Orient Bay Ice Climbing Festival?

[Ibex]

Does anybody know about an Ice Fest in Orient Bay (Nipigon, Ontario) this year?

Shawn

[wdietsch]

Shawn,

I don't know anything about a festival in Nipigon but there is the Michigan Ice Fest held the first weekend every February at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore located on the Upper Pennisula between Munising and Marquette, in particular near the Sand Point/Two Lakes area off of H-58.

This year the fest is Jan 31- Feb 3. If you are interested you can contact the fellas at Down Wind Sports in Marquette MI http://www.downwindsports.com/)or the National Park Service. Shoot me a fax number and I can fax you all the info that you would get from the Park Service to save you the hassle. Go to Down Wind's website and look at their fall newsletter for more details.

I have never been to this Fest but I am planning to go this year if I can coordinate it with a trip back to my company's headquarters located in Kalamazoo. Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo.Not that it means a whole lot but in the past they've had likes of Pete Takada and Barry Blanchard

Hope this helps,

Wes

[ 12-04-2001: Message edited by: wdietsch ]

[Scott_J]

God Dam, wdietsch, the Yoopers will love to see ya ice climbing freaks. When I was a youth in da UP I was looked upon as a fucking misfit of society. First mistake was showing this weird interest in the local rocks and dangling off of them and then trying to use my grandfather's geology tool for a ice axe. And the final straw was getting interested on catching trout and releasing the big ones cause I figuered they worked hard to get that big why should I kill 'em, so I killed the little ones and ate them. Have fun in the UP. They serve lots of "greesey" food. Eat at The Dogpatch in Munsing, when in Marquette eat at Togo's, Szchuan,Sweet Water Cafe( all these are on Third St in Marquette) and if you like Italian that offers a great fillet go to the Villa Capri on US 41 still in Marquette.Stay away from Negaunee and Ishpeming. I grew up in and around these towns and they are nothing but trouble. Drunk out of work miners, laborers, lumber jacks just itching for a fight with out of towners. I learned my street fighting ways in these two towns. the cops in Negaunee don't know what a Miranda act is either. Out of towner, hell you resisted arrest and were hurting a local.Marquette is a nice town but dead after 7PM unless you to the bars...lots of young college girls that will love to see the bashed knuckles of a REAL ice climber. Have fun and bash the ice.Nearly forgot a few things: The National Ski Hall of Fame is located in Ishpeming on US 41. Lots of history there about skiing and the mountain division from WWII.Secondly, Negaunee has a man made luge run that is used for the US Olympic Training Centre. I have heard that if one has the desire and the $ you can do it from the 1/2 way point. And last but not at all least you can go down hill skiing at Marquette Mountain(haha), XC skiing(either on your own or on trails)OR go watch or do ski jumping in Ishpeming. I believe the three jumps I remember as a youth are still there.anyway hve fun sisu

[ 12-04-2001: Message edited by: sisu suomi ]

[ 12-04-2001: Message edited by: sisu suomi ]

[carolyn]

shawn, The Orient Bay Ice Fest is March 4-10.

I havent been to the fest in past years, but Ive climbed in the area a bit.

The ice has been forming VERY slowly due to lack of precip and the unusually high temps. At this rate most of us might be on our first climbs of the season at the festival.

For more info on ice in the area you can check out climbing central

Also contact Shaun Parent at North of Superior Climbing. He is the one who organizes the fest.

The Munising fest is probly the biggest in the midwest. SOunds like Wes has some good info awaiting you. Shaun P or those on climbingcentral can also give you info.

Maybe will see ya there!

Take care, carolyn

[BILL_THOMPSON]

THE MICHIGAN ICE FEST WILL TAKE PLACE JAN 31- FEB 3 2002 IN MUNISING MICHIGAN. THE FEST CONSISTS OF DEMOS, INSTRUCTION, GEAR SALES SLIDE SHOWS AND PARTIES!

THE SLIDE SHOW LINE UP CONSISTS OF

JAN 31 JIM DONINI

FEB 1ST MIKE LIBECKI

SEAN ISSAC

FEB 2ND RAPHAEL SLAWINSKI

JACK TACKLE

ANY QUESTIONS EMAIL GEAR@DOWNWINDSPORTS.COM

[Beck]

Sisu soumi, if you know about the Sweetwater, you've not been away from the Yoop for that long... that used to be 10 o clock Charlie's, and the owner had to sell after the bottle thrown in bar fight took out patrons' eye.

 

But hey ,the Congress lounge in Ishpeming has some damn fine pizza, and you can ski right after lunch. I would go ski 5k or so at lunchtime when I worked UP there.

[ajjenkin]

While you're up there at the ice fest you could also take a couple of runs at Mt. Boheima in the Keweenaw. The logging company that owns that land is going to make it very hard for "earn your turns" folks to ski there after the ski area goes belly up (I give it two more years). After a big snow there's legendary tree skiing there, but it might be "illegal" to ski there soon! Watch out for Heki Lunta lurking in the trees though.

[Scotch-a-Go-Go]

I'll be boarding there this winter. We plan to take a crowd. I missed it last year when everybody went to the lounge bar (I forget the name). I remember there was a snow shortage.

 

Hey, where's the good ice on the peninsula? I'm planning to get back into it this year and want to do some up there.

[Scott_J]

ajjenkin, its Heikki Lunta and the web page is

http://www.pasty.com/winter2002/heikki.html

Check the Ice conditions web page for Bill Thompson's information about climbing at Munsing, MI. Eat at the Dog Patch if you go. Lots of greasy food at a good price(this in in Munsing)

Sisu

[carolyn]

Hey scotch-a-go-go...

 

The ice is formed in Orient Bay!

I was on the N.Shore last weekend and its all pretty darn close (another week or two, max).

 

You up for early mornings at the brickyards ever?

Let me know if you have interest in a few trips up to OB.

 

The festival in OB should be great this year (as was last). Its changing "ownership", so to speak.

No date has been chosen yet, but its typically in March. Have you been before?

 

Anyway, other than inviting any interested parties up for the festival, I will stop polluting a PNW board with Midwest shit.

[Scotch-a-Go-Go]

Heiki Luunta? Sounds painful....

 

Tink e can make it to Finland, MN for St. Urho's day?

 

Carolyn, yah sure, I'ld be up for some brickyards, there's some free standing pillars south of there too. I'm working on a drill rig for the next two-three months but can do a Sat. or Sun..

 

I'll send a PM at some point here.

 

Climbings climbing no matter where ya are, sadly there's a lot more in PNW than around HERE!