Potatoes, hops, and . . . ice???

Idaho is known for its potatoes, and amongst connoisseurs of strong DIPAs for its hops, but it turns out it also has good ice!!!

Since the first time I swung an ice tool with a bunch of friends at the "Children's Wall" in Ouray Colorado, February of 2008, I've been a bit obsesses.  The fact that large waterfalls freeze at all is pretty cool, and then you add in the fact that you can climb them???  It doesn't get much better!

For years now I've driven up to 15 hours just to climb waterfall ice.  When I moved to Boise in 2011 I heard rumors about local ice that would form with just the right conditions . . . but for 3 1/2 years the right conditions never quite seemed to line up with my time off . . . until now!

Hidden Falls

Type I Fun in December 2014

This is the Chronicle of my type I fun in December.  For those not familiar with the 3-tiered fun scale, see this post by Kelly Cordes.

Dribbles of drool all over Champagne Sherbet in Montana

The week of extremely cold weather we got at the beginning of November was just enough to wet my appetite.  My dreams turned from trails and rock to powder snow and plastic one-swing-stick ice.  I waxed my skis.  I sharpened my tools.  I was hungry for WINTER!

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king!

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king, but in the land of Ouray, the one-eyed man misses a climbing day.