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Show Park City News Thursday, February 17, 1983 Page B3 To climb a waterfall, you need ice in your veins by Nan Chalat Instructors Jim Miller and Steve Erickson of White Pine Touring Center don't try to talk people into taking their twice-yearly ice climbing clinics. Either someone is interested in-terested or he is not. Ice climbing is like that all or nothing. Last Monday, while skiers were drinking in the sunshine, sun-shine, Erickson and two students were making their way up a sheer wall of ice on the north side of a shady canyon. A fine mist of spray from the adjacent waterfall slowly soaked their equipment. equip-ment. Erickson led the climb followed by Jeff Jones and Mike Troeger. The students, according to Erickson, did amazingly well. In an effort to become a more diversified recreation center, White Pine Touring Center has begun to offer ice climbing instruction. The response in the past two years has been good. Both Erickson and Miller are experienced ex-perienced climbers, each with several years of j ' " i: . TOP: Mike Troeger (below) assists Jeff Jones on belay. RIGHT: Ice climbers tackle Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon. teaching experience. The White Pine clinics cost $70 for two days of instruction. instruc-tion. Where equipment is needed, Erickson said they can usually piece together enough to get someone started. star-ted. Previous rock climbing experience is helpful but not necessary. "In fact," says Erickson "some rock climbers clim-bers are extremely insecure on ice. They see it as much less stable; they're not used to having something break apart on them." Extremely cold ice has a tendency to shatter when hit with an axe or hammer but on the other hand, Erickson says, a climber can put his protection almost anywhere on ice. The "fear factor" is definitely the biggest hurdle beginners must overcome, he says. The rest is a matter of mastering the technicalities. White Pine teaches a variety of techniques including in-cluding the French method and front pointing. In the French method the climber puts his crampon flat against again-st the wall using his whole foot for leverage. In front Boot specifications are less critical because they are supported by stainless steel crampons but the ropes must meet the same rigid standards. stan-dards. Li addition to standard stan-dard rock climbing gear, an ice climber needs an ice axe, Bridal Veil sight which is rated as a 3 to 4- grade climb. East of Bridal Veii Right is the Stairway to Heaven, which has earned grade 5 rating on a scale from 1-6. Actually, Erickson ex- 6 'Ice climbing takes you beyond your normal perception ...It teaches you things that you internalize and then apply to other parts of your life. It has to do with traveling on the edge ..." Steve Erickson pointing a climber kicks the front prongs of his crampon against the wall. Ice climbing is similar to rock climbing but requires more equipment, according to Erickson. Ice screws replace rock climbers' chocks and pitons. hammer and more clothing. Most of the classes are taught at Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon, a nationally-known nationally-known ice climbing area. The Falls' north exposure is perfect for ice formation. The beginners last week started on a climb called plains, the rating may vary with the changing conditions. con-ditions. Last Monday the ice was warm and soft, so it was easier to place the protection. protec-tion. Ice climbing can be both brutal and beautiful, but climbers add that there is more to it than the challenge and the scenery. "It takes you beyond your normal perception," says Erickson. "It is like teaching a young kid something he won't really use until he is older. Ice climbing teaches you things that you internalize and then apply to other parts of your life. It has to do with traveling on the edge and being totally intent on the climb. It demands total involvement, in-volvement, complete concentration, con-centration, like nothing else does." So next time you find yourself your-self driving down Provo Canyon this winter, take a close look at the ice-covered granite to the right of Bridal Veil Falls. You may see a pair of tiny figures suspended suspen-ded against a giant icicle. If your first reaction is "Those guys are crazy," ice climbing is not for you. But if you find yourself wondering what it would be like to be up there, you know who to call. lb J V. - I - -yv 3 . 4 J - M - ' i - - ,1,- I. ... f. ... ' ' v-tf ; 1 photos by Nan Chalat i i.w!.!o:."is!i g ' '""W'i, ,'jf,yf ' frnnnno V I jr 1 Vw.. -J II......! i .ml I.., J :pry tf 1 Sunday, Feb. 20, 1983,1:00 p.m. Registration Sat., Feb. 19, 9 a.m. 11:45 a.m. and Sunday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m. 1 1 :45 a.m. at the Park City Race Department Ticket Windows. No late entries. For more information call 649-81 1 1 Ext. 247. iiirti tfitiiirtiiiirfiiiiiiiriVi.iiii. jfH ilfc ilftiiiii"LiiiijJTT iA 11 ni rti rthi ii iA,nrt ir 1i ii ifi irtu iitwn .. iitii.iilfti. iltn i A -ini u "fH i wrlS 1 |