People say that your dreams, are the only things that save ya. - The Arcade Fire
At Shenandoah Mountain Guides we live our dreams. Many nights we dream of climbing ice, and in Virginia and West Virginia we have climbed a lot of it. We don't lead guided ice trips, sorry, too dangerous, but here's a couple pictures I couldn't help but put up.
The above picture is one I am proud of, as the route was very hard for me. Protected by rock gear, I lobed off the lower rock holds three years in a row! On the day I finally climbed it I first backed down scared. Second try I took the whipper (lead fall) and for the first time in my climbing career, a piece of gear pulled. The fall was arrested quickly by the piece just below, which was in a much better crack. I stepped up shaking for my third go, it would be the last either way.
I have nothing to compare to the feeling of completing a route like that, but I love it, and I think it's why I love to show others climbing so much.
The climb was a first ascent, and I named it
Fire and Ice.
The next two pictures are also on ice formations we are very likely to be the first to have climbed, although, they are on a very recognizable rock out-cropping, which can be easily seen from a road. On the right side of the cliff Jeremy's
Medicine Man overlooks a beautiful view and is climbed via a steep ice ramp leading to a thin pillar finish.
On the left side of the cliff I climbed through some reachy rock moves that lead to the windblown icicle pictured behind me below. After a couple delicate moves to get out on the ice I enjoyed a deep breath, the valley view, and thirty feet of fun, easier climbing. I named the route
The Snotcicle, you will know why if you see it.
Now that the snow and ice are melting, we have started to have rock dreams. Here's a couple friends chilling on the top after a great climb up the prow above the Cacapon river.
