The Black Dike. The name elicits fear and nervous apprehension simply because of its classic status. Supposedly this route changed ice climbing forever when John Bouchard soloed it in December of 1971. Did I mention that it’s rated WI4/5, M5? Oh yea, and he was climbing with an ice axe in one hand and and ice pick in the other! Modern tools surely bring the grade down a bit, but it’s still the most obvious, classic line I’ve ever seen from a freeway.

The strange thing about this route is the intensity of the wind. Blowing through Franconia Notch, it seems to get caught in the gully and blows upwards ferociously. I’ve heard stories that chunks of ice released by tools actually blow above the climber, only to then fall down on them from above! Tom and I both suffered immensely from the screaming barfies while on route, but never would have known it when back at the car–sitting in t-shirts in the sun.

It’s a classic climb. Go do it and don’t get nervous, it’s only three pitches…and it’s been soloed!

When most people hear the word Rumney they think of well bolted sport climbs like Wiamea or The Fly. Apparently the cliffs are also draped in a variety of ice lines for most of the winter. News to me!

We, AAI guide Tom Kirby and local photographer Nick Goldsmith, checked out a couple classics on Thursday. Starting with what seems to be classic New Hampshire winter morning weather we gathered in the parking lot in 5 degree temperatures and a sustained 10mph breeze… cold! So we were off to find sheltered, but sunny classic lines. We started on “Selsun Blue,” a nice WI4 on the Main Cliff after about a 10 minute approach. Surprisingly the ice was perfectly plastic and our hands didn’t even go numb.

Nick really wanted to take a look at the best line around, “Geographic Factor,” so up we went for half an hour of deep snow slogging to the route. Fortunately the trail was partially established, sparing our energy for the tremendous 100′ WI5 pillar spilling out of a basalt dike high on the hillside.

A great day at a great, year-round crag! Now I just have to go back and clip some bolts!

Poke-O-Moonshine. Come again? Seriously, the cliff is called “Poke-O-Moonshine?”

Marc and I were up way before the pre-game show on Superbowl Sunday to have a crack at “Positive Thinking,” supposedly the best ice climb in the Adirondacks. 5:30 came pretty early, but we wanted to be the first on the route so a quasi-alpine start beckoned. Unfortunately, we missed that objective by about 10 minutes to some Canadians who had drive 3.5 hours that morning. They get the alpine start award this time.

The route is super fat this season. A normal, scratchy mixed start has been replaced by 140′ of steep WI5 that is fully protectable by screws of any length, any time you want. Hooks and great feet made the climbing fast and enjoyable.

The second pitch ramps up off the belay and tackles a steep, aerated, runout, but solid pillar onto easier, plastic ice above. The last pitch rolls off nicely into the trees and expansive views of Lake Champlain to the north. Not bad for a cliff named “Poke-O.”

I got my first taste of ice climbing in the Adirondacks of New York this weekend. The season is well under way here, with lots of climbs being totally formed and hacked up, something that isn’t ever really the case when climbing ice in the Pacific Northwest. From the current home base in Massachusetts (yep!) a couple hours of driving and Marc and I were at Chapel Pond, the epicenter of ‘Daks climbing. It was a cold and windy day, but we were able to scrape our way up a few moderate classics…all about 10 minutes across a frozen pond from the car.

A great place, easy access, and a long season. Perfect!