It started snowing yesterday. Finally. Not sure that we’ll get much, but at least it looks like winter outside. We’ve had temps down to 14 below in town, so it has felt like winter already. It hard to look out the window to no snow and sunny skies. That makes it seem warm outside. Then you go out and your nostrils freeze instantly. And in my nose is not the only places ice has been forming up lately.
I technically spent my second day ice climbing last week, but it was more like my first since last years trip into Death Canyon held only about 15 feet of technical ice, and the rest was just gully grovelling. This most recent trip was great. Right outside of town, on the shores of Fremont Lake, some really nice ice forms up. Josh invited me along and we started the day at a balmy 1 degree above zero.
I had a great time and managed to get to the top of some steep ice and even a pillar without hanging on the rope. Most folks say ice climbing is nothing like rock, but there are some similarities. Endurance, balance, and some technical work with the feet make things a little easier.
Soon we’re off to Southern Utah to ski. Yep. Ski. We planned to meet Ami and Conrad (recently married friends) in St. George to climb, but the weather down there is far snowier than up here, and so we’re going to meet in the middle and ski Brian Head resort, which just got 2 feet of snow. Hopefully the ski season will kick off here soon.
