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The weather outside has certainly been frightful this week. Deep into the negative numbers overnight and barely into teens during the day. It's made the ice brittle and staying warm difficult. Question - how cold is too cold for ice climbing? Regardless, by the weekend things should be warming up and most likely even sunny. This will help the ice build and bring even more things into shape. WOO WOO
AMC ICE PROGRAM 1st WEEKEND - HEADS UP:
The AMC Ice Program will be holding their first instructional weekend this Saturday and Sunday. They will be located at Lost in the Forest at Frankenstein in the morning on Saturday with a large group (probably 5-6 lines setup at LITF) and will spread over to Walk in the Forest in the Afternoon. On Sunday they will have smaller groups around the local crags. These will include the North End of Cathedral, Arethusa, Champney Falls, and possibly Texaco (TBD). On Sunday they will have parties of 2-3 spread well dispersed in the area. Their second weekend will be February 8 & 9 and will once again have small parties around Crawford Notch and one or two crag groups. make sure to say hi, their all nice folks!
FYI My ex-wife Alyssa took this program and I helped out with it for many years. I really do think this a very good program.
2025 ICE FEST:
We are only 10 days out from this years event. If you haven't signed up for a clinic, a lesson or a guided climb, I'm not sure what's left. Get on the phone and call they ASAP. The two big shows this year also look fantastic. I'm working all three nights that weekend, and in a way I'm pretty bummed. Most especially about the Saturday evening one by Will Gadd! I can always use the $$, but DARN. When else am I going to get an opportunity to see him in person. [sigh]
Selected Ice Conditions effective January 23, 2025
YES Virginia there finally is an ice season. While every possible thing might not be IN, there is a gracious plenty of climbs to be done at the nominal grade, or very close to it. It's been a few years since I've seen the Frankenstein Amphitheater this fat, or Penguin looking this way. All just in time for Ice Fest, only just over a week away.
Huntington Ravine
likely just fine
Repentance
building
Standard Route
great
Dracula
good
For the full current conditions report, CLICK
HERE
Here are some of the pictures from Thursday. For ALL of the pictures and full Conditions Report go to the Ice Conditions page.
MUSICAL NOTES:
On Thursday, today, I'm paying a tribute to my good friend and most excellent drummer Pat Tamminen at Suds Pub in Bethel with Denny Breau and a collection of musical friends. Then I'm off for the rest of this weekend. Back at it on Friday January 31 at the Majestic Cafe for some fun jazz trio stuff with pianist & Berklee professor Mark Shilansky plus drummer Craig Bryan. Then on Saturday my band of crazy's will be at Tuckerman Brewing in Conway Village from 4-7. I have no idea what we will play, but I know it's going to be fun. Please come out if you have the opportunity.
VALLEY CYCLING:
All our trails are great right now. Be advised that IMNSHO studded tires are a requirement everywhere.
Mobile Version Of NEClimbs:
Up on one of the Mount Washington Valley's finest crags and want to know what that climb you're looking at is? Or maybe you're on your way up from Boston and want to check out the Ice Report for your upcoming weekend plans. Or more likely, you're at work just want to daydream about your next adventure. Well if you have a smart phone handy, you can get to NEClimbs from anywhere you have cell service. While it doesn't offer every single feature of the site and it's not an "app", in mobile form, it does do a whole lot and is very useful. Here is the live link to the mobile version of NEClimbs:
Check it out and if you have issues on your specific phone, please feel free to let me know.
NEClimbs & White Mountain Report On Facebook:
Join us and LIKE us on Facebook. I'll try and post interesting pix every Thursday and the latest Ice Report in the season, tho certainly not the whole Report. Here's where you can check it out:
Climbing is a very dangerous sport. You can get hurt or even kill yourself. When you go climbing, you do so of your own free will. Everything on this site is to be taken with a grain of salt. Don't blame us if you get up some totally heinous route, in over your head and fall and hurt yourself.
