AAC Grant Deadline 1/1/11

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AAC Grant Deadlines Fast Approaching

The American Alpine Club awards more than $50,000 every year for projects ranging from worldwide exploration to local conservation. The application deadline for two of the AAC’s more prominent grants, the Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Award and McNeill-Nott Award, is January 1, 2011. Deadlines for other AAC grants are quickly approaching.

Some AAC grants specifically target climbers under the age of 25, fund research in alpine areas, and promote conservation projects in mountain regions throughout the world. Althea Rogers, Mountain Fellowship and McNeil-Nott grant recipient, has praised the AAC and what its grants offer: “I do not know of any other organization which so directly encourages its members to explore and challenge themselves.”

“There’s no doubt that the grants have enabled some of the best American alpine climbs in modern history,” said Kelly Cordes, Senior Editor of The American Alpine Journal. He added that such a feat was “especially impressive, considering that only one of the grants is specifically targeted to those attempting cutting-edge climbs.”

The AAC would like to support your trip, no matter its focus: trad climbing, big-wall rock climbing, alpinism, conservation, or scientific research. For application resources, deadlines, and further information about AAC grants, visitamericanalpineclub.org/grants.

About The American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club provides knowledge and inspiration, conservation and advocacy, and logistical support for the climbing community. The Club publishes the world’s most sought after annual climbing publication, the American Alpine Journal, cares for the world’s leading mountaineering library and offers annual climbing, conservation, and research grants to budding adventurers. Learn about additional programs and become a member at americanalpineclub.org. Join the AAC’s online community at facebook.com/americanalpineclub.

December 7, 2010

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Winter! Here it comes…

Mike Garity on an icy Pinnacle Gully, Huntington Ravine, Mt. Washington NH - Alan Cattabriga

Mike Garity topping out on Pinnacle Gully, Huntington Ravine, Mt. Washington NH 12-05-10 - Alan Cattabriga

After the last thaw, most of the good climbing has been up high. That is about to change. After torrential rains last week the cold is back with  a vengeance. A temperature of -4 is forecast for Lake Willoughby VT Thursday night. Look for perfect ice making conditions over the next week.

StandardLine

It's Back!

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The Ice has Returned to the usual Early Season Locations

After a week +  of warm weather, which took it’s toll on what little ice we had, the cold temps have returned! Climbable ice was found in the Adirondacks & Northern New Hampshire over the weekend.

Rowdy Dowdy on the thin start of 'Screw and Climbaxe'. A few worthless stubby screws halfway up. Half a dozen parties climbing the two routes that were 'in'. - rockytop

Rowdy Dowdy on the thin start of 'Screw and Climbaxe'. A few worthless stubby screws halfway up. Half a dozen parties climbing the two routes that were 'in'. - 11/21/10 North Face of Pitchoff, Adirondacks NY - Rockytop

Right on Schedule!

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The Black Dike

Cannon Cliff, Franconia Notch NH

November 3, 2010

Michael Wejchert leading pitch 3 of the "Black Dike" - Photo by Ryan Stefiuk

Michael Wejchert leading pitch 3 of the “Black Dike” – Photo by Ryan Stefiuk

It looks like the 2010-2011 ice season is right on schedule!

“Great conditions were found on the right exit today. Plenty of ice up there. The sun was cooking Fafnir and Quartet, which both have some ice on them.” – Ryan Stefiuk  – Big Foot Mountain Guides

The Black Dike (WI 4-5), Franconia notch NH is usually the first high-quality ice climb to come in and it usually happens this first week of November. We are off to a great start…lets hope it continues!

 

 

YES!

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Let the “Games” begin!

Damnation Gully – Huntington Ravine, Mt Washington NH

Sunday October 10, 2010

AlfonzoEarlyIce1

Alfonzo finds some early ice on Damnation Gully, Huntington Ravine 10/10/10 – Doug Millen

 

While others were climbing warm rock at Rumney, or having their Sunday coffee, Alfonzo, the alpine junkie was in his element climbing some early season ice. We found more ice than expected, and it was well bonded, but by mid morning the sun was starting to take it’s toll. Looks like a great start to the season. Look for more photos in the gallery .

