Cloudsplitter Mountain Guides

Mike eyes a hollow ice tube on one of Cascade Waterfalls many steps.

Aside from his contributions world-wide to hard alpine & ice climbing, Jeff Lowe helped usher in modern mixed climbing in the Adirondacks too and pioneered world-class routes at Poke-O-Moonshine and Chapel Pond. Support his new project- Metanoia- refelecting on the transformative exoperiences of badass alpine climbing- at jeffloweclimber.com

I came across this old gem recently his Ice World: Techniques and Experiences of Modern Ice Climbing (p. 106)

'It has often been said that climbing itself is the best training for climbing. But this is not always true...Coordination between eye and hand or foot and tool is enhanced by the practice of other sports and activities that use tools... All depend on the dynamic manipulation of an object or tool through space and time using either hands or feet. Skiing is the best parallel sport for normal alpine ice climbing, as it involves both hands and feet in precise, simultaneous, balanced movements, coordinated through sight and sensation.'

'Rough carpentry definitely helps in learning to swing tools accurately and with subtle power, while cabinet making and fine woodworking are excellent introductions to the subtle qualities of well-designed tools and their interface with the medium being worked.'

Timeless advice, even if they are using leashes in all the 'old' photos.

Lori (from the Mountaineer) high on Gothic's North Face in 'scrappy but fun' early-season conditions last Saturday. Photo: ED

That foot of snow at Thanksgiving was a good start to the winter season. Of course, that's long gone now, as recently the weather has been...well, kinda warm, but undeniably pleasant compared to recent Decembers. Here in the Adirondacks since then we've had a few dustings of snow (a little more up high)- which is lingering on the north facing aspects. Lately days have been sunny with highs in the 30's- a little warm for winter on the southern aspects- but clear cold nights and lingering cold on northern aspects and at higher elevations continues (as does snowmaking at Whiteface). As long as it doesn't get too warm, the freeze-thaw cycles may help to keep the ice growing and plastic. There's enough thin ice and snow out there now that parties are (justifiably) scrapping around in the usual early season places.

With the right attitude and wise choices on objectives and expectations- there's plenty of 'winter climbing' to do. This is a great time of year for mixed climbing - especially those scrappy traditional mixed routes so well described by Don Mellor as 'not really an ice climb...but nothing you'd want to climb in summer either.' In the higher alpine we climb in crampons all of the time- so learning to move efficiently over rock and mixed terrain in crampons (and with tools) is valuable practice- and a lot of fun too! (For example, with the record snow cover in the Tetons last year, we climbed in crampons quite a bit last early season out there....check the video of other early season 'Teton Trilogies' last season climbing with Dan and Richard- in cooperation with Exum Guides.)

We usually emphasixe climbing this time of year and the skiing is more for personal training or fitness until the backcountry comes into shape. Skiers around here these days are warming up by skinning for early morning turns at the ski area, hammering the lifts and taking the 'rock skis' for a golf-course tour or up the Whiteface toll road.

Of course the talk all around town these days is about when real winter will arrive. In the last few years, winter came in strong and early- maybe that's has changed our expectations a little? Admittedly I've lost perspective over years- at  times it's lean and at times it dumps- in the end, it should all even out. Certainly being a 'jack or jill of all trades'- as a skier and climber- makes for more options throughout the season and in variable conditions.

In wondering if this December is 'typical' - I've been looking through the video archives- a good way to daydream about what can be done over the years. I found three clips- from three different past Decembers- that highlight the variability to be expected in an 'atypical' season.

Whatever the conditions, you can trust that we'll be out there, working with our guests to make the most of their days in the mountains- from introductions to ice climbing for novices to multi-pitch ice and mixed routes for experienced climbers. - JW