Diesel fumes. Cyanide. Falling dirt, laced with coal. Mysterious flecks of neon plastic.

These are a few of the things you might accidentally inhale while climbing Utah鈥檚 Pricecicle, a 60-foot pillar right off Highway 6.

If you like your ice like I like my martinis, then the Pricecicle will not disappoint. Is this the greatest dirtcicle in the West?

There are, in fact, more elements to the weirdness that is the Pricecicle. Take, for example, the adjacent graffiti-tagged bridge, or the drive-by spectators who stop to take a selfie while eyeing you with equal parts curiosity and bewilderment.

Then t丑别谤别鈥檚 the (circa 2009) between two decidedly sus contributors dubbed Bill Bones and Stevie Nacho regarding frozen poop and secret bolts. Or consider the who likes to swing her tools there, from time to time.

Weird or not, in the waning days of 2024, my husband Casey and I found ourselves driving two hours from the Park City area to the Pricecicle with our friends Vicki and Adam to catch some ice to close out the year.

I blame climate change, which delivered a balmy December. With a 50-degree high just a week or so earlier, the usually abundant ice up Provo Canyon was far from in. A sad, thin veneer of slush and drip clung to Provo鈥檚 rock face. Maple Canyon鈥檚 ice climbs weren鈥檛 in either. And the Great White Icicle was anything but.

In Utah, in addition to living in a literal desert that becomes more desert-y with each additional part per million of carbon dioxide added to our atmosphere, we also live in an ice park desert鈥攁t least compared to my former home of Colorado, where make ice climbing a reliably accessible pursuit.

So the Pricecicle it was.

Though we鈥檇 never climbed this WI3/4 pillar before, all of us had driven by it countless times, usually en route to Ouray. We never stop. Usually, because it looks not that good鈥攁nd dirty. But had we written off the Pricecicle too quickly?

鈥淣ot as bad as people say,鈥� writes Salt Lake City-based climber Alex Mankouski on . 鈥淲orth doing,鈥� weighs in another local climber.

Generally speaking, we found these positive reviews to be accurate. Not only was the pillar in, but it was thick and the conditions were good: cold and dry.

Conveniently for time-strapped ice climbers with little kids like ourselves, the Pricecicle is just a 90-second approach from the pullout off Highway 6. The risk-averse will be happy to know that no avalanche risk exists. Top-ropers can take a muddy walk-up to the bolted anchors. And the nearest medical center lies just 17 miles to the south in the pillar鈥檚 eponymous town of Price.

As we swerved into the pullout at speed, we celebrated the absence of any other cars or parties on the pillar. Seconds later, a Toyota Tacoma pulled in ahead of us. Bummer! We rushed to pack up our gear and hike alongside the highway to reach the base of the climb first. But dude in the Tacoma shimmied up the walk-up, meaning he鈥檇 reach the anchors first.

Thankfully, our Pricecicle-mate was courteous and called down to see which side of the pillar we wanted. As Adam racked up screws to lead the right side, he rapped down the other side and cursed himself: He鈥檇 forgotten his tools up top! Luckily for him, we had three pairs to spare.

As it turned out, the other folks who had rolled up in the Tacoma were the climber鈥檚 family members and they were staying in the car while he sampled the Pricecicle. So he rope soloed himself up with a Grigri, then peaced out.

I don鈥檛 remember the last time I climbed in a belay jacket, but I needed one by my second lap up the roadside pillar. The temps were in the low 20s, with a wind chill of eight degrees Fahrenheit. Cold, but not as frigid as the prime screaming barfy conditions I鈥檝e experienced on many an early Ouray morning. I blame the Pricecicle鈥檚 location in a little urban enclave, where the sun never shines. That, and the wind gusts that blew our way each time a semi roared by 30 feet behind us.

Shortly after we pointed the car north back toward home, Vicki was perusing the Utah Ice Climbers Facebook group. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 Adam!鈥� she exclaimed. Dude in the Tacoma had snapped a photo of Adam climbing without any of us realizing it and posted it in real time.

At the end of the day, we were glad we鈥檇 made the trek to the Pricecicle, and finally climbed the pillar we鈥檇 passed on the highway so many times.

When the climate crisis means that none of the ice is in lower down, this weird pillar is a nice option to have in our back pockets. Yet between the questionable substances (cyanide, diesel, plastic, etc.), the proximity to the highway, the sneaky social media post, and the overarching vibe of the Pricecicle, it鈥檚 also the most dystopian place I鈥檝e ever climbed.

But as Bill Bones of the climb鈥檚 storied Mountain Project comments says, for us Utahns, 鈥淚ce is too rare to be picky.鈥�

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Colorado elk are renowned for their deafening bugle and pointy antlers鈥攂ut alas, not for their belaying skills.

On January 3, Ben Hake, the head of recreation in Lake City, Colorado received a call from two climbers at听the . A bull elk, they said, had become ensnared in a climbing rope and was stuck on a steep hillside.

“I couldn’t believe what they were telling me,” Hake said. “We’ve never seen elk on that trail. It’s an old deer trail but we didn’t seen see听too many animals use it once the ice climbers started using it.”

But sure enough, when Hake arrived at the scene a short time later, he saw the massive elk tangled in an orange rope on an access trail to a pair of听ice climbing walls called Beer Garden and Dynamite Shack. Climbers run a rope along the steep and slippery pathway and use the hand line when ascending or descending, Hake said.

A local official with the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife had called the regional office in Gunnison, which sent along wildlife biologists. Alyssa Meier, one of the biologists who arrived on the scene, said she was not surprised to receive a call about a stuck elk. But the details of the elk’s entanglement were strange.

“Hammocks, Christmas lights, patio furniture鈥攊t’s pretty common for males to get stuck,” she told听翱耻迟蝉颈诲别.听“A climbing rope was a new one.”

Meier drove to Lake City alongside another biologist, Anna Markey, and seasonal technician Paul Rivera. A crowd of climbers and town officials had congregated below the elk by the time they arrived an hour or so later.

Meier tranquilized the elk “so they could approach the stressed animal.” They placed a balaclava over the elk’s face to protect its eyes from the sun and to calm it, and then the three cut the rope to free the elk.

But that’s when a new challenge arose鈥攖he crew had to stabilize the sedated elk, or else it would slip down the trail and tumble off of a 15-foot ledge.

“If he would have slid off the ledge, this wouldn’t be a happy story,” Markey told听翱耻迟蝉颈诲别.听

Local climbers tied their own ropes to the elk, ran the rigging over a tree, and created a hauling system. Then Hake and six others pulled on the rope to raise the elk a few inches, so that they could then attach another rope to lower it down.

“It was so heavy鈥攖here were seven of us and we were giving it everything we could just to get tension onto the elk,” he said. “I don’t know what he weighed, but he was big.”

Meier estimated the elk weighed between 650 and 800 pounds, and it had scratches on its snout and face, likely from antler jabs during the rutting season. “He wasn’t the biggest elk I’ve seen, but he was doing well,” she said.

The haul system worked, and the crew was able to safely lower the sedated elk to flat ground. Meier said she administered an antidote for the tranquilizer, and after ten minutes or so, the elk stood up and ran away.

John Livingston, a spokesman for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife department, praised the two ice climbers who initially found the elk. Rather than try and free the animal themselves, he said, they phoned several agencies until they were put in contact with Parks and Wildlife. “You’re talking about a stressed animal with sharp hooves and antlers鈥擨 appreciate them calling the proper folks to handle this,” he said.

Meier has conducted multiple rescues of elk and deer this year. What stands out about the Lake City elk, she said, was how the community worked together to save the animal. Had it fallen off the ledge, or become too stressed, it could have died.

“The community rallied around this bull elk that they wanted to set free,” she said. “It was such a nice moment when he popped up and ran off.”

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Back before climbing went mainstream (Olympics, gyms, Hollywood documentaries, , yippee!), we climbers were known for our social awkwardness and unapologetic penury. The community was an eclectic mix of rule-following problem-solvers (e.g., mathematicians and engineers) and barely functioning societal dropouts who survived on peanut butter and ramen while sleeping in caves, stripped-down cargo vans, or passenger cars with plywood 鈥渂ox springs鈥� in lieu of seats.

So perhaps a good joke, playing off the classic riff about engineers, might have been:

Q: How do you know when a climber likes you?

A: She stares at your rock shoes instead of her own when she鈥檚 talking to you.

With such an oddball crew, there were (and remain) Yet the good news鈥擨 guess?鈥攚ith the sport鈥檚 recent boom is that there are more of us than ever, expanding the pool of eligible single climbers.

This also means that there are now at least 10 reasons why dating a climber might possibly be a good idea.

1. Climbers Are Low-Cost/Low-Maintenance

Climbers have traditionally been non-materialistic; the thinking was that we鈥檇 rather be poor and have the free time to climb than labor away earning enough cheddar to slurp consomm茅 alongside tiny-fork bluebloods at some Michelin-starred snob-hole. On the one hand, this is great news. Our low-overhead minimalism makes us cheap dates. Want to stage a 鈥渞omantic鈥� 鈥減icnic鈥� with a moldy loaf of French bread, spray-can cheese, and gooey tomatoes harvested from a dumpster听 (鈥渋t鈥檚 caprese!鈥�) while watching pirated Netflix on a phone using the free Wi-Fi in the McDonald鈥檚 parking lot? We鈥檙e all-in鈥攁nd easily impressed鈥攁s long as it doesn鈥檛 overlap with good condies.

The con? Any money we do have鈥攐r that we siphon off you鈥攗sually goes right back into the sport: These days, most climbers easily drop a few thousand bucks a year on gym memberships, shoes, chalk, pants, cams, ropes, pads, fingerboards, fans, travel, and skin care.

2. We Like to Travel (To Rocks)

Another thing traditionally associated with climbers: wanderlust. And since travel is the glue that binds many a relationship, we鈥檙e a catch. The only caveat is that there needs to be rock (or a gym) at our destination or we go full 鈥淭orrance,鈥� like Jack Nicholson in The Shining. For instance, if you told me I had a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expenses-paid trip to Fiji, where I鈥檇 be taught surfing by Laird Hamilton, my first question would be, 鈥淚s there any rock in Fiji?鈥� And my second would be, 鈥淥r at least a doorjamb in the bungalow for my hangboard?鈥�

As a further example: years ago, after a month of Eurail touristing around Europe, I landed on the Greek isle of Paros (where the Euros gaily tan and windsurf during their August holidays). At that point, I was so hard up to touch rock that I did pointless traverses in a crumbly beachside cave right where everyone takes a dump鈥� in the 100-degree heat. Talk about a 鈥渟hitty鈥� landing鈥攁nd a near-psychotic desperation to clamber.

