[TR] Bozeman Ice Fest - Many 12/13/2014

[Devin27]

Trip: Bozeman Ice Fest - Many

 

Date: 12/13/2014

 

Trip Report:

Finally got out to Montana to check out the Bozeman Ice Fest this year.

 

We rented an awesome townhouse a 10 minute walk from the festivities in town and spent 3 days climbing in Hyalite by day and enjoying he festival activities by evening and sitting in the rooftop hot tub by night.

 

Ilia, Jeff, Priti and I drove from Seattle while Laura, Jamie, Nathaniel and Kiersten flew into Bozeman directly. Driving was long and dull but uneventful. We got into town Wednesday afternoon in time to listen to Conrad Anker’s talk on climbing Winter Dance.

 

Thursday it was time to hit the canyon. None of us had been to Hyalite before so we decided to hunt around and get the lay of the land. I have had about a half dozen days on ice previously and only one on Waterfall ice, probably about 40 pitches total and 1 lead. We originally headed for Lower Greensleves to start but as we hiked past Genesis 1; which had a clinic on it; we found a party already on route so we kept hiking up to try and get on Hang Over. We weren’t sure exactly where we were going but the trail led us instead to Upper Greensleves (WI3) which was looking fat and awesome. I jumped on lead and we set a two rope TR from the base to the top. We all did some laps there and by then the sun was already starting to set (Damn short winter days), so it was back to town and on to the Ice Fest film festival (Won a pair of laser ice screws in the raffle) and the hot tub.

 

Next day the girls headed over to the All-Women’s clinic and the guys went back to track down Hang Over. This time we found it and jumped right on it. Steeper than Upper Greensleves; it was probably WI3+ with small sections of 4 in places; it was an awesome climb and probably my favorite from the weekend. After I set the TR we split the group and myself and Nathaniel went over to Genesis 2 wall while Jeff and Ilia wanted to both lead Hang Over. We found a bunch of people on G2 wall but waited out turn but everyone was really nice. We eventually set two lines on the wall, one on the right to the bolt anchors and another in the middle to the very top of the wall. That night in town was the speed climbing competition and after a short time watching we headed back to the hot tub (sensing a trend here?)

 

Saturday was clinic day for the other half of us with Aaron Mulkey. We took over the Amphitheater area and the clinic had TRs set on Fat Chance, Thin Chance and Switchback falls. They also tossed lines down two mixed routes next to Fat and Thin Chance. It was a day for laps and we got a ton. I counted somewhere near 15 but I honestly lost count and tons of good tips and technique improvements. The previously sunny and warm weather finally started to turn in the afternoon and snow and clouds came with dropping temps. Back in town we found snow and ice for watching the lead climbing competition but it was still really cool to watch.

 

All in total I got in somewhere around 6 led pitches and 25 top tope pitches throughout the 3 days. It was a really great time and I highly recommend it for new ice climbers and veterans alike.

 

Upper Greensleves Right flow

Upper Greensleves left flow

The famous Winter Dance in the distance

Climber on Hang Over as the sunsets

Ilia on Hang Over the next Morning

Steep to start, then it eases off before getting steep for the finish

Hang Over

Genesis 2 Wall

Making friends with other climbers on the route

Next day at the clinic. Climbing on Thin Chance

More ice on Thin Chance

Switchback Falls

Thin Chance and Fat Chance and some mixed climbing

Thin Chance and Fat Chance and some mixed climbing

 

Approach Notes:

Trails were hard and icy, so crampons from the car were nice. Granted this was before the fresh started falling

[wayne]

Good report, nice to see the clinics deliver some laps.