2012 Ice Fest Recap

Media Coverage

A new Life to the Max segment was filmed during the Ice Fest this year. Dan Monskey and crew were out at the crags filming some lead and toprope action.

Friday, March 2

Festivities started at the Legion Bar with the local house jam band called The Chrome Domes and a gathering of about 20 climbers.

Saturday, March 3

Was a bitterly cold day but climbers roused from their snug beds to start clinics at 9am. A big thanks to all our clinic leaders for their expertise and instruction! A shout out goes to Mark Pilate for getting equipment and routes started for the beginners and women's clinic. Wilderness Supply, UMD, and Black Diamond provided free rental/demo gear.

15 Beginners headed to Cascade
Leaders Bill Rusk and Nick Rorem.

4 Women headed to Tempest
Leaders Cora McGlauflin and Rob Pilaczynski

12 Intermediate/Mixed climbers ventured into the Ice Palace
Ropes set by Matt Giambrone, Jon Jugenheimer, and Adam. Leader James Loveridge

Saturday evening dinner at the Nipigon Cafe was followed by a presentation by Dan Monskey, Wild Monkey Productions, and prize raffle supported by our excellent list of sponsors.

Brandon Pullan was a no-show.

Attendance

63 people signed in by Saturday evening.
24 of those were from Canada
29 of them were new to Nipigon Ice Fest
16 indicated they had never ice climbed before

Sunday, March 4

Epic Adventures, a Nipigon based company, held a Snowshoe Festival. The festival has catagories for the whole family including an Advanced (8.5 km) and Intermediate (4.5 km) racing course and gentler kids and seniors (1km) loop. There is also a slower paced tour of the race course that provides a panoramic senic view of the township of Nipigon well worth the steep incline of the trail.

Next year

Tentative dates are March 1,2,3 2013

Please direct any feedback, comments, or questions you all have to Kyra Bremer