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Thank you to everyone who was involved for the 8th Annual Smuggs Ice Bash! We had a very successful year and we want to acknowledge some of the very important people and organizations who helped us make the best Ice Bash yet.
More 2014 Ice Bash Photos!
Eddie Schoen aka Rusty gets rowdy on the roof
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Saturday's Women's Ice Clinic at the Workout Wall
Sunday's Women's Ice Clinic with Lindsay Fixmer
Some of the Efficient Ice Techniques with Mike Bauman
Steep Ice Clinic with Whit Magro
Kirsten Wiley & Ginger Camp
Andrea and Megan showing some Mammut love
The OGE tent and NEice soup pot, bringing joy to climbers at the end of the day
Whit Magro's slideshow: travels, home, and the Big Sleep linkup
Some of our vendors pre- climber rush on Saturday.
Some of our 2014 guides and assistantsSaint Michael’s College Wilderness Program
This year, it was our vision to have anchors and ropes pre-set for our guides- especially for our visiting guides. Having attended a few other festivals as a guide now, this practice is becoming more common; it’s so nice to walk up with your group and be able to focus on instruction and not have to disappear right away to set up ropes.
We immediately thought of St. Mike’s for assistance; the college has a very professional Wilderness Program with some of the best training opportunities around- some students come out of the program with AMGA and ACA certifications. We were excited to have the help of these students and also offer them the opportunity to shadow our festival guides, perhaps picking up some new teaching techniques or skills during the day. Thank you to Eben Widlund, Assitant Director of Wilderness Programs, and to students Taylor Luneau, Peter Burgos, Camden Latimer, Andie Gemme, Betsy Manero, and Jess Jablonski! Check out more about the WP at smcvt.edu .
Whit Magro & Lindsay Fixmer
Thank you to Whit and Lindsay for traveling East to guest guide and give presentations during the Ice Bash! Both Whit and Lindsay competed during the Friday Night Drytooling Competition; Whit took first place and Lindsay took third! On Saturday, Whit taught the Steep Ice Clinic and got the chance to escape and climb at Lake Willoughby on Sunday. Lindsay helped out with some demo gear and climbed in Smuggler’s Notch on Saturday, then taught the Women’s Ice clinic on Sunday.
On Saturday night, Lindsay opened the evening with a song about women in the ice climbing world. She played a story song with a slideshow playing in the background- one of the most unique and beautiful ways to honor women in the climbing world we’ve seen. Whit followed this tough act with a presentation of climbing throughout the US, Pakistan, Patagonia, and Canada. He showed his big accomplishments but brought it back to his local playground with an impressive linkup of two mega routes- Winter Dance and the Big Sleep in Hyalite Canyon, MT. Thanks Lindsay and Whit!
Tim Farr
For Ice Bash vendors, clinic participants, and guides- you know this name well. Tim has worked full-time at Petra Cliffs Climbing Center & Mountaineering School for about three years, and when management of the Ice Bash was bestowed upon Petra Cliffs in October of 2011, Tim was even more excited about his job. Ice and alpine climbing are what this guy lives for. Tim, from Michigan, lived in Southeast Alaska for several years before moving to Jeffersonville- Smuggs now being his little backyard slice of AK. Tim will jump on his skis and head up into the Notch for early mornings, checking out forgotten and obscure lines from the days of Fritz Weissner, Jon Bouchard, or Bob Timmer, and squinting up at the steep walls for new lines.
This year, Tim took on a heroic effort of organizing the Ice Bash, and it paid off in double the amount of clinic participants and much more exposure for vendors through dozens of Facebook, Instagram, and blog posts. Thanks to Tim, every clinic participant received an Ice Bash t-shirt and a pair of Darn Tough socks. We all owe Tim a huge high five for being the driving force behind the best Ice Bash yet!
Bekah Gordon, Eric Seaton, Izzy Lazarus & Jeremy Devine
Bekah & Eric were the two smiling faces were the ones who greeted you in the mornings and helped out big time behind the scenes. Izzy assisted the Women’s Ice clinic on Saturday and was a huge help to the cold hands and feet of participants. We roped Jeremy, a guide for AAI, into some guiding on Sunday when we had last minute interest for an additional clinic. Thank you all for your commitment to the whole weekend!
Thank you to the vendors who spent the weekend in Jeffersonville:
Smuggler’s Notch Inn & Tavern
Thanks to Geoffrey and the staff at the Tavern for the space and food, and to the Inn staff for the accommodations. We’d be hard pressed to find a more perfect venue with rooms, hot tub, vendor space, breakfast, dinner and beer without having to take off our slippers. Stay at the Inn during your next visit: smuggsinn.com .
Outdoor Gear Exchange
OGE, you rock! OGE staff members Chris Cartier and Nathan Crain braved the cold this weekend to bring climbers and other Smuggler’s Notch visitors hot cider, cocoa, hand warmers, and smiles at gate to the Notch. Thank you! Check out their enormous selection of gear in the store in Burlington or online at www.gearx.com.
