking the right line and I’m calling this climb cruelty” – we took the left line and aptly named the atheistically pleasing Class WI IV climb “Empathy”. I returned to the area again in late February with Norman Winter and we chose a very aggressive line up this same upper curtain and aptly named our route “Cruelty” and it was just that. Also in February Norm and I put up Serenity a nice curtain about 100M away from Empathy. There is so much more to do in this area and this is definitely the most fun I’ve ever had ice climbing. The exact location we are keeping a secret for a while longer. I’m itching to get out again – enjoy the pictures.

I’m not sure how many more days I will get out on the ice and am already planning my rock season with John Furneaux. Included on the agenda for 2013 is the Becky Choinard route on the Eisenhower Tower which we got weathered out on previously and chose Devils Tower instead, our second major objective is El Capitan – the nose and maybe something in Spain for some deep water soloing. Squamish will again be my primary choice for getting my rock strength up to speed.

Stay tuned….