Ice Climbing

Yesterday I had one of the best experiences of my life, certainly the most challenging. I found myself hanging off a 24m cliff, with two ice picks and metal clamps on my feet. With my friend Sven yelling at me, "1 more meter, get up there now". I looked down, at all of the ropes and people. My arms shaking with fatigue, knees already beginning to swell from being knocked into ice during my first climb up, 6 hours before. I stood up from my crouch position, swung the right ice pick then the left one into the ice. My arms vibrate from the impact of metal and ice. My feet lift up and into the next foot position. And finally I'm there! The challenging last climb is finished, now all I have to do is belay down with ice picks in my hands and a two older men right below me. Ah fun!

I've always wanted to be a sport's person. But growing up my hand ice coordination wasn't strong, nor my team spirit. Team sports were a true success for me. My dad was an avid skier/hiker/fisher so I was half dragged/carried since the time I was two to the Colorado mountains. Its in my blood! I would go to REI and see all of the adults buying their gear, talking of their hike/climb of the day, laughing with tanned faces. I wanted to be apart of that group, but alas, I was only in elementary school.

Finally, I woke up to the realization that I'm becoming one of those adults talking of their climb of the day. Yesterday was only the first time I had gone ice climbing. I'm finally in a place where I can take advantage of beautiful mountains, enough money/time, and access to a instructor who can teach me great/safe climbing methods. The guide of the trip has a 6week clinic starting in three weeks to learn how to properly climb and be prepared to go climbing with small groups of people.

Soo: 2010 is the year of I am: I am a good teacher, runner, climber, and over all person.