Distinctly Montana Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.distinctlymontana.com/i/48532
of staying on the ball is a nice antidote to the over-stimu- lated world in which we live. Participants must live in the moment while on a pitch of climbing, because of the risk associated with it. You are thinking about the next 60 feet of climbing, not the dog's vaccination schedule. BOZEMAN'S ICE FEST The shared understanding of risk brings ice climbers to- gether. Each December local climbers pull together to host the Bozeman Ice Fest. Over a three-day weekend climbers can learn from the world's top climbers, check out the lat- est in gear and clothing, explore new climbs, meet friends and gather each evening to share the stoke. As it is the first of the annual ice festivals around the world, people travel far and wide to join in for a weekend of adventure and laughter. It is the gathering of the tribe. That the annual Ice Fest takes place in early December reflects the quality and reliability of ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon. From a geological standpoint, Hyalite Canyon was overlaid with andestie and volcanic debris from a major eruption approximately 23 million years ago. Then, 10,000 to 17,000 ears ago during the most recent ice age, a north- ward orientation, which, combined with being on the cold side of the Continental Divide, presents ideal conditions to form ice. Ice forms faster the colder it is, and Montana in the winter is very cold. Temperature, ample water, steep cliffs, are all needed for ice climbing. While individually common, the three attributes together are rare. Hence, Hyalite Canyon is an excellent destination. Ice climbing is hard work. It is cold, scary, and demands much from the individual. If this sounds like your cup of tea, sign up for a lesson with Montana Alpine Guides or a clinic at the Bozeman Ice Festival. If you seek the exhilara- tion of standing atop of a 300-foot cascade of ice and like the teamwork that develops from a meaningful challenge, then ice climbing could be worth a try. Conrad Anker is Captain of The North Face athlete team and lives in Bozeman with his family. In 2002, Conrad and his wife, Jenni, founded the Khumbu Climbing Center, a vocational training program for high-altitude Sherpa in Nepal. The program teaches safe mountain practices on the frozen waterfall of the Mt Everest region. Please visit www. alexlowe.org for further information. f-11 www.distinctlymontana.com 23 MAX LOWE