3. We鈥檙e Fit

Climbers must be some of the most training-obsessed athletes around, even at the amateur level where literally nothing is at stake. Witness the endless training ateliers, podcasts, apps and tools, and our obsession with etc. We end up with toned, attractive, eminently datable physiques, even if all we鈥檙e doing is eking out sad, expensive, barely noticeable one-percent gains after months of self-flagellation. The downside: We are so rigid about our workouts that we do weird things like fingerboard while riding as passengers in cars, or even 鈥渃ar-king鈥�: ARC endurance training by squeezing a grip ring while driving.

4. We Know How to Do Proper Pull-ups

Unlike CrossFitters, whose half-assed 鈥減ull-ups鈥� make them look like fish death-flopping in a dinghy (see video below) and will never get them stronger, our rizz us up with sexy, well-defined shoulders and backs (see reason No. 3).

Also, I may be biased (I probably am), but I feel like our sport is smarter than CrossFit: We need to execute complex, choreographed beta under the pressure and duress of facing a fall, whereas all CrossFitters need to do is figure out how to roll a tractor tire around an office-industrial parking lot without getting rhabdo.

5. We鈥檙e Good at Communicating

At least on a rope, since we need to be clear with our belay commands in a life-or-death situation. How well we express our needs off the rock will vary. Everyone鈥檚 different! Plus we tend to forget that the non-climbing public won鈥檛 always understand our lingo. So if your climber boo says, 鈥淢y feelings for you are deeper than the anchor jug on 厂颈濒别苍肠别,鈥� they love you. But if they say, 鈥淗anging out with you is worse than a front-team double split on a greasy Bishop afternoon,鈥� they hate your stupid face.

6. We鈥檙e Really into Skin Care

Other than models, actors, and perfectly complected skinfluencers, climbers might be than anyone on Earth. If you date a climber, you鈥檒l never need to buy balm, salve, lotion, ointment, emery boards, nail files, tape, Band-Aids, or nail clippers again. We have all that stuff stashed in multiple spots鈥攎edicine cabinet, cragging pack, gym pack, and cars. It鈥檚 not all designed for making your face radiant and free of age lines, but you will most definitely have the best finger and palm skin in town.

7. You鈥檒l Be Plugged into an Instant Community

Just as , , usually from our apparel, veiny forearms, and chalky, hands. In this way, we tend to bond quickly, forming communities and networks both large and small. So if you pair up with a climber, you will be plugged in to a big family, which is great if you are a social person, but perhaps not so great if you鈥檇 rather not see your guest room turned into a hostel for a rotating cast of aromatic vagabonds who range from lost skatepunk bouldering kids, to dreadlocked Germans chain-smoking Drum cigarettes, to penny-pinching bro-grammers soaking up all your Wi-Fi while they work on rest days.

8. We鈥檙e Youthful and Free-Spirited

Climbers are often accused of hiding from real life by being out at the rock all day, which is 100 percent true. But this carefree lifestyle also keeps us young at heart and fun to be around. Thus, while some might call us immature, I prefer to think of climbers as 测辞耻迟丑蹿耻濒.听

Take it from me. At age 53, I can spend all day bolting choss, stop in at the gym to train, come home and pop in a frozen pizza and wash off some baby carrots for the kids like the 鈥淲orld鈥檚 Greatest Dad鈥� that I am. Then trade wiener, butt, and fart jokes with my boys at the dinner table much to my wife鈥檚 chagrin. And still wake up the next morning with enough energy to put in a two-hour workday and then MoonBoard. I mean, if I were single, I鈥檇 be a major catch!

9. We Always Know the Weather

No one is as obsessed with the weather as rock climbers, who schedule our lives around when it鈥檚 ideal to climb. Condies are king, and we stay up to date鈥攙ia multiple apps and websites鈥攁t least a week out on the weather, including wind, humidity, chances of precipitation, etc. So, if you never want to have to check the forecast again, date a climber.

10. Lots of Us Are Secret Trust-Funders

Despite our and our apparent poverty (worn, soiled clothing; blown-out rock shoes; guerilla camping; etc.), many of us are actually secret trust-funders. I mean, how else do you think that buddy of yours who never works somehow manages to spend three months a year in Spain and three months at Rocklands while also basing out of a high-end condo in an expensive mountain town and shopping exclusively at Whole Foods? It鈥檚 because he has a secret income he might be ashamed to talk about, e.g., a trust fund. If you play your cards right, you, too, can share in that bounty, trading the stress and tedium of work for the delicious apathy of鈥� 鈥渘ot work.鈥�

Matt Samet is a freelance writer and editor based in Boulder, Colorado. He is the author of the and the memoir 听

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I first heard of Ouray鈥檚 legendary Ice Park in 1998, as a student with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), traveling through Wyoming鈥檚 Wind River Mountains.

鈥淭hey make ice routes that are like a hundred feet tall, all winter,鈥� said my companion. 鈥淵ou just bring your gear, walk in, and climb.鈥�

He had to be exaggerating. Giant pipes built with the sole intention of making frozen waterfalls? It sounded awesome but far-fetched. Maybe some leaky pipes making a few lumpy piles of ice. A hundred feet? Impossible!

A year later, when I moved to Colorado, Ouray was one of the first places I had to see. I found the town surrounded on three sides by steep mountain walls, an oasis of flat ground in a broad canyon of cliffs and crags. The streets are arranged in a neat, compact grid similar to that in many of Colorado鈥檚 late 19th-century boomtowns.

Buildings reflect the practical architecture of mining-town designs. Restaurants and lodges are often narrow, woody, weathered places that retain their utilitarian DNA. Local traffic is dominated by battle-scarred pickup trucks and scrappy second-hand sedans, with the occasional jacked-up Jeep in the mix. The contrast between stunning natural beauty and gritty development gives balance to the place, a kind of alpine Yin-Yang.

I arrived in December 1999, driving my 1980 Toyota Celica, a bald-tired, rear-wheel-drive tank of a car. My clunker didn鈥檛 seem out of place in Ouray, which was a sign I just might like the place.

I recall noticing the moody afternoon sunlight, alpenglow diluted by shadows, diffusing mountainous greens and gold into subtle pinks, yellows, and baby blues. Ouray is a small place (population 898 as of the 2020 Census), lacking the daredevil architecture of hyper-modern homes moored on rocky cliffs that is a hallmark of other haughtier mountain towns. The entire place was a five-minute drive-through. On the far south end was the mythical .

That first day, I got a sneak peek into the frozen canyon and my first look at the operation. And it was glorious, surpassing the vision I had conjured up. The ice walls really were 100 feet tall. The following day was my first time climbing in the park.

Belayers protect their climbing partners while standing on the floor of Box Ca帽on, where a defiant creek occasionally cracks through the frozen ground underfoot. Here was a place of translucent blue ice, shimmering silver snow, and deep winter shadows, all created by adventurous people for adventurous people. I was hooked for life.

Dozens of visits later, I still look forward to my annual January migration to kick my crampons in at the ice park. But it wasn鈥檛 just the access to ice that won me over.

Ouray has a charm that is different than other Colorado mountain towns. It鈥檚 a place that knows its audience, from offroaders to freedom-of-the-hills mountaineers. Locals are friendly but not cloyingly so. The town attracts an adventurous set of visitors鈥攁nd many world-class athletes鈥攂ut doesn鈥檛 brim with bravado. Jeepers, backcountry skiers, hikers, and climbers all claim Ouray as a special place for their respective passions, and they are all correct. Ouray welcomes 鈥檈m all.

Ouray, Spectacular in Any Season

How can you not love a town with a massive hot spring anchored smack dab in the middle?

Unlike many other mountain towns that thrive on tourism, Ouray hasn鈥檛 handed the reins to luxury developers. The town鈥檚 scrappy mining roots remain evident and authentic. Many of the homes and businesses in Ouray are well over a hundred years old. Most are modernized within reason, though still sporting old-growth wooden walls and early 19th-century flourishes along rooflines. The narrow layout of the roads hints at horses and wagons rather than SUV use.

Ouray is 7,800 feet above sea level at the base of the San Juan Mountains in south-central Colorado. Gold and silver mining put the place on the map in 1876. A railroad kept the pulse of Ouray beating into the 1930s. The town has evolved since then into one of the best basecamps for outdoor adventure in the Rocky Mountains.

Ouray was my base of operations for southwest Colorado in the summer of 2005 when I was writing my first mountain-hiking guidebook. I would scramble up many of the neighboring San Juan peaks, then return to campgrounds in the area. Mount Sneffels, a 14,154-foot summit in the wildflower-rich Yankee Boy Basin, was among the peaks I hiked鈥攁nd it remains one of my ten favorite mountain hikes in Colorado.

The San Juan Mountains are greener than many of Colorado鈥檚 other ranges. Wildflowers creep higher above treeline, grass decorates areas that would otherwise be rocky and barren, and creeks aplenty flow through it all. Mount Sneffels not only gives an incredible bird鈥檚-eye view of these valleys, but it鈥檚 a super fun scramble.

I鈥檝e since gone on to hike more difficult summits in the area, including Potosi Peak (13,792 feet) and Teakettle Mountain (13,797 feet). The roads into Yankee Boy Basin (County Road 361 splitting to County Road 26, then Yankee Boy Basin Road) were massively improved in 2019 from dicey 4×4 trails to normal-clearance dirt roads to the lower Mount Sneffels Trailhead. This change means you can enter the lower basin with a normal passenger vehicle. Four-wheel drive vehicles with good clearance can climb a little higher into the basin. The higher you get, the more backcountry camping you find.

In the valley, is absolute bliss on sore post-hike muscles, worth the 30-minute drive down from camp. It鈥檚 open year-round and has five different pools, including a lap pool, with temperatures ranging from 80 to 106 degrees. And it doesn鈥檛 reek of sulfur, so you won鈥檛 come out smelling like rotten eggs.

I like to camp in the backcountry in the autumn but have a soft spot for the affordable, pet-friendly cabins at the on the north side of town. These cabins are also perfect for quaint winter lodging when visiting the ice park. The is another favorite; it is more centrally located and also pet-friendly and within walking distance of the ice park.

I have many fond memories of having my dogs鈥攑ast and present鈥攊n Ouray. Fellin Park is a nice, open plot for pups and conveniently located right next to Ouray Hot Springs Pool. You can get in a good local walk on the Perimeter Trail, a well-maintained hiking loop that circles 5.4 miles around Ouray. The trail has a few steep climbs and rolls through forests with excellent town views. I鈥檝e had many a good snowshoe in the winter with my dogs in the Amphitheater Campground area, mainly on the closed access roads.

is one of the coolest outdoor shops in Colorado. They have local expertise in hiking, climbing, skiing, the , and rental equipment for the ice park. And if you鈥檙e up for going big in the mountains with a guide鈥攐r just want an expert to show you the ropes for ice climbing鈥� are excellent. offers a different kind of outing with their offroading vehicles, from Jeeps to e-bikes. The old mining roads make excellent 4×4 tours, from Imogene Pass to the notorious .

