Dinner at Metro Marche in Port Authority on our way out to Val's house in New Jersey where we were to spend Friday night.
Val! enjoys her kir royale - the only one (of three) she had to pay for the whole night. It's nice when the chef likes you - free drinks, appetizer, and dessert!
I had to call EMS (Easter Mountain Sports), the company we had our climbing lessons with, to inform them we were running about half an hour late. 6 AM comes early, and we were slow moving.
The next morning (Saturday) we stop by the bagel place near Val!'s house to get breakfast and a packed lunch for later.
Upon arriving at EMS near New Paltz we met our guide, Peter, and were fitting with shoes, crampons, and helmets.
Our guide, Peter. Note the ice axes and helmets behind him. Yay!!!
Val! getting her cramp-on heh heh
Val!'s bad ass boot & crampon.
On location at our first climb, Val! is mighty proud of her crampons.
She's snagged herself a big one - Val's fishing for crampons...
Yo-ho-howdy boys and girls (I am a big old dork)
Our guide hiked to the top of the cliff, tied off the rope we would be harnessed to, and rappelled down.
Val! is ready to climb! YAH!
I am sporting my crampons.
Val! is braiding my bangs back as they were irritating me by getting in my eyes.
Beautiful ice
Another shot of the ice
Do I look like a serious climber? :) Didn't think so
I got my harness. I am ready to go.
This funky pink gadget is for belaying and rappelling.
Guide descending
Peter rappelling down
Figure 8 knot - meant to hold your ass to the safety rope
Peter is hardcore
Trying to tie a knot
I am ready to tackle the wall
Peter checks his harness to make sure he will have me safe and secure if I fall
Off I go!
At the wall
digging in my ice axe
Hoisting myself up
Near the top
Yay!
I made it!
Come down - you say?
Climbing away
Looking down from above
Peter's got my back
Holding my life in his hands!
At the top of the icy cliff
Vallie's feet in the snow
Val! approaches the cliff
Go Vallie go
"You gotta keep on climbing til you get to the top"
Beautiful icicles
Nice butt shot of Val! at the top
My ice axes - may they drive terror into your heart (they look like duck heads to me)
Vanessa - Mountain warrior. haha
Me at the top looking down at Val! and Peter
My pov
Me with Val! and Peter in the background
Vallers!
Vallers on her second climb
We hike to the top of the cliff so we can rappel down
The pure beauty
Love the hill and tree line in the distance
Icicles!
Nessy and Vallie
Val! gets hooked up so she can rappel down
Thanks for the safety Peter
Val! in an ice cave
Peter tells us that sometimes (later in the season) the ice completely covers the front of the cave and there is only one small entrance on the side. It's much warmer in there and they often have lunch there.
Val! and me
Val! and Ness
Oh no - Icicle has gotten my head
Damn you icicle!
Me, Val! and our guide, Peter
Val! is mischievous. Peter and I are innocent.
After lunch we head to a different climbing area
We're taking photos while Peter is doing all the work
Check out this bad boy!
A different kind of climb altogether
Val! looks up at her next conquest
Ice ice baby
very pretty but I had a problem with this one
Part of the way up.
New challenge - Val! rocks it
Val's on her way up
Val! did well on this one
Val! and I outside the Rivendell winery
Val! and I inside the Rivendell winery. We were lucky to have time for a little tasting
