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I recently spent a week ice climbing in the little mountain town of Ouray, Colorado. It's nearest big-name neighbors are Telluride and Silverton. I skied at both neighboring towns. Ouray is the national hotspot for the niche sport in the outdoor community: ice climbing. What is ice climbing? Picture a giant waterfall frozen solid, now put two sharp axes in your hands, and strap 24 steel spikes to your feet, start climbing. It's fun! Ice climbing is a unique form of climbing requiring a different set of skills than other disciplines of climbing or mountaineering. Ice climbing is delicate; requiring precise pick placements, yet enough strength to penetrate the ice. It's spooky to climb a medium that is constantly growing, cracking, melting, and falling down on top of you. A helmet is required equipment. It's not just for safety, it keeps the ice chunks you inevitably let fly from nailing you in the head. Unfortunately helmets (save a few ice specific ones) don't protect your face, leading to more than a few bloody faces, including mine and my partners.
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UPDATE, DOUCHEPICKLE.
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