Back to the Ouray Ice Park

I鈥檝e spent many fine days with friends in the ice park, including during the , usually held in mid-January. The ice park opened in 1994. The legendary alpinist Jeff Lowe ran the first Ice Fest here in 1996, drawing a modest crowd of a few hundred people. Nearly 30 years later, the festival brings in thousands each year, and the park is still free and open from mid-December until the end of March, give or take a week, thanks to Mother Nature鈥檚 whims.

Even if you鈥檙e going for a one-time visit, it鈥檚 worth chipping in and becoming an for the season (costs start at $75). Membership gets you early access to the park and helps fund the volunteer-driven costs of maintaining the place.

There may be no finer winter itinerary than spending a long weekend (or better yet, some mid-week days) with friends and dogs in Ouray. Wake up, walk the pups, then get in a few hours at the ice park. Sneak out for lunch, then grab a second climbing session or a snowshoe until the early winter sunset. Grab a bite at one of the local restaurants, then go for a deep soak in the hot springs. Repeat for a few days, then head home.

While you鈥檙e around, it鈥檚 worth a quick detour to , a waterfall tucked into a tight, narrow gorge that is worth the modest $7 ($5 for kids) per person entry fee to check out. It鈥檚 open year-round and is especially scenic on a cold winter day. Use great caution on the icy 500-foot walkway to get there.

黑料吃瓜网s In and Beyond Ouray

If you like mining history, the region is littered with it. The are worth a visit to learn more about the mining roots and general history of the area.

Rolling south out of Ouray on Highway 550 is an adventure in itself. The Million Dollar Highway is a paved stretch of road with some gutsy exposure high above the valley, though don鈥檛 let modified fish-eye lens pictures intimidate you. You will absolutely want snow tires and AWD/4WD in the winter on this road. It eventually connects to another, even more remote Colorado mountain town, Silverton.

About 35 minutes out of Ouray, the roadway accesses South Mineral Campground and one of Colorado鈥檚 most famous alpine lakes, the fluorescent-blue Ice Lake. Ice Lake Basin is the gateway to two of my favorite mountain scrambles, the 13,786-foot Golden Horn and 13,907-foot Vermillion Peak.

Farther up 550 is Engineer Pass, with the two Engineer Mountains, Engineer Mountain A (13,225 feet) and Engineer Mountain B (12,980 feet). Despite the taller elevation, Engineer Mountain A is the easier hike, with a moderate trail and Class 1 to 2 scrambles to the summit. The smaller Engineer Mountain B has burly Class 4 climbing and cuts a much more impressive profile from Highway 550.

With all the mountain goodness, it鈥檚 easy to forget that听Ridgway Reservoir is only about 20 minutes north of Ouray. It鈥檚 a great summer destination for boaters, paddleboarders, and mountain folk starved for a recreational lake.

The Switzerland of America

Ouray has been nicknamed听 鈥渢he Switzerland of America,鈥� though I鈥檝e never actually been to Switzerland to verify that claim. I imagine Switzerland has far fewer jacked-up Jeeps and dudes playing banjos near the public bathrooms, but feel free to prove me wrong.

What Ouray does have is gorgeous mountain scenery, an abundance of backcountry adventure, and at least a few St. Bernard dogs. I鈥檒l always find my way back there.

About James Dziezynski

James Dziezynski is the SEO director at 黑料吃瓜网 and the author of six Colorado mountain-hiking guidebooks, including 2023鈥檚 . A resident of Boulder, he has been visiting Ouray since the 1990s. He has a PR of 3 minutes and 18 seconds in the 106-degree Overlook pool at the Ouray Hot Springs.

The post This Colorado Town Is Off the Beaten Path and Full of 黑料吃瓜网 appeared first on 黑料吃瓜网 Online.

The first time I met Robbi Mecus, she told me she liked my skirt. I was 25, working as an interior caretaker in the Adirondack High Peaks, my first job with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). My male supervisor had recently told me the skirt was unprofessional. But Robbi loved it鈥攕he lamented the fact that she couldn鈥檛 wear one on the job as a ranger. She loved embracing her feminine side.

It was summer 2020, and Robbi, who had been a forest ranger with the DEC for over 20 years, was passing by my backcountry cabin at Marcy Dam, a major trail intersection in the Adirondacks. She had just rescued a pair of hikers from the Trap Dike, a class four climb in a steep, rocky gully on Mt. Colden, where many hikers get in over their heads. Robbi knew this area better than just about anyone, and it took her just a few hours to get the pair safely back on trail.

I had been looking forward to meeting her for a long time. I had heard her calm, unwavering voice on the radio all summer. In the years to come, her voice would become a balm. I’d hear her on the radio and a flood of relief would wash over my body. Thank God Robbi is coming. Everything will be OK.

Later that summer, I would successfully file a claim of discrimination and sexual harassment against that supervisor, citing a long list of incidents that included his distaste for the skirt. The day I met Robbi, I had no idea what was coming. But I was standing for something I believed in鈥攖hat women belong working in the outdoors鈥攂y wearing that skirt. Robbi saw that. We were fast friends, bonded by this common thread that wove our lives together.

Now I鈥檓 left wondering how to move forward without her support and passion. On Thursday, April 25, Robbi died in an ice climbing fall on Mount Johnson in Alaska鈥檚 Ruth Gorge, at the age of 52. She was on a route called the Escalator, and she and her climbing partner, Melissa Orzechowski, fell about 1,000 feet. Another climbing party on the route witnessed the accident, called for help, and descended to the pair, where they confirmed that Robbi had died. They dug a snow cave and attended to Melissa鈥檚 injuries throughout the night. The next morning, Melissa was flown out and transported to a hospital where she still remains in critical condition.

In the wake of her death, Robbi has left many communities grieving. She was an incredible ranger, an accomplished climber, a powerful advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, a mother, a mentor, and more. Our relationship was just beginning鈥擨 hadn鈥檛 yet cashed in on her offer to get out for a climb in Keene Valley, and we鈥檒l never get a chance to go to the Rage Against the Machine concert she invited me to. But in the four short years I knew Robbi, we spent many hours skiing together in the backcountry and at Whiteface, our local mountain, and we were on multiple rescues together. I got to see her shine in the most precarious and stressful situations: in helicopters, doing rope rescues, on carry-outs. I also saw her shine in the most joyous: on the dance floor, with a margarita in hand, or traveling the trails in her favorite mountains.

For someone as tough as Robbi was, she had the softest, kindest face. She was tall and strong with electric blue eyes and long brown hair, often tied back in two braids. From the moment Robbi understood gender as a child, she knew she was a girl, and a girl who loved the mountains. Both felt out of reach: she didn鈥檛 have examples of trans people in her immediate community, and living in New York City, the mountains were far away. But early on, she found a climbing community and immediately fell in love with the sport. To her, everybody was equal at the crag.

In 1999, Robbi became a forest ranger in New York. She was in her thirties, working her dream job. She got married and had a daughter. In an interview with , she said she thought that maybe that was enough, maybe she could make her life work in a man鈥檚 body.

Then, when Robbi was 44, she came out as a transgender woman. She couldn鈥檛 keep hiding. In a place like the Adirondacks鈥攃onservative and blue-collar, without a big community of openly trans or queer people鈥攕he thought her career as a ranger would be over. She knew the job relied on personal connections within the community and her coworkers, and believed that she would lose those relationships after coming out.

But people who knew her, like her coworkers, ended up supporting and respecting her. Robbi said she felt a wave of relief. It was all coming together. She was finally in the right body, with the right job.

Throughout her career, she relentlessly worked to create a safe and supportive community for LGBTQ+ climbers in the Adirondacks. Back in 2022, she and Melissa started the Adirondack Queer Ice Fest, the first of its kind, and a huge success. She became a role model for people who aren鈥檛 always seen or accepted by the outdoor community. She had put up a number of first ascents in the Adirondacks, and was known throughout the region for her climbing prowess.

Unlike a lot of forest rangers, Robbi was very public about her work. She agreed to interviews with the press. She delivered presentations on the complexities of mountain rescues. She conducted Facebook Live Q&A events, wrote for the Alpinist, and was interviewed on their podcast. She performed at live storytelling events. She did it all because she believed it was so important that women like her were visible. Before she transitioned, she didn鈥檛 see any queer rangers or trans climbers.

Robbi was a damn good ranger. Once she was called to rescue a man at the Boquet River Lean-to. It was her first rescue in a zone new to her, and she reached him at sunset. The helicopter pilot radioed her and said she had two minutes to harness the patient or they鈥檇 turn around, because they couldn鈥檛 hoist someone in the dark. Another ranger was brought in to help. With webbing, she tied a full waist and chest harness in under 90 seconds (less than half the time it usually takes). They hoisted the patient, and then the other ranger. Robbi walked out with the rest of the group. No ranger since has been able to beat her record.

Robbi and I were thrilled every time we got to work together. She made me feel seen, respected, and empowered. Soon, our texts shifted from work talk to plans to make dinner together, or get out for an adventure in our free time.听 She was a ball of fire. In winter 2023, we took an avalanche course together. After our first day in the course she texted me, 鈥淟et鈥檚 see how many times the instructors will automatically gender some random made-up rescuer or ski patroller as male today. It was all over the place yesterday. Did you catch it? 鈥楾he guy running the probe.鈥� 鈥楬e needs to start shoveling downhill.鈥� 鈥榃hat if your wife or girlfriend were caught in the avalanche?鈥� That last one I loved. I looked around the room at the students and a good 40 percent of them are women. WTF?鈥�

Robbi affirmed the disappointment and anger I often felt as a woman in the outdoors. She was so articulate about it, so precise. She saw it, said something, and carried on proving the world wrong. She supported me in every way. It’s dizzying to imagine how many people she impacted, if in just four short years she could give so much to me.

This spring, she was at the height of her career, as strong as she had ever been. Weeks before she left for Alaska, she and her close friend and coworker Chrissy Raudonis, the Lake Colden caretaker, saved the life of a man who became lost on Mount Marcy, New York鈥檚 tallest mountain. They spotted his tracks off trail just hours before a blizzard would have covered them. A few days before she flew out to the Ruth Gorge, I sent her The New York Times article about the rescue. I wrote how proud I was to call her my friend, and how excited I was for her that she was back in Alaska. She responded simply with, 鈥淐hrissy, too!鈥� That was Robbi. Humble as ever.

A ranger I used to work with called me when he got the news. I鈥檝e tried to find words for what it feels like when someone tells you the unimaginable. I keep falling short. He had the tone of someone who has to deliver bad news all too often. He invited me to a gathering that evening where friends and rangers, some who had worked their entire careers by Robbi鈥檚 side, told stories about the rescues they had been on together: the hard, the hilarious, the unforgettable. They all said that they never worried about Robbi. She was so strong and calculated. Something like this would never happen to her. She was one of the best rangers New York has ever seen. Before we knew it, it was four in the morning.