NEice
Thanks Doug and Courtney! This year NEice sponsored the free Women’s Ice clinic on Saturday, helped out with the Women’s clinic on Sunday, and provided hot soup at the OGE tent in the afternoon for climbers- a magical treat. Check out conditions and photos from the Northeast at neice.com.
American Alpine Club
Thank you to Anne Skidmore for representing the AAC this year! If you’re not a member of the AAC– why aren’t you?! Besides all of the good the AAC is doing for our climbing community, the member benefits far outweigh the annual membership fee. http://www.americanalpineclub.org/
La Sportiva
We love Doug Madara! Doug has found his way to the Ice Bash every year with a big smile and some of the best mountain boots on the market. Thanks Doug!
Petzl
Matt McCormick was psyched about the number of attendees for the Ice Bash this year, having almost all of his gear go out with participants on Saturday. Matt also set the route for the Drytooling Competition at Petra Cliffs, and has been putting up new routes in Smuggler’s Notch and Snake Mountain this season. Thanks for pushing the sport, Matt, and for helping out with the Ice Bash!
Black Diamond
Thanks Kevin Mahoney! Moving to VT from NH last year, Kevin is not only a BD rep but an IFMGA guide and hardman on rock, ice, and mixed terrain. We’re psyched to call him and his awesome family locals now. Cheers Kevin!
Grivel
We were thankful to have part of the Grivel demo fleet appear at the Ice Bash this year, as we had an unprecedented number of people demoing gear on Saturday. Thank you to Jeremy Devine from AAI for managing the Grivel table!
Mammut North America
Mammut’s US headquarters are based right here in Williston, VT, and we’re thankful to represent their line of climbing gear during the festival. Thanks to Megan Davin for her coordination and work during the festival! Buy Mammut! www.mammut.ch
Health Warrior
Thanks to Tom and Bradley for coming to sample Chia Bars during the festival. We love their flavors and they’re a great low calorie power-packed superfood snack. Check the m out at healthwarrior.com!
Dry Ice Tools
Thanks to Ben Carlson for demoing Dry Ice Tools during the Friday night kick-off party at Petra Cliffs and for his presence throughout the Ice Bash. Ben promotes “extending your season” with Dry Ice tools so you never have to forget what it’s like to hold an ice axe in the off season. Pick up a pair: www.dryicetools.com
Scarpa
Thanks to Scarpa for sending their demo fleet of boots for the first time this year. It was necessary– one boot vendor would not have been enough for all of the Ice Bash visitors over the weekend!
Outdoor Research
Hooray for warm hands! Thanks to Naomi Risch for making the act of Ice Bashing warmer and more comfortable. Naomi was almost cleaned out of her glove fleet on Saturday!
Alpinist
We love our neighbors! The Alpinist offices sit in the quaint little town of Jeffersonville- Ice Bash central. Editor Katie Ives and photo editor Alden Pellett made appearances throughout the weekend, taking a break from working hard. Thanks for the support, Alpinist!
Mtn Seasons Woodfired Bagels
Diane Abruzzini had “Demo Bagels” on Sunday morning, the only demo that participants were allowed to keep 🙂 Mtn Seasons Woodfired operates out of Jeffersonville and currently has a bagel share CSA; look for them in the upcoming farmer’s markets and show them some love by liking them on Facebook. Thanks Diane!
Camp USA & Cassin
Thanks to Glen Griscom for entrusting us with his fleet of Cassin ice axes and crampons, and to Lindsay Fixmer for managing the demo fleet! Ice Bash participants loved the gear and we were completely out of ice axes on Saturday. Crazy. Thanks Glen!
Kirsten Wiley & Ginger Camp
We had massage therapists!! Kirsten and Ginger massaged competitors before Friday night’s event and visited the Smuggs Inn on Saturday to give after-climbing massages. Their massages received suggested donations to benefit an area foundation, but otherwise their mission was solely to make people more comfortable and relaxed. Thank you! Visit Kirsten’s website to book an appointment with her– she has an amazing variety of techniques and has helped with my lower back and elbow!
Also appearing at Petra Cliffs during the Drytooling Competition were Runa Tea and US Sherpa International, and Eastern Mountain Sports (South Burlington store). Runa sampled their traditional guayusa tea, bringing clean energy to competitors and guests. US Sherpa displayed their handmade goods- scarves, hats, mittens- always a hit at Petra Cliffs! Check out US Sherpa’s trekking & travel services throughout Nepal! EMS contributed to the raffle to benefit CRAG-VT. Thanks!
If I forgot anyone I’ll make it up to you. Want to help us improve for next year? Please take a minute and answer a few questions in our ONLINE SURVEY!
THANK YOU!
~Andrea Charest and the entire Petra Cliffs & Ice Bash crew
