Two ice videos coming at you today. As far as the first video is concerned, the moment at 1 minute and 37 seconds makes it for me. Even if the rest of the video was rubbish (which it isn't) the four seconds following this point is so suspenseful and exhilarating that I watched it many times over. The sound of the ice smashing into the ground is a reminder of just how fragile ice can be when you are climbing at that level, or any level really. Let's just say that sometimes, I'm thankful for the top rope. Then again, getting on the sharp end is what it's all about.
BD grassroots athlete Jesse Huey on The Real Big Drip (M7 WI 6), Canadian Rockies from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.
This second video is really well done, and if it doesn't make you want to get on to a plane and fly to Scotland, then I suppose mixed climbing in icy cracks just doesn't hold an appeal to you. Congratulations to Ines Papert for being the first woman to free a route of this grade in Scotland.
--Andrew Yasso, Program Coordinator