Robbi was magic, someone you became a better person around just by standing in her light. She glowed on her best days and her hardest. Everyone she met could feel the care and passion she brought to her work and her community. I grieve for the people who loved her. I’m more sure than ever that we must tell people we love them, even when it might feel strange or scary. I鈥檓 learning that loving hard means that loss hits hard, too. Robbi would tell me that it鈥檚 worth it.

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Apparently 2024 is the year of apparel, as most new ice climbing releases this year fell into that category. Most brands source the same or similar fabrics for alpine sports, so the true differentiator comes down to how the designers tie them all together with a fit suitable for sport鈥攏ot just photo shoots. While we appreciate (and hope for) disruptors, it鈥檚 no surprise that the big name brands with the most experienced athletes are the ones best linking pattern table to vertical escarpment. Below are our favorite picks of the year.

The Winners at a Glance

• Arc鈥檛eryx Alpha Hybrid Pant
• Arc鈥檛eryx Alpha Lightweight Parka
• Grivel G20+ EVO Crampon
• Patagonia Nano-Air Light Vest
• Rab Ascendor Summit Hoody FZ
• Mountain Hardwear Phantom Belay Down Parka

The Reviews: The Best Ice Climbing Gear of 2024

Arc鈥檛eryx Alpha Hybrid Pant ($350)

Weight: 475 g (men’s) / 400 g (women鈥檚 4R)
Size: XSR-2XLR (men鈥檚) / 0R-16R (women鈥檚)
Materials: N80D Most Rugged 3L Gore-Tex Pro, Burly Double Weave Softshell
Fit: Trim
Pros: Ultimate quiver-of-one winter pant, Highly breathable composite construction, Removable knee pads
Cons: Not fully waterproof

The Alpha Hybrid Pant has been revived since the original version, the Alpha Comp, was dropped from Arc鈥檛eryx鈥檚 lineup years ago. The original pant combined hardshell Gore-Tex front and lower panels with softshell in the rear for an unmatched synthesis of weather-proofing, breathability, and movement. Unfortunately, the Alpha Comp was ultimately dropped. The athlete team nearly revolted upon the news, and has been pushing ever since for a revival.

Enter the Alpha Hybrid: an updated version with improved features like removable knee pads and a cinchable waist belt (the previous hook and loop adjustment waist had a knack for undoing itself and unintentionally hooking onto other things). While seemingly hokey, the thin, lightweight foam knee pads are never in the way but often appreciated when pulling bulges, resting knees against the wall in semi hanging belays, and the occasional knee whack that none of us are too experienced to avoid. The Hybrid retains the Alpha Comp鈥檚 key crossover element: cuffs with a zipper that widen to accommodate ski boots or slim down to stay svelte on a mountain boot and avoid crampon catches. This simple adaptation is surprisingly rare, and a top reason the Alpha Hybrid is a true quiver-killer. The Gore-Tex and softshell combo also does a remarkable job of venting moisture and kept our tester鈥檚 trunks dry even on a long, early summer aerobic approach in Rocky Mountain National Park. Note: the softshell rear is not waterproof, so these pants are best for cold-weather pursuits where liquid precipitation is unlikely.

Bottom line: The Alpha Hybrid is made for the cold-weather athlete who only wants to pack one pair of pants

Arcteryx Alpha Lightweight Parka ($800)

Weight: 17.3 oz (men鈥檚) / 15.9 oz (women鈥檚)
Size: XS-2XL (men鈥檚) / 2XS-2XL (women鈥檚)
Materials: 850 RDS fill down, Gore-Tex Infinium shell with Hadron face fabric
Fit: Regular
Pros: You get the warmth-to-weight benefits of down with the protection of Gore-Tex
Cons: 贰虫辫别苍蝉颈惫别鈥攍颈办别, really expensive

We originally tested the Alpha Parka (not the lightweight version), and found it to be more jacket than most users would need for anything in the Lower 48, especially considering the $1,000 price tag. The Alpha Lightweight Parka chops 10 ounces and $200, retaining the premium 850 fill power and Gore-Tex Infinium shell, to give us the best belay parka we have ever used. It鈥檚 packable, lightweight, and weather proof鈥攕o much so that it completely alleviated our hesitance to bring a down jacket on a mission (since down is ineffective when wet). Though a bulky belay parka, its thoughtful cut was remarkably unobtrusive when we wore it while seconding frigid WI4 pitches in Cody, Wyoming. Smart design details like dump pockets and a perfectly articulated hood that accommodates a helmet without limiting mobility are the finishing touches that seal the deal. For any adventure short of Himalayan high peaks, the Alpha Lightweight is a standout that fully justifies its high price tag. For everyday cragging, you don鈥檛 need something this spendy, but as you build into multipitch mountain endeavors where every ounce counts, the Alpha Lightweight Parka is the unparalleled choice of the category.

Bottom line: The best belay parka (ever) for winter climbers who can spare some expense.

Grivel G20+ EVO Crampon ($250)

Weight: 844 g/pair
Size: one size fits all
Pros: Lightweight; Replaceable front point
Cons: Doesn鈥檛 collapse as compactly as other crampons in its class; Not modular (i.e. is a dedicated monopoint)

Much like the 2006 World Cup season, the sharp-and-pointies category of ice climbing has been a back and forth showdown between French and Italian brands for decades. Thanks to its innovative design, the G20 by Italian company Grivel has upset our tester鈥檚 previous French loyalties. The standout feature is the single frontpoint, extending like a velociraptor claw and forming the very frame of the crampon itself. Typically, crampon frontpoints are attached to the frame, but testers found that this unique approach worked to make the G20 lighter than rivals and very responsive鈥攍ike an ergonomic extension of our feet. The razor sharp appendage sliced through waterfall ice on Vail, Colorado鈥檚 classic The Fang (WI5) without shattering delicate placements. The small, horizontal secondary point was the coup de grace, as it provided security and balance for ice placements, but is recessed enough not to hinder rock placements (other designs integrating this combination struggled to strike such a balance). The only two critiques: adjustments require actual Allen key disassembly, and the single rail frame design folds in half instead of collapsing down, which makes for a slightly bulkier and awkward package to carry when not in use.

Bottom line: Crampons for ice, mixed, and alpine climbers looking for top-of-the-line performance on steep terrain.

Patagonia Nano-Air Light Vest ($199)

Weight: 7.5 oz (men鈥檚) / 6 oz (women鈥檚)
Size: XS-2XL (men鈥檚) / XS-2XL (women鈥檚)
Fit: Trim
Pros: Incomparable warmth-to-weight ratio
Cons: None really

Comedian Demetri Martin said: 鈥淰ests are all about protection. A lifevest protects you from drowning, a bulletproof vest protects you from getting shot, and a sweater vest protects you from pretty girls.鈥� Perhaps this classic 90s fashion precept is why it took our tester so long to get on board with the Nano-Air Light, but after taking it out once, he鈥檒l be riding the vest train until the end of the line. At seven ounces, this vest weighs next to nothing and adds a remarkable amount of breathable warmth to our daily kit. Our tester found the vest really shined when leading the seasonally dry, scrappy Hessie Chimney (M5) in the Indian Peaks Wilderness of Colorado, where it kept him warm in the cold temps but offered freedom of movement for the athletic stemming, arm barring, and dry tooling involved. Other puffy vests can feel bulky and too warm, but the trimmed down Nano-Air Light is barely noticeable in its volume and added just the right amount of insulation to keep us warm without overheating.

Bottom line: Keep your core warm without cluttering your arms.

Rab Ascendor Summit Hoody FZ ($200)

Weight: 11.6 oz (men鈥檚) / 9.8 oz (women鈥檚)
Size: S-XXL (men鈥檚) / XS-XL (women鈥檚)
Fit: Slim
Pros: Simple, well executed midlayer
Cons: Shockingly, none

We often hear the design phrase, 鈥渟implest is the most difficult,鈥� but in this case, Rab nailed it. It isn鈥檛 fancy, but it has all the technical characteristics you need, with nothing else (similarly to an iconic fan-favorite, the Patagonia R1 Fleece Pullover. Key features that make this hoody standout are the athletic cut, no superfluous bells or whistles, a smooth outer face, and a well-fitting hood. There is no bulky material around the arms or midsection, and simple but thoughtful features like hidden thumb loops and smooth outer lining across the shoulders shed moisture. If your layering system calls for a mid-weight fleece layer, this is your pick.

Bottom line: A no frills, well designed mid-layer

Mountain Hardwear Phantom Belay Down Parka ($550)

Weight: 27 oz
Size: S-2XL
Materials: 800 fill down, Pertex Quantum Diamond Fuse 20D Ripstop shell’
Fit: Regular/Generous
Pros: Weather protected down warmth
Cons: On the bulkier and heavier side

If the Arc鈥檛eryx Alpha Lite is the Porsche of belay parkas (beautiful, trim lines and high end without an extra ounce), then the Phantom is the Cadillac: roomy, comfortable, plenty of performance capabilities for the majority of us, and more affordable. The ripstop Pertex shell that protects the moisture-sensitive down fill was completely bomber in its performance, so we had peace of mind when scraping it against rocks and boulders. The bulky cut and fill are more suited for belays than active movement, but for hunkering down and staying toasty, this parka is tough to beat. Plus, the generous baffling and fill are akin to being wrapped in a cloud during basecamp lounging.

Bottom line: A solidly priced, quality down jacket that鈥檚 sure to last

How to Buy

Ice climbing is the most gear intensive, and therefore expensive, iteration of climbing. With that comes an allure to buy everything – but any ice climbing kit is holistic and needs to all work well together. A single standout piece of apparel is worthless if it doesn鈥檛 combine well with the rest of your action suit. Colin Haley has a about layering for alpine climbing, in which he aptly observes, 鈥淎t any given moment in time, I must be able to wear every item of clothing that I brought with me on a climb (the exceptions to this rule are gloves and socks).鈥� Make sure everything can be functionally worn together, and try items on as you will use them. For example, if you鈥檒l be wearing baselayers then try on prospective pants with a baselayer underneath to make sure they allow the mobility you鈥檒l want and need in the mountains.

If you鈥檙e starting out, we recommend being conservative on how much you spend before you know exactly what you鈥檙e looking for鈥攎uch like a $200 pair of rock shoes is unnecessary for a beginner. And unless you are certain you want to focus on a hyper specific niche of the sport, look for the most generalist items within a category, what we like to call 鈥渜uiver killers.鈥� For example, we loved the G20 Plus Crampons for steep vertical ice and mixed, but if you鈥檙e starting out with more moderate grades, they鈥檇 be a poor choice and unnecessarily costly. Secondhand gear will give you a feel for the sport and your preferences before you throw down thousands on a fancy new kit. Check out online forums like MountainProject.com and eBay, or even your local Facebook Marketplace.

