Petzl has announced a recall of certain batches of NOMIC (U021AA00) and ERGONOMIC (U022AA00) ice axes due to a risk of breakage at the handle that could cause the climber to fall. The Petzl warning advises climbers to stop using the affected ice axes immediately and contact its customer service department for a handle replacement. Please refer to the English version official recall information for full details. Includes: technical details, products impacted, how to submit a recall and FAQs.
Welp, so far this is truly been a winter to remember! We had a very cold January and plenty of snow... Then February has been all over the place, fortunately not quite as cold. But the most interesting thing is what just went down over the past several daze. EPIC snowfall from about 100 miles south of us, down through NJ and all along the coast, and virtually nothing here in the Valley. Yet more than 3' in Cranston RI!!! YIKES
AVALANCHE DREAMS: A Memoir of Skiing, Climbing and Life
Louis Dawson describes his life in six sections with each one representing a different era of his life. The forty-three short chapters flow smoothly and keep the reader wanting to explore one more episode at each reading.
Twenty Below Zero Gully -
WI 4 + III
Twenty Below is hardly your typical gully climb. In fact it's not a gully at all. The first climb done at the Lake, it's a very popular route. always in the sun it's usually running water so be sure to wear your rain gear! Altho it was originally climbed in 3 pitches, with 60 meter ropes it can be done in 2. There is a niche/cave on the left about 1/2 way up that provides a reasonably protected standa for the belayer.
Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are naught
without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the
happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step;
and from the beginning think what may be the end.
—Edward Whymper, 1865, the first ascent of the Matterhorn
Climber on Dropline
Frankenstein
Selected Ice Conditions effective February 26, 2026
The '26 ice season has been quite good. Sure there are places where it didn't really happen - Snot Rocket, Machine, etc. But the classics are all in and overall still in great shape. AND we didn't get one of those early-winter warm-up events that put a hard reset on the season. We are scheduled for a bit of a warmup through Sunday, and that should be a good thing. Frankly we need to get some flow happening for a refresh before it gets cold again. And it will. After all, it ain't spring yet!
Huntington Ravine
numerous options
Repentance
iffy
Standard Route
GREAT conditions
Dracula
very fat
For the full current conditions report, CLICK
HERE
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The days of 36 frames in a film roll and no surety that you will actually get a good image are long gone. Digital cameras are all the rage, and even cell phone cameras can do a great job. Here's some tips on picking a good digital camera, if you decided to go in that direction.
Climbing is a very dangerous sport. You can get hurt or even kill yourself. When you go climbing, you do so of your own free will. Everything on this site is to be taken with a grain of salt. Don't blame us if you get up some totally heinous route, in over your head and fall and hurt yourself.
