A new genre of ice climbing: Dirtbag ice climbing. Just kidding. It isn't new.
I know I seem to write about my dude @ghostfish a bunch, but damn...he has instigated pretty much 98% of all adventures we have had together. I just usually tag along, cross my fingers, and hope for the best.
What crazy idea does he have up his sleeve now? :eyeroll + praying to jesus:
Somehow he and and our best climbing buddies convinced me to go on an urban ice climb excursion. Shite. I've never ice climbed before. I can barely make it out to my car when it's icy out.
I've been working hard with weights at the gym but I wasn't sure I was ready to depend on some crampons and an ice ax to help scale myself up a wall...but off we went.
In the heart of Minneapolis, under a graffiti plastered (some of the artists' monikers were familiar to me) Franklin Avenue bridge, were a few walls of ice. It was unusually warm that day, about 40 °F or 4 °C, so a lot of the walls have sadly melted.
It was still majestic though in all it's grimy glory. Dirtbag ice climbing, y'all.
My good friend Angie, rappelling down. I was too fucking scared to do this as I have not rappelled off of anything since August. I really felt that I needed more practice.
Angie's dude, Ross, starting off the first climb of the day. I think.
Angie being a bad-ass, per usual.
I struggled, as I usually seem to do. This was my first time doing this, so I have to be kinder to myself.
@ghostfish conquering the gnar...AND finding a culvert with graffiti in it!
@ghostfish making a face at me because I asked him to be still for a picture for too long. He says he doesn't know what to do with his face.
Overall, I thought it was a good day for something new. I had a blast. Plus we got to warm our bones with some awesome Greek food after.
Hope you guys enjoyed the photos! Urban ice climbing is pretty fucking cool... you really gotta make do with what you have.
For my Steemian friends, what extreme activities have you tried and absolutely loved? <10/10 would do again>
Please make sure to check out @ghostfish 's blog. Ice climbing video is forthcoming. He has the more extreme experiences and videos. :)
Thank you!
Wow great pictures! Thats so awesome to do it right in the city, followed amd resteemed
Thanks dude! I wasn't expecting anything at all, I'm just happy to see the places you are traveling to! :D :D
Of course! Most people don't even read the post and just comment "nice post" to maybe get an upvote, so if someone takes the time then so do I, plus it really is a great post!
Yeah bro...I don't like that. I just upvote if I don't have anything remotely intelligent to say, but will say something if the posts really compel me. I used to feel like I was just blogging and screaming into the void since I was on tumblr for a really long time. This is different! I actually get to interact with the people who are traveling so I could learn more, instead of just looking at a reblog.
Getting upvoted is just a bonus to me!
Ah! I have SO many questions about ice climbing!!! But mostly:
So you set up a toprope on something that WASN'T ice and the rapped down to climb back up, right? I just don't see how people trust lead climbing on ice! Seems so sketch!!!
Yeah, I haven't the nerve yet to do the trad on ice. Plus each fucking ice screw is like $50+. So trading a route could cost $300-$400 just in protection. Fuck all that noise. I'll top rope off the bolts or sling some solid trees. But yes, set up top rope off solid points, rap down (which is nice to have 2 separate ropes, dry treated but not necessary), and kablamo, game on! Often there are walk arounds to retrieve gear or set up. At least around here in Minnesota.
Yeah I was about to say, @ghostfish would be the set-up dude. Hahah. I wouldn't even dare lead climbing on anything that has a potential to break. I don't like to gamble with my life like that!
It's like a gallery down there.
So flippin cool.
Fucking awesome!! That looks like so much fun. I've never really thought of "urban" ice climbing. I've also never ice climbed so I'm not sure why I would be thinking about it in the first place.
That looks really fun. I'd love to give this a shot. Thanks :)
Oh gosh, you should!!! I've known about this place for awhile but was never that brave to venture out. I hope you give it a try sometime! :D
Loved the article! Very nice pictures and I love that kind of adrenaline :)
Thank you!!! Sometimes it is scary to me, but I still keep going anyway. ahahaha
I know how it is :D good luck on your future climbings :)
This is absolutely epic! Well written too, nice job velveteendream :D
Awww!! Thank you so much @peteveale !!!!
I am not a writer at all, but I am so happy that you were entertained by this. @_@ I think how I write is pretty close to how I am in conversation! I'm sure my grammar needs a lot of work. Hahaha! I go very quickly from formal and emotional to the lowbrow and cursing like a sailor. Thank you for looking. Your photos continually inspire! :D