For those ready to dive in on new gear, boots are a number one spending priority. Take care of your feet鈥攜ou can鈥檛 get anywhere without them. Most modern tools and crampons will last for years, which means used pairs perform like new with a fresh set of picks or frontpoints. But boots wear out and a nice, new pair suited to your fit will deliver the most bang-for-your-buck. Head to a local shop that knows the sport to get a well-fitting pair, and repay their expertise with a purchase. From there you can begin to accumulate hard goods like ice tools, crampons, and ice screws. Most ropes, draws, and harnesses can cover the gamut from rock to ice if purchased with versatility in mind.

How We Test

• Number of testers: 6
• Number of products tested: 75
• Number of miles/vertical feet: tens of 1000s

Socrates said the wisest man knows he knows nothing, so our lead tester leaned on a list of climbers he looks up to, ranging from Cody, WY, ice climbing guide Dane Steadman to alpine legend Bruce Miller (a man who saved Steve House鈥檚 life, not once, but twice). This year’s collection of products got wrung through the paces from Colorado to Alaska鈥攊ncluding the coveted Jeff Lowe & Will Gadd testpiece Deep Throat (M7 WI6) in Glenwood Canyon, CO.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Maury Birdwell

Maury is an attorney and climber based in Boulder, CO. He has had the good fortune to climb and establish routes around the world, his favorite part of which is the communion it provides with his partners and the heroes who came before him. Some highlights include freeing the original Royal Robbins line on Mount Hooker in the Wind River Range with Jesse Huey (Original Sin, 5.12+), the first free ascent of Armageddon (5.12+) on the North Howser Tower in the Bugaboos, Canada, and setting the for climbing (solo) the Diamond of Longs Peak. His work focuses on outdoor business development, and in 2012 he co-founded the Honnold Foundation with Alex Honnold 鈥� perhaps his greatest personal 鈥榮end鈥� to date.

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Earlier this month, longtime Yosemite local and renowned ice climber Zach Milligan was found dead near a cliff at the base of , a famed route on the Weeping Wall above the Icefields Parkway in Banff, Alberta. Standing 2,300 feet high, Polar Circus is considered to be one of the most classic ice climbs in the Canadian Rockies; a showpiece capped with it鈥檚 crux: a final two pitches that are a massive sheet of ice. It鈥檚 also prone to avalanches.听

Rangers found Zach鈥檚 vehicle on Friday, February 10, and the following day, drone searches discovered his body.听His sister, Martha Milligan Hart, confirmed the terrible news on Facebook later that day.

鈥淗e was a world-class climber, incredible alpine skier, gifted musician, wicked smart; he could tell a wildly entertaining story and make almost anything funny,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淗e will be missed more deeply than there are words.鈥�

Zach鈥檚 brother Austin Milligan said there would be no autopsy, and that his death was being ruled an accident. According to an incident report from Parks Canada, he likely fell from one of the upper pitches on Polar Circus.

I heard the news from a mutual friend, climber Eric Kohl, and it took a minute to sink in. I had to repeat it several times: 鈥淶ach Milligan has died,鈥� I kept saying out loud. There were long pauses, and Eric鈥檚 voice was cracking over the phone. I felt his pain. Zach had been my favorite climbing partner and close friend. The guy who made me laugh more than anyone was gone. He was 42 years old.

Zach lived for 13 years in a cave in Yosemite and seven more in houses in the park. He worked for the Yosemite cleaning service, Best Bet, during that time. Then, Zach moved to Bozeman, Montana, where he ran his namesake flooring business. He lived out of his non-converted Dodge Pro Master work van and slept among his tools. He also slept in his gutted hand-me-down Toyota Camry covered with wooden roof racks. He shared many of his later Yosemite years with his girlfriend, Kristin Anderson, living in a tiny house just outside the west entrance of Yosemite. The two met in 2004 and began dating in 2011.

鈥淶ach is the most interesting person I have ever met,鈥� she recently told me. 鈥淚 fell in love with him the moment I met him in 2004 during my first summer in Yosemite. I credit Zach for showing me what I was capable of; he challenged me and pushed me past my perceived limits, and he made me a better climber.鈥�

I鈥檝e known Zach for decades, and I have also written about his various adventures for national outlets. I wrote about Zach despite the fact that he could care less about ever being in the media. For years, he chose not to have his climbing and skiing exploits documented in media,听but he eventually let me write about him because we were buddies. When I asked him why, he told me: 鈥淲hat am I going to do, lie to you when you asked me if I soloed something and say no?鈥� 听

He was straightforward, honest, hard-working, and a dedicated athlete.

In February 2021,听Zach made headlines worldwide for skiing Half Dome with Yosemite local Jason Torlano. I wrote a story for听黑料吃瓜网 on the descent, and Zach told me, 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 in a survivable situation. I had no business being on Half Dome. I鈥檓 not a real skier.鈥�

After talking with Eric, I went to my computer and gathered every recent image I had of Zach. He didn’t like having his picture taken, but I鈥檓 grateful to have a handful on file. Many were from this past year when we did our longest, most challenging routes together, such as the 2,000 foot 5.10 North Buttress of Middle Cathedral, an endless wall of loose rock in Yosemite. We also climbed Killa Beez, a multi-pitch 5.12 route, which is also in the valley. During that climb, Zach dropped a golf ball-sized rock on my head. 鈥淧ebble!鈥� he yelled down before it smacked into my helmet. I also loaded re-read all my stories about him. Then I dug into my files, brought up our dictated conversations and read them repeatedly. This went on for days.

In a print feature for听, I wrote about the time Zach, along with skiers Jason and Eric Rasmussen, descended an even more complex line butted against Half Dome, called Bushido Gully, which sits above 5,000 feet of granite walls. It was the most dangerous descent of their lives, where in one section, there was听鈥渘o ability to turn because it was too steep and too narrow of a ledge,鈥澨齛s Zach told me.

In a for Gripped, a climbing website, I describe Zach鈥檚 20-plus ascents of the 2,000-foot Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome. Using a combination of aid climbing听and free-soloing, he once completed the route in two hours and 30 minutes鈥攆or comparison, Alex Honnold free soloed it in 2:50. Zach also did approximately 300 free solo ascents of the Steck-Salath茅 route on 1,600-foot Sentinel Rock. He told me he free-soloed because, 鈥淵ou feel like you鈥檙e in contact with God. It makes me feel like I鈥檓 in a magical place.鈥�

鈥淗e鈥檚 the only person I know who gets worse when on a rope,鈥� says climbing guide Aaron Jones. He and Zach spent the winter of 2006 to 2007 living in Yosemite鈥檚 caves and became frequent climbing partners. On a rope, Jones says 鈥淶ach looked like he was going to shake himself off the pitch, even though he was on the same terrain that he鈥檇 free solo.鈥�

I sometimes found Zach to be socially awkward, and he could easily offend people just by opening his mouth. Some climbers gave him the nickname 鈥淗ater Zach.鈥� And yet, his friends loved him more for it.听During one interview, Zach described himself as 鈥渃ondescending, self-deprecating;听Others say I鈥檓 brutal, honest, all of that.鈥� Longtime climbing partner described him on Instagram as giving a perspective that was 鈥渟ometimes extreme, often deliberated, always calculated and mostly welcomed.鈥� Professional climber Dave Allfrey wondered why he got the 鈥渉ater鈥� nickname attached to him: 鈥淗e was actually quite nice to me,鈥� Allfrey told me.

My last memories of Zach are from this past season at Arch Rock, at the west entrance to Yosemite. He walked to the climb barefoot with me, confidently hopping over the steep talus field, and we never stopped talking. Since it was hot, I climbed in my boxer shorts and, for fun, asked various teams if they鈥檇 seen my pants. That day, perhaps to one-up my awkward humor, he told me about the time he free-soloed the Steck-Salath茅 in Yosemite naked. He told me how he free-soloed many other routes, including the hard Leanie Meanie and multi-pitch New Dimensions, with its most challenging moves at the very end. Soon there was a crowd around us, with some people climbing above, and others belaying, with me feeding everyone snacks and him telling stories.

As a climber, Zach went out of his way to help everyone, and when we struggled, he walked us through the moves. He knew exactly what to do to make a climb feel just right.

Anderson told me that Zach was a different person when he was climbing, and that her most cherished memories were from their time in the mountains together.

鈥淢y favorite days with him were waking up at 3 A.M., running around on high Sierra ridges, and basking in the sun and wind,鈥� she said. 鈥満诹铣怨贤� of climbing, he offered unique perspectives on the world and was always the person I could talk to for hours, even if I called him with nothing to say.鈥�

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Sure, you might feel a little party-pooped after the busy holiday season, but right now is the best time to drum up ways to fill your 2023 festival card. To help, we鈥檝e pulled together our top picks for some of the most fun, varied, and can鈥檛-miss outdoor and outdoor-oriented experiences across the United States over the next 12 months. Whether you鈥檙e an adventure junkie, a culture vulture, a music nerd, a party animal, a diehard foodie, or a parent of toddlers, we promise t丑别谤别鈥檚 something entertaining here for everyone.

JANUARY

Saint Paul Winter Carnival

Saint Paul, Minnesota听 / January 26 to February 5

Launched in 1886, in jubilant defiance of a bunch of visiting East Coast journalists who ripped on the state capital as an uninhabitable midwestern Siberia, this 鈥攖he oldest wintertime festival in the U.S.鈥攊s a raucous celebration of the season. Ruled by an appointed King Boreas, and Aurora, Queen of the Snows, and backed by a royal court of nearly two dozen equally fantastic characters, the carnival has a vaguely Nordic, sorta Greek mythological backstory to get lost within, if that鈥檚 your thing. But really, all you need to know is that Minnesotans take their winter fun seriously and are seriously competitive. If you want to play along, lace up for an icy running series, angle for bass and walleye during an ice-fishing tournament, scour the streets in a citywide scavenger hunt, join an all-ages jigsaw-puzzle contest, and flex your follicular prowess in a burly beard competition. If spectating is more your thing, enjoy a casual stroll through Vulcan Snow Park to admire frosty sculptures on display.

Sundance Film Festival

Park City, Utah / January 19 to 29

An offshoot of the Sundance Institute, the creative-arts nonprofit founded by legendary actor-director Robert Redford, this isn鈥檛 just the largest indie film fest in the nation, but one of the most venerated, awash in Oscar bait. While offerings run the topical gamut, it has always featured plenty of adventure-oriented and environmentally conscious gems鈥�An Inconvenient Truth premiered here in 2006, and critically acclaimed documentaries like Chasing Ice, Crip Camp, and Meru have followed suit. Offscreen, a plethora of panels, parties, and meet and greets round out the action, and nearby resorts offer a powdery alternative to hours in the theater. While this year鈥檚 event is the first in-person gathering after a pandemic-driven two-year hiatus, you can also screen entries from the comfort of home鈥攁lthough you鈥檒l be a lot less likely to bump into, say, Issa Rae or Jason Momoa when you get up for popcorn.

