Ice Climbing, Ouray, Co

Colorado, Uray

I’ve been following my boyfriend around for this first time experience. I was actually pretty excited to try to climb a frozen waterfall!! 😱😱😱

We arrived at the canyon and everything looked unreal. The entire canyon was showing traces of waterfall that was frozen. People were climbing left and right, up and down. It was frightening to look down over the cliff and see people making their way up with ice axes.
We stopped at a fire pit where we put our harness and crampons on. I kind of knew the gist, putting harness, crampons, gloves, hat. At least that part I had it figured out. However what was about to come was a mystery.

We went up on the mountain to look for a anchor. We finally had to cross a small overhanging bridge over the canyon. I was freaking out inside and keep telling to myself to breath and I started to sing out loud. I realized it’s been a while I was expose to heights. So I had to get back into it.

We didn’t find any routes so we went back on the kids wall. I didn’t mind! I wanted to try but didn’t have preference if it should be difficult or easy- just not too hard!

We got there and placed an anchor and dropped the rope down. Then we walked down and Alex started to show me the moves;

You should be in an “A” shape! Both hands up united and legs spread down – like the letter A! Then you do the ax-ax- leg-leg and lift on your legs then repeat.

All good except that the ice ax was not getting into the ice! I was getting angry and started to throw my hands with the ax over and over to puncture the ice. Sometimes it was working other times no! I was desperate! Why it doesn’t work all the time??? I still don’t know! I looked around at how instructors explained to kids (yeah right, I know!) and they were saying that you point your elbow where you V want your ax to go and launch! I think that helped!
So off I went!

things were going well! I went twice up and down! I liked it especially when I saw that I can execute and move up! I want scared about the heights, mainly because I was on the kids wall- but still it wasn’t too short either!

All was good until we tried a new route where I got stuck! I felt that the wall was too vertical and the ice sticks were everywhere and it didn’t feel solid to place the ax anywhere! More so when my boyfriend was pushing me to go and i couldn’t, I started y to angrily prove to him that it didn’t work so When I kicked the ice with the ax the ice jumped in my ice and blinded me!
yeah dumb! After I saw the kids bring taught to look down when the ice goes in! Yeah that lesson would have been useful instead of just push me to go up and I’ll figure it out!

that’s what it means to take classes from a guy that learns by himself!

In the end i was proud I tried and I’m probably do it again – after watching some yt videos about the techniques!