Doug Millen

The Evolution Traverse

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Along the Crest (photo Mike Garrity)

Along the Matthes Crest (photo by Mike Garity)

by Alan Cattabriga

For almost two years this climb has been occupying space in my head, this Evolution Traverse and for that same amount of time, almost everything I’ve done in the mountains of the northeast has been geared to helping me with this line. I hate to call it a project, for I don’t “project.” I boulder Vermin 0 negative and sport climb, on good days, solid 5 easy. In my early climbing years, when sport climbing in Rumney was in it’s infancy, I was a never a “hang dogger”, working routes never worked for me. I covered up my weakness with a warped sense of ethics. But, the Evo. was a “project”… a once a year, long distance project and the best there could be.

The Full Trip Report

Alaska Range 2010

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Trip Report by Pcooke
Sunrise on the Rooster's Comb

Sunrise on the Rooster's Comb

The GPS on the DeHaviland Otter we’re flying is showing “Danger – Terrain Ahead” in white letters on a red background. It’s the type of message that usually serves as a precursor to slamming into the ground in a fiery explosion. And indeed, as we fly over the Pika glacier there’s a giant face of rock, snow, and ice looming not just ahead of us, but above us…….

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Erik Weihenmayer Climbs Moose's Tooth

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Jay Abbey and Erik Weihenmayer heading up Ham & Eggs Couloir on the Moose's Tooth in Alaska. Photo by Ian Osteyee.

Erik Weihenmayer, left, and Jay Abbey, right, heading up Ham & Eggs Couloir on the Moose's Tooth in Alaska. Photo by Ian Osteyee.

 

On The Moose’s Tooth

By Ian Osteyee, Adirondack Mountain Guides.

At the time Erik Weihenmayer had floated the idea of going to Alaska’s Ruth Glacier to climb the routes “Ham and Eggs” and “Shaken not Stirred” on the Moose’s Tooth, we had just barely finished climbing “.5 Gully” on Ben Nevis in Scotland. We still had a few climbing days left and already he was thinking about the next trip. That’s Erik though; he is really motivated to climb, more than many climbers I know.

So a few days later Erik and I, joined by Jay Abbey, flew up to Anchorage. Weather reports didn‘t look good but we already had the time set aside and the tickets had been purchased…..

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NEIce Season Round-up

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NEIce 2009-2010 Round-up

tablets

Most of the Tablets at Lake Willoughby lying at the base a week ago. Photo by RAH.

NEIce opened the season with a new website as it reached the 10-year anniversary milestone, a fact which stands as a tribute to the region’s wonderful ice climbing community.  Temperatures this weekend hit an unusual mark for April reaching above 80 degrees Fahrenheit in New England. While there are still pockets of solid ice to be found on Mt. Washington, we take a look back at the highs and lows of the past season.

This past winter got off the an early start in mid-October but was slow to kick off as most routes didn’t form until early December.

Photo of the Week 3/10/2010

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Medusa

Climbing the wild ice on 'Medusa', Wi4, on the Gaspe' Peninsula, Canada. (Photo by MtnRkr) Climbing the wild ice on ‘Medusa’, Wi4, on the Gaspe’ Peninsula, Canada. (Photo by MtnRkr)

Lots of NEIce members were out there getting after it this past week.  Travelling to the Gaspe’, Canadian Rockies, and also nearer to home on Mt. Webster in N.H.

Alfonzo gives a great Trip Report of a posse of NEicer’s sending on Mt. Webster: Mt. Webster’s new Kick My Pick Hole route

Chance meeting in the Canadian Rockies: RaginTurk and Spectre run into Ridgerunner and LarryB