Honorable January Mentions:

• in Breckenridge, Colorado / January 23 to February 1
• in Ouray, Colorado / January 19 to 22
• in Aspen, Colorado / January 27 to 29

FEBRUARY

Anchorage Fur Rendezvous

Anchorage, Alaska / February 23 to March 5

Known to its faithful as the or just Rondy, this tradition began in 1936 to mark the arrival of fur-trading season and give folks a way to shake off some cabin fever. While you can still eyeball (and purchase) an array of pelts during its three-day trade fair, this is your chance to interact with locals in lively ways over ten days. Find a spot to watch any stage of the multiday World Championship Sled Dog Race, get out there and try to beat Dasher and Dancer in a footrace during the Running of the Reindeer, or sidle up to see a bag-flinging throwdown at the Alaska Cornhole Championships. For something quirkier, strap on a pair of classic metal snowshoes for a chilly softball tourney, or wrangle your best wrangle your best toilet-on-skis (people are literally plopping toilets and outhouses onto a pair of skis for this race) and go for gold in the World鈥檚 Largest Outhouse Race.

Fire and Ice Winterfest

Lava Hot Springs, Idaho / February 4 to 5

If you鈥檙e the kind of person who enjoys chugging Fireball and getting cozy in the sauna after a day spent frolicking in the snow, make a beeline for southeastern Idaho to experience both extremes of the temperature scale. The Polar Bear Float involves donning a wacky costume, then settling in on an inflatable for a brisk quarter-mile cruise down the Portneuf River. Luckily, opportunities abound to thaw out and relax with cozier pursuits, such as wine-tasting events, a torch-light ski run, and a fire-dancing show. To experience the best of both worlds, however, brave souls strip down to their Speedos for the Running of the Bulls, a mad dash through town that ends, mercifully, with a sizzling soak at the natural hot-spring pools.

Honorable February Mentions:

• in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania / February 2
• in Saranac Lake, New York / February 2 to 12

MARCH

Flash Foxy Climbing Festival

Bishop, California / March 17 to 19

What was created in 2016 as a small gathering for female rockhounds has evolved into a celebration of community and climbing that now includes genderqueer, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary people. The main draw of this is, of course, the excellent climbing scattered around the eastern Sierra鈥檚 jaw-droppingly scenic Payahuunadu region (also known as the Owens Valley), with clinics and workshops offered for all levels of experience. The event maintains deep ties to the local Bishop Paiute community and area businesses and organizes beneficial stewardship projects such as crag clean-ups.

National Cherry Blossom Festival

Washington, D.C. / March 20 to April 16

Banish the winter blahs with a trip to witness the vibrant emergence of spring, as nearly 4,000 cherry-blossom trees around our nation鈥檚 capital hit their pretty peak in a massive explosion of pink and white blooms. A 2.1-mile loop around the Tidal Basin reservoir puts you right in the floral action, but peel yourself away to revel in the sights and sounds of the PetalPalooza arts and music shindig, admire a different kind of colorful display at the Washington Monument鈥檚 Blossom Kite Festival, and check out various cultural happenings around town that celebrate the long history of goodwill between the U.S. and Japan. In fact, the seeds of this whole petal-peeping gala were planted way back in 1909, when Yukio Ozaki, mayor of Tokyo, gifted 2,000 trees to Washington, D.C., to honor the countries鈥� growing friendship.

Sedona Mountain Bike Festival

Sedona, Arizona / March 3 to 5

Not that you need an excuse to pull out your mountain bike, but t丑别谤别鈥檚 no better place to bid adieu to the dreary gray of a long winter than the sun-soaked red rock of Sedona. A loaded schedule of group rides at this presents the perfect opportunity to explore the nearly 250 miles of world-class singletrack laced throughout the nearby Coconino National Forest, with many trails launching straight from town. At night, kick back with your new dirt-covered besties in a craft-beer garden, settle in for a film screening, or boogie down at a concert. Ride hard, party hard.

Honorable March Mentions:

• in Estes Park, Colorado / March 17 to 19
• in Denver, Colorado / March 3 to 4
• in Tahoe City, California / March 2 to 12
• in Boise, Idaho / March 22 to 26

APRIL

Gathering of Nations Powwow

Albuquerque, New Mexico / April 27 to 29

Once a small, hyperlocal celebration of culture, the has grown to become the largest powwow in North America, drawing upward of 700 tribes from the United States and Canada. While the traditional drummers, singers, and dancers are all Indigenous, everyone is welcome to enjoy festivities that include contemporary music, an extensive arts and crafts market, a Horse and Rider Regalia parade, and the Miss Indian World pageant, which is less a contest than a means of preserving and elevating Native heritage. Come here hungry鈥攖he food court brims with tasty bites, including favorite dishes like mutton stew and fry-bread tacos.

High Water Festival

North Charleston, South Carolina / April 15 to 16

Held at the bucolic Riverfront Park on the banks of the Cooper River, and helmed by the Carolinian alt-country duo Shovels and Rope, this intimate indie-music is now in its fifth year. The lineup is small but mighty, with an emphasis on rootsy, homegrown sounds and regional acts. This year鈥檚 marquee names include Wilco, Angel Olsen, Big Boi, Orville Peck, and Lucius. Low Country cuisine shares top billing; if you鈥檙e feeling adventurous, sign up for an oyster-education class and learn how to shuck and slurp the briny mollusks.

Vermont Maple Festival

Saint Albans, Vermont / April 28 to 30

Looking for something sweet, sticky, and traditional as heck? Tap (ahem) into the all-ages fun at this 50-plus-year-old of 鈥渢he official flavor of Vermont.鈥� The good stuff takes center stage, of course, with cooking and maple-syrup contests, and plenty of opportunities to indulge in divine confections. This is also an active event, where you can lace up for the 8.5-mile Sap Run, stroll through a maple-themed art show, enjoy kid-friendly entertainment at Taylor Park, and tour a family-run sugarhouse that boils up liquid magic from nearly 30,000 local trees.

Honorable April Mentions:

• in Carbondale, Colorado / April 20 to 23
• in Wilkesboro, North Carolina / April 27 to 30
• in Monterey, California / April 20 to 23

MAY

Dominion Energy Riverrock

Richmond, Virginia / May 19 to 21

The western U.S. steals a lot of the outdoor-rec thunder, but this massive music-and-adventure sports serves it up hot in the Mid-Atlantic. Spread across various parks and trail systems along the roiling James River, Riverrock cranks up the fun with a stacked schedule of trail races, climbing contests, mountain-bike competitions, and fishing tourneys. You can also peruse art installations, take in an indie-rock-heavy concert lineup, watch doggos catch some vert at the Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs event, give back through stewardship events, stretch out with some yoga, or try your hand at activities including kayaking and slacklining.

Mountainfilm

Telluride, Colorado / May 25 to 29

If t丑别谤别鈥檚 one word that appears more times than you can count on the website, it鈥檚 鈥渋nspiring.鈥� But honestly, that鈥檚 an apt descriptor. Once focused squarely on mountain-based adventure storytelling, the festival has grown into a much broader showcase for indie films from around the world that uplift spirits and spark thought and action. While screenings pop up around the country, it鈥檚 worth showing up in person for the flagship event to bask in the (sorry) inspiring company alone. Past speakers have ranged from environmental activist Julia Butterfly Hill to groundbreaking climber Lynn Hill, acclaimed climate author Bill McKibben, and Arctic photographer Subhankar Banerjee.

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

New Orleans, Lousiana / April 28 to May 7

Don鈥檛 let the name fool you鈥攜ou don鈥檛 need to own a single Miles Davis record to enjoy this It might sound like sacrilege, but even though the lineup usually includes a pretty stellar top billing (last year The Who, Willie Nelson, and Lionel Ritchie headlined), the true heart of this musical bacchanal beats on its smaller stages and in tents, where local legends and knockout upstarts abound. Sway to the good vibes at the gospel tent, get down at the larger stages to regional icons like Big Freedia and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and if you鈥檙e feeling frisky, wander over to the Fais Do Do area and let someone sporting a crawfish-patterned outfit guide you on the dance floor. Between sets, fuel up on a smorgasbord of southern delights that might just be the best grub on offer at any music festival in the States.

Honorable May Mentions:

• in Buena Vista Lake, California / May 24 to 29
• in Damascus, Virginia / May 19 to 21

JUNE

GoPro Mountain Games

Vail, Colorado / June 8 to 11

For most folks, the word Vail is probably synonymous with epic powder days or back bowls, but the prove that playtime in the Rockies shines just as brightly in the summer sun. Pros and amateurs alike compete in almost a dozen different disciplines鈥攎ountain biking, climbing, paddle sports, trail running, fly-fishing, and even disc golf鈥攁ngling to nab a share of the $130,000 kitty. But the fun isn鈥檛 limited to humans; adventure pups can test their mettle in trail runs, swimming events, a DockDogs Big Air competition, and a slew of canine-friendly parties. In the evenings, the Mountains of Music concert series draws rootsy headliners; last year鈥檚 picks included Gov鈥檛 Mule, Grace Potter, and the Wailers.

Waynestock Outdoor 黑料吃瓜网 and Music Festival

Fayetteville, West Virginia / June 8 to 11

This which kicked off in the late 1990s as nothing more than a bunch of friends (including, you guessed it, a guy named Wayne) enjoying an annual rafting trip, is now a celebrated jamboree, a mash-up of a backyard Bonnaroo and an adventure-sports summer camp. A ticket snags you a spot at a communal campsite, where festivities involve nightly bonfires, local brews, and an assortment of regional bands that tend toward the jammier side of things. During the day, choose your own adventure, with options on or near the New River Gorge. Set off on your own or sign up with local guides to tackle the area鈥檚 famed whitewater, rip through the forest along endless singletrack, or rope up to ascend one of the estimated 3,000 routes lining the steep sandstone cliffs. They don鈥檛 call it the Endless Wall for nothing.

Honorable June Mentions:

• in Manchester, Tennessee / June 15 to 18
• in New York, New York / TBD
• in Milwaukee, Wisconsin / June 22 to July 8
• in Telluride, Colorado / June 15 to 18

JULY

Lumberjack World Championships

Hayward, Wisconsin / July 20 to 22

Each summer, flannel-clad masses flock to a tiny lumber town in the Wisconsin Northwoods to get their Paul Bunyan on at this of all things timber. It鈥檚 high profile enough that major TV networks often stream the action, as the Olympics of the Forest draws an international field of ax-wielding competitors vying for a share of a roughly $50,000 pot in woodsy tests of agility, precision, and brute strength. T丑别谤别鈥檚 chopping and sawing, of course, but the biggest treat for spectators might be watching folks speed-race up 90-foot-tall cedar poles or attempt to outlast their nemeses in a wet and wild log-rolling competition.

