Making The Most of a Chill Day

I’ve been eager to climb Buttermilk Ravine.  But this past Friday, temperatures in the Catskills started in the single digits and only peaked in the teens.  Combined with falling snow and wind, I figured climbing the north-facing Ravine could easily turn out to be a frigid suffer-fest.  But, ice conditions throughout the region are nearly at their peak and the south-facing sunnier crags are in optimal shape.  The deep snow, bright sun, and cold nights keeps the freeze-thaw cycle in these areas going strong, constantly adding new ice and filling in kicked-out sections.

I decided to head up to The Playground at Stony Clove’s East Side.  Almost 4 years ago, to the day, my first time ice climbing was at The Playground.  I remember the approach up the mountain being very treacherous with ice and exposed rock.  But this time, it was a deep snow-packed trail and what felt like an eternity years ago maybe took 10 minutes this time.  The Right Side (WI2), the beginner route, was being lead by another party so Doug and I went up a route in the middle and then set up another nearby.  Once the other party moved on, I lead the Right Side.  To think, four years ago I could barely scratch up this route on top-rope and here I am now, sending it with ease on the sharp end of the rope. 

 

The Playground Area

After leading Right Side of The Playground

 

Shortly after, my partner Doug and I traversed the cliff’s top to rappel down a mixed route which completely shut me down when I attempted it.  The start of the route was buried under deep snow, just getting to the base took several minutes of digging and wallowing.  Then, the lower ice was only a thin veneer over slab rock.  I made an attempt to climb a section of overhanging rock right of the ice, but a shoebox-size block nearly crashed on my head when I put my tools on it and so I decided I would try my luck on the thin ice instead.  I made some progress, but with my tools barely able to grab any ice in their serrations, I took a big swing (on top-rope) and crashed through a curtain of ice.  I decided I’d leave this one to Doug, who’s a way better climber than me, and yet even he had a difficult time with this beast.

You can see what's left of the curtain that I crashed through...

Between and rock and a hard place, Stony Clove's East Side.

 

Doug suggested that we finish up the day at Asbestos Wall.  This roadside crag is one of the most easily accessible areas in the Catskills, full of short 30-50 sections of ice.  Often packed with climbers when it’s “in”, we found only 2 other parties there and plenty of room to move about and choose.  This area receives direct sunlight, so it’s not always the best place to climb.  But again, with the amount of snow on the ground and the freeze-thaw cycle working day in and day out, the ice was fat.

I began with a short lead, an easy WI2.  Just like the Right Side route at The Playground, this is a route that is well beneath my climbing limit.  Every tool placement was something I knew I could hold onto for dear life, if need be.  Every step was kicked out to the point where I knew I stood on solid feet.  No mistakes, no falls.  30 feet of WI2 is NOT practice when you’re leading.  There are no safe/practice falls on lead.  On the sharp end, 30 feet or 300 feet, you are 100% committed to not falling.  I have a deep respect for danger and head thewords of those with skill and experience far beyond my own who repeat, vehemently,no falls while leading ice.

 

 

Easy Lead. Short, with plenty of rest in between sustained ice.



After that, Doug and I moved to a longer and steeper route, which Doug lead.  I felt the route was within my ability, but the steepest/crux of the route was high enough off the ground where I felt my nerves could possibly get the best of me so I decided I wouldn’t attempt to lead it myself.  The right-side variation of this route however did look possible.  I decided to do a “mock lead” on top-rope.  Doug would keep the rope loose enough where I couldn’t weigh or rest on it without falling, and I would place screws.  I was able to send it, without falling on top-rope; however I felt that the climbing was at my limit for leading.  This would be pushing it.  Doug told me that he was of the opinion I could do it.  He suggested I leave my screws in the ice and that way I wouldn’t have to place them on lead (called a “pinkpoint” vs. a “redpoint”.).  But, despite his vote of confidence and knowing I was able to send it cleanly on mock lead, I felt that I my fear of falling could possibly compromise my ability.  Again, being 100% confident is essential for leading and based on that principle I decided to pass on this one.   

Doug's Lead.

My Mock Lead.

 

But, that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to get one more lead in. 

Earlier, we passed a section that looked like it would be a good lead for me.  It was a sustained vertical start, which lead to easy walk-up terrain, and the final few feet before the top-out was just steep enough that I couldn’t just cruise through it.  The bottom was just over 10 feet of WI3+, which meant I would be hanging on tools to place a screw.  As expected, I was able to fire in a screw and get over this crux successfully but I definitely felt the urgency of doing so with balance and efficiency.  I say urgency in the respect that you can’t rush through this, but you really can’t take your time either.  Near the finish, I placed two screws because this was going to be one of those top outs where you had to scratch and crawl through the mud a bit (typical Catskills) and this itself is sometimes one of the most dangerous parts of climbing since you’re not as sure-footed on loose dirt and wet mud as you’d be on the ice.  Again, I was on easy terrain so I wasn’t pushing it, but this was definitely an honest lead with real challenges and danger.              

 

Doug at the base of the last route I lead.