Time Off

It is not only great guiding that sets the guides at IMCS apart from the many guide services in the Mount Washington Valley. Here at IMCS when we are not teaching others how to do what we love we are out ‘getting after it’, climbing harder, higher, and stronger.

In the beginning of this February IMCS guide Eitan Green went on his second trip to Maine’s Mount Katahdin. At 5,270 feet high Katahdin is Maine’s tallest peak and as Rick Wilcox writes, “the most rugged piece of granite east of the Rockies.

Eitan and three other climbers skied 13 miles and hiked another 3.3 miles to Chimney pond where they made their base camp. From chimney pond the group climbed about 1,500 feet of mixed rock and ice up the route Pamola IV. Katahdin offers spectacular alpine ice and mixed routes, some over 2,000 feet tall. For those who have been-there-done-that on Mount Washington, a trip to Katahdin is truly something special.

Ice Fest 2009

This year we proved that an army does march on its stomachs. Jam packed days of ice climbing with the pros were followed by food from NEIce's Doug Millen and beer provided by Tuckermans. When the food and beer were gone, we all got up early and did it again!

Ice Festers alpine climbed in Huntington's ravine, Mixed climbed at Trollville, and did some good ole' swingin' and kickin' at Frankenstein cliffs. Collectively, ice festers covered tens of thousands of feet of vertical terrain in the Mount Washington Valley. If you were there, you know how amazing the IceHoldz competition was as well as Kevin's slideshow about climbing Kantega, and I am sure you didn't miss the musical stylings of Audio Kickstand or Rick Wilcox's retro photos at Mammut's Knuckle Bash Dance Party.

If you did miss the ice fest, well, put it on your calender for next year right now, or, even better, give IMCS a call and schedual your own day of spectacular ice climbing or mountaineering in the Mount Washington Valley. For those who came, see you next year!

Oh Yeah, and a HUGE thanks to Anne S. and Sarah G., the Ice Fest masterminds for an incredible weekend!