Newport Folk Festival

Newport, Rhode Island / July 28 to 30

Held at the idyllic harborside Fort Adams State Park, this historic pays homage to the countless forms of American folk music. That doesn鈥檛 mean you鈥檙e in for pure plucking; after all, this is the festival where Bob Dylan plugged in to go electric for the first time, much to the annoyance of purists. The original iteration featured icons like Pete Seeger, Odetta, and a then teenaged Joan Baez in her debut performance. Some of the legends still pop up today鈥攁nd part of the fun is that they鈥檙e not always announced in advance. Last year鈥檚 event featured a surprise festival-closing appearance by Joni Mitchell in her first performance in over two decades. Grab tickets early; they often sell out before the lineup is revealed.

Honorable July Mentions:

• in Chicago, Illinois / TBD
• in Roswell, New Mexico / June 30 to July 2
• in Huntington Beach, California / July 30 to August 7

AUGUST

Maine Lobster Festival

Rockland, Maine / August 2 to 6

There might be no better place in the world to stuff your face with an ocean鈥檚 worth of crustaceans than this on the North Atlantic seaboard. Put down stakes at the seductively named Main Eating Tent, where thousands of pounds of fresh Maine lobster are served every which way鈥攂oiled in butter, swirled into a bisque, stuffed into gooey mac and cheese, spread across a toasted roll, and more. If you鈥檙e feeling creative, live out your best Iron Chef fantasies as part of the amateur seafood-cooking contest. Then take a break at the Marine Experience Tent, where you can handle and learn about local sea critters, or cheer for your favorites at a pageant where competitors vie for the coveted title of Sea Goddess. Shake off the lobster overload by signing up for the 蹿别蝉迟颈惫补濒鈥檚 fun-run series, or try your luck at the International Great Crate Race, where participants attempt to blast across a line of wobbly floating boxes without tipping into the drink.

Refuge Outdoor Festival

Carnation, Washington / August 18 to 20

Held at Tolt MacDonald Park in the mountain-ringed, river-cut Snoqualmie Valley east of Seattle, this celebrates the diverse experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color in the outdoors, although it鈥檚 open to all. The events on tap honor the myriad ways we find connection in nature, with a schedule that carves out equal space for those who crave adrenaline or those who would rather seek a quieter experience. Tons of traditional recreation activities are on offer, including mountain biking, hiking, fishing, stargazing, and birding, but attendees can also get their groove on at a silent disco or join an array of workshops on outdoor skills, poetry, and spirituality. Just like with any campout, however, the secret sauce is the community formed around the campfire each night.

Honorable August Mentions:

• in Milford, Connecticut / August 19
• in San Francisco, California / August 11 to 13
• in Cascade Locks, Oregon / August 18 to 19
• in Telluride, Colorado / August 16 to 21

SEPTEMBER

Afropunk Festival

Brooklyn, New York / TBD

Inspired by a 2003 documentary film of the same name that explored Black punk-rock culture, this transcends boundaries to celebrate Blackness in all its forms. While you鈥檒l still spot plenty of guitars on stage, the eclectic lineup has formerly included genre-busting performers like Erykah Badu, the Roots, H.E.R., Doechii, and Janelle Monae. Between sets, indulge in a massage, stretch out in a yoga class, join a meditation practice, shop in a massive craft market, take a drum lesson, or just post up with a drink and admire the mind-blowing fashions on parade.

Aloha Festivals

Oahu, Hawaii / TBD

Forget winter break鈥攖he best time to visit Hawaii is in September, when the archipelago vibrates with aloha spirit during a monthlong, statewide of culture and heritage. While dozens of events happen around the islands, the three signature happenings take place in Honolulu. The Royal Court Investiture kicks things off in old-school style with a coronation that pays homage to Hawaiian nobility of yore. Choose a lei, browse traditional crafts, and snack on tasty grindz (street food, in Hawaii) at Waikiki Hoolaulea, a massive block party that shuts down the beach鈥檚 main drag. Head back later for the Floral Parade, where in a centuries-old practice, P鈥檃u听riders pass by on horseback, their long skirts billowing in a blaze of color.

Ohana Festival

Dana Point, California / September 29 to October 1

You might not be able to hear them over the music, but the crashing waves of the Pacific serve as backdrop for this three-day of sun and sound, held at SoCal鈥檚 Doheny State Beach. The lineup is usually pretty heavy on indie and alt-rock鈥攚hich should come as no surprise, since it鈥檚 curated by Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder.. Considering that last year鈥檚 headliners included Stevie Nicks, Jack White, and Pink, however, the offerings are eclectic enough to give most festival-goers a reason to head-bob. Train your ears on something a little different at the Storytellers Cove stage, where conservation-minded adventurers, artists, and athletes share inspiring tales; past speakers have included freediver Kimi Werner and pro surfer Greg Long. At the end of the day, your ticket dollars go to an array of local and national nonprofits working toward environmental and social justice.

Honorable September Mentions:

• in Custer State Park, South Dakota / September 28 to October 1
• in Denver, Colorado / September 21 to 23
• in Monterey, California / September 22 to 24

OCTOBER

Dirtybird Campout

Modesto, California / TBD

If you always wanted to attend summer camp as a kid鈥攁nd don鈥檛 mind doing it a few decades later鈥� your chance. This rowdy bacchanalia, with every action set to a backdrop of thumping music, is something like what you鈥檇 get if you crossed Wet Hot American Summer with an EDM festival. Campers are faced with a wide array of ways to pass the time, from traditional camp activities (see: capture the flag, kayaking, archery, making friendship bracelets) to those that are a bit more inventive, such as twerking classes, drag shows, lap-dancing contests, and an opportunity to wake and bake with your favorite counselors at the Ganja Garden.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival

San Francisco, California / TBD

Funded by a banjo-loving venture capitalist who just wanted to bring a little finger-plucked joy to Bay Area music lovers, might just be the best darn absolutely free, completely noncommercial concert event in the world. While acclaimed folk stars like Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, and Buddy Miller have graced its stages, the 鈥渉ardly鈥� in the fest鈥檚 name alludes to the fact that the genres aren鈥檛 limited to just bluegrass. Grab some friends, spread out a blanket, and settle in for a series of sonic delights. Past artists have included Henry Rollins, Big Freedia, Elvis Costello, and M. Ward.

Salmon Days

Issaquah, Washington / October 7 to 8

They say you can鈥檛 go home again, but try telling that to the thousands of Chinook, coho, and sockeye salmon that swim back upriver each year to spawn in the cool waters of Issaquah Creek, east of Seattle. The whole town turns out to revel in their return with a that include a welcome parade, fish hatchery tours, fun runs, a DockDogs competition, and an aquatic-themed sidewalk chalk contest. If you can stomach the thought of noshing on these hometown heroes, the local Kiwanis Club also hosts a barbecue of alder-grilled salmon.

Honorable October Mentions:

• in Fayetteville, West Virginia / October 21
• in Ketchum, Idaho / October 4 to 8

NOVEMBER

Blk Out Retreat and Boulderfest

Chattanooga, Tennessee / TBD

Tiffany Blount founded the Black Girls Boulder climbing club as a way to create community and draw more Black women into the sport; the builds on that promise. Open to all, but centered on Black climbers of all genders, the beginner-friendly event takes place in and around the Crash Pad, an adventure-oriented hostel in downtown Chattanooga. Attendees can hop a shuttle to the Wauhatchie Boulders for guided climbing, attend outdoor-film screenings, share in a group dinner, pitch in with stewardship projects, and join conversations and workshops to build skills and open horizons.

Florida Seafood Festival

Apalachicola, Florida / November 3 to 4

Billed as the state鈥檚 oldest maritime event, of the fruits de mer takes place on the Gulf of Mexico, in a town that touts itself as the Oyster Capital of the Southeast. That鈥檚 good news for bivalve lovers, who descend in droves to shuck and slurp. Beyond that, choose from a range of gustatory delights like fried shrimp, crab cakes, steaming paella, and boiled crawfish. Take a break from stuffing your maw at a host of family-friendly events, including a parade, a blessing of the local fleet, the Redfish Run 5K, and Blue Crab Races, where the crustaceans make a mad dash for glory.

Honorable November Mentions:

• in Austin, Texas / TBD
• in Bishop, California / TBD

DECEMBER

Indio International Tamale Festival

Indio, California / December TBD

It鈥檚 best to arrive at this sprawling billed as the largest tamale festival in the world, with an empty stomach. Unlike food events where celebrity chefs draw big crowds, the stars here are everyday people, with street vendors and home cooks alike slinging thousands of sweet, savory, and salsa-smothered masa creations. It鈥檒l be tough to pry yourself away from their steamy wares, but a host of distractions provide (almost) equal temptation. Enjoy dozens of performers on stages scattered around town, cheer on masked luchadores competing in traditional Mexican wrestling matches, and try not to lose your lunch while whooping it up on an array of carnival rides. Stick around for the Mercadito de Noche, a night market that sparkles with holiday light displays.

Ullr Fest

Breckenridge, Colorado / TBD

Your local weather anchor might read the forecast, but only the mighty Norse god Ullr knows the score. Each year the wintry faithful don Viking helmets and raise a glass to praise his glory in hopes of a ski season for the record books. While the mythology might seem a little suspect, the partying is solid, especially when you consider the organizers鈥� 2022 quest to draw over 1,300 people to partake in the world鈥檚 longest shotski. There are also comedy shows, an ice-skating extravaganza, and a parade, where inventive float builders have a chance at a $1,000 prize. Remember, though鈥攖his whole thing is about honoring the mighty Ullr; be sure to toss a Christmas tree on the fest鈥檚 ritual bonfire to appease him so that your calendar may be stacked with endless powder days.

Honorable December Mentions:

• in Bozeman, Montana / December 7 to 10
• in Fort Lauderdale, Florida / TBD

Shawnt茅 Salabert is a SoCal-based outdoor and travel writer who generally prefers listening to sweet birdsong instead of thumping bass while out in nature. That said, she鈥檚 been a music festival nerd since the tender age of five, when she caught her first concert (Huey Lewis and the News) at Milwaukee鈥檚 55-years-strong Summerfest.

听

The post The 29 Best Outdoor Festivals in 2023, from Music and Sports to Food and Film appeared first on 黑料吃瓜网 Online.

Here鈥檚 the first thing you need to know about ice climbing: it鈥檚 not as hard as it looks. Yes, you鈥檙e scaling a vertical frozen waterfall with sharp metal objects on your feet and in your hands, but some say it鈥檚 actually easier than rock climbing.

鈥淚ce climbing can be more straightforward than rock climbing since you鈥檙e not desperately looking for holds,鈥� says Ryan Scott, owner of Maine鈥檚 , which leads ice climbing trips in Acadia National Park. 鈥淭he holds are everywhere you put a sharp thing.鈥� You don鈥檛 even need to have any rock climbing experience to get started on ice. 鈥淚f you have some basic climbing skills鈥攖ying into a rope, putting on a harness鈥攖hat鈥檒l help, but it鈥檚 not necessary,鈥� Scott adds.

Whether you鈥檙e a rock climber looking for a new winter hobby or you鈥檝e never climbed before, you can learn everything you need to know on the ice. We鈥檝e put together a primer to get you started.

Find a Place to Climb

The best months for ice climbing are, naturally, when t丑别谤别鈥檚 ice, which means prime season is usually late December through early March. To find ice climbing areas near you, websites like let you filter routes by type鈥攔ock, ice, mixed鈥攁nd location.

Ice climbing parks, like in Colorado or in Minnesota, are great places to start, because they’re more controlled environments鈥攖he ice is groomed and maintained鈥攁nd you can often find clinics or guided outings at them.

Annual ice climbing festivals can also be helpful launching pads, since many have beginner clinics, exhibitions, and gear demos. Colorado鈥檚 , held in January, is the best-known event, but there are others, like Montana鈥檚 , held in December, and Alaska鈥檚 , New Hampshire鈥檚 , and the , all in February.

Take a Lesson or Hire a Guide

It鈥檚 always a good idea in the outdoors to find someone more experienced than you to help show you the way. That鈥檚 especially true in ice climbing. You can鈥檛 learn these skills by yourself or by watching YouTube videos about how to walk in crampons. Join your local climbers鈥� Facebook group or hang around your nearest climbing gym to find experienced climbing partners or to ask for mentors who are willing to share their expertise.

鈥淒on鈥檛 be intimidated. It鈥檚 a very welcoming community, and everyone has to start somewhere,鈥� says Pete Davis, operations manager at the . 鈥淚f you鈥檙e looking to ice-climb, talk to people who are out there. Pick their brains. Quiz them on what they鈥檙e doing, how they鈥檙e doing it. You can learn a lot from fellow climbers.鈥�

Many guide services offer group or private introductory ice climbing courses, or you can hire a guide for the day to show you the ropes, literally. In Colorado, the Colorado Mountain School has a one-day (from $269) in Estes Park, where you鈥檒l learn about risk management, proper technique, and how to use your ice ax. San Juan Mountain Guides leads (from $494) at the Ouray Ice Park. Synnott Mountain Guides, out of North Conway, New Hampshire, has a (from $150) that can be extended to multiple days.

In Alaska, St. Elias Alpine Guides leads (from $165) on the Root Glacier in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Sierra Mountain Guides does a听 (from $360) in California, and Wyoming Mountain Guides has a similar (from $285) in northern Wyoming. Maine鈥檚 Atlantic Climbing School has (from $125), as well as intermediate and advanced clinics. Inclusive Outdoors Project leads (prices vary) in Montana鈥檚 Hyalite Canyon that are geared toward climbers who identify as BIPOC or LGBTQ, as well as adaptive athletes.

Get the Right Gear

Ice climbing can involve a lot of hard work and then standing around. 鈥淏y nature, it鈥檚 very stop-and-go. You go from periods of extreme exertion to periods of inactivity, like when you鈥檙e belaying,鈥� says Charlie Townsend, operations manager for in New Hampshire. 鈥淒ressing in layers makes sense, since we need to add and subtract as we鈥檙e going along.鈥�

One of the first things a guide will teach you before you even get on the ice is how to stay warm and safe in cold winter environments, like wearing the right layers, hydrating and staying fueled, and being aware of risks like hypothermia or frostbite.

You鈥檒l go through a gear checklist with your guide. You鈥檒l need all the mandatory gear for climbing, like mountaineering boots, ice tools, and crampons, as well as ice screws, a rope, helmet, and harness. That gear will most likely be provided for you, or you may be able to find rental gear at some mountaineering shops.

Other essential items can help keep you safe and warm, like a first-aid kit, a variety of waterproof, insulating layers, and sunglasses for eye protection. Bring several pairs of gloves in case they get wet, including a thinner glove for climbing and a thicker pair for belaying. Things like wool socks, a big puffy down jacket, hand warmers for your gloves, or a thermos of hot tea can go a long way in keeping you comfortable out there.

Learn Proper Technique

Not all ice is the same, and it鈥檚 constantly changing. 鈥淚n rock climbing, the holds stay where they are. In ice climbing, everything is changing,鈥� says Scott from the Atlantic Climbing School. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e scaling this sheet of vertical ice that changes throughout the day, depending on the temperature, the sun, and how much it鈥檚 been climbed.鈥�

The more time you spend doing it, the better you鈥檒l get at reading the ice and navigating harder and steeper routes. You鈥檒l start by top-roping, but as you progress, you may eventually advance to lead climbing. With a guide or instructor, you鈥檒l practice skills like walking in crampons so you don鈥檛 snag a pant leg or kick yourself in the calf and where to play your belayer so they鈥檙e out of harm鈥檚 way, away from falling ice. You鈥檒l work on techniques like body positioning and how to use your tools most efficiently.

鈥淭丑别谤别鈥檚 this idea that swinging harder and kicking harder is going to make you more secure. That鈥檚 not the case at all,鈥� says Townsend from Synnott Mountain Guides about how to get holds. 鈥淯se the ice, use the features that already exist, and you can scamper up it with a minimal effort. We鈥檒l teach you how to read the ice, how to move efficiently, and how to do the least amount of damage to the wall.鈥�

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Learning a new outdoor sport or getting better at one you鈥檝e done for ages can feel tough, but in the winter? Even harder. You鈥檝e got to contend with weather and snow conditions, as well as possible environmental hazards, like avalanches or falling ice, depending on the activity. Signing up for a clinic or lesson with an experienced instructor can make all the difference. Because committing to a date and a place to focus on learning new skills means you鈥檒l actually stick to it. Even if you鈥檝e been doing the sport for years, a well-taught clinic can enhance your performance, rekindle your interest, and connect you with others. Whether you want to get into skate skiing or ice climbing, or get better at powder skiing or winter running, these clinics can give you a boost.

Ski Steeps with Confidence

Alta, Utah

Even if you鈥檝e been skiing for years, stepping up to steeper slopes can feel intimidating. T丑别谤别鈥檚 no better place to improve those skills than the legendary landscape of . (The resort is still closed to snowboarders, so this clinic is for skiers only.) This (from $2,800), held March 14 to 18, is led by veteran skier Kim Reichhelm, a former U.S. Ski Team racer and two-time World Extreme Skiing champion. It鈥檚 designed for advanced to expert skiers who want to build confidence in bigger terrain, and the group size is limited to ten skiers. You鈥檒l stay at Alta鈥檚 slopeside and t丑别谤别鈥檚 an option to add on two days of backcountry shredding with in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Become a Stronger Winter Runner

Flagstaff, Arizona

Let鈥檚 say you run already, but you want to take your running to the next level by signing up for your first ultra or learning how to keep training through the winter. In this four-day (from $1,675) from February 10 to 14, decorated ultrarunner and two-time Leadville 100 winner Rob Krar shows off his favorite trails in his hometown of Flagstaff and the red rocks of Sedona for up to 11 people. Daily routes can be tailored to your fitness level and preference, but the minimum distance each day will cover around nine miles, with the option to add on more. Everyone in the group stays in a Flagstaff hotel and enjoys meals at Krar鈥檚 home and area restaurants. Proof of COVID-19 vaccine required for attendance.

Advance Your Backcountry Safety and Skills

Mount Baker, Washington

If you鈥檙e looking to venture into the backcountry this winter, signing up for an avalanche course or two is critical. But those courses alone won鈥檛 necessarily teach you skills like how to ascend a skin track or tips on skiing in variable conditions. This four- or six-day (from $800) with the American Alpine Institute is held on various dates throughout the season. It听consists of two online evening lectures, to introduce you to the concepts of avalanche avoidance and mitigation, followed by several days on the snow in the woods near the听. Each course has a maximum of 24 students, but once you get outside, you鈥檒l be broken into smaller groups, with one instructor for every six students, so you鈥檒l have plenty of time for personalized instruction. Stay in Bellingham or near the base of Mount Baker.

Snowboard the Deeps with Ease

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

鈥檚 Steep and Deep camps are notoriously fun: you鈥檒l rip around the mountain with a crew of expert shredders and gain valuable insight from experienced coaches and a post-ride video analysis. The four-day Steep and Deep (from $1,850), taking place February 1 to 4, has a three-to-one camper-to-coach ratio and includes early ups on the gondola, so fresh tracks are all but guaranteed. Campers can benefit from discounted lodging packages in Teton Village, at the base of the mountain. T丑别谤别鈥檚 a听 of this camp as well, though it鈥檚 mostly sold out already.

Learn to Jump and Hit Rails Safely

Mammoth Mountain, California

Love ripping laps through the terrain park or the halfpipe, but never taken the time to learn how to do so properly?听 is undoubtedly the place to improve your moves. The resort鈥檚 two-day (from $379), scheduled from March 26 to 27 and geared toward intermediate to expert skiers or snowboarders ages ten and older, will help you fine-tune those tricks you鈥檝e always wanted to master, so you can ride the park or pipe with style and safety. The camp includes a video analysis, a gear clinic, and a post-camp party.

Master the Technique of Uphill Skiing

Bolton Valley, Vermont

Uphill in-bounds skinning at ski resorts is becoming a popular pastime, with more and more resorts across the country offering . The benefit? Exercise and fresh air in a more controlled environment than you鈥檒l experience in the backcountry. But before you strap skins to your touring skis, consider taking 鈥檚 (from $175), a half-day lesson taught throughout the winter by U.S. Ski Mountaineering Association team member Milan Kubala. Groups are limited to six people, and you鈥檒l learn efficient skinning technique, instruction, and how to transition at the top.

Get Introduced to Ice Climbing

Bozeman, Montana

Learning to ice-climb sounds intimidating, but it doesn鈥檛 have to be. A foundation in rock climbing helps, but it鈥檚 not necessary. Take a basic ice-climbing clinic to learn the fundamentals, like how to use an ice ax, navigate in crampons, and understand rope systems and protective gear. With these basics under your belt, you鈥檒l move to climbing techniques that鈥檒l help you get onto vertical ice walls in no time. , in partnership with the , is leading a听 in December in Hyalite Canyon, near Bozeman, for people who identify as BIPOC or LGBTQ+. The association leads (from $275) throughout the winter as well.

Improve Your Skate-Skiing Efficiency

Waterville Valley, New Hampshire

Four-time Olympic cross-country skier Kris Freeman leads (from $35) throughout the winter at Waterville Valley鈥檚 , which has over 70 kilometers of groomed trails for nordic skiing in White Mountain National Forest. You鈥檒l join a small group of skiers to learn about more efficient body positioning and improving your cadence. If you鈥檙e just getting started at classic or skate skiing, the cross-country center has private and small-group learn-to-ski lessons, as well as lessons for adaptive athletes.

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