The organizers of the Michigan Ice Fest are super stoked to have Grivel back for our Ice Fest again this year! We will have demo crampons and tools available to check out and do a few routes with. Also our territory rep, Jon Jugenheimer will be attending representing Grivel, and answering any questions you might have regarding Grivel and their products.
Jon Jugenheimer of Ames Adventure Outfitters taking a ride up the Dryer Hose
More importantly we will have Grivel product to sell! Make sure you stop in at Sydney’s to check out the latest and greatest from this company that has produced alpine equipment since 1818.
Quantum Tech Ice Axe
If ever there was a sexy ice climbing tool this is the one! The ultimate axe for technical climbers with aerospace grade composite. Hot forged head in chromolly steel: no compromise over quality because forging internal microstructure can be oriented to improve strength, and internal defects or porosity are minimized. Available with shovel or hammer.
Carbon Composite shaft: no compromise over quality because composite materials means that the parts of the final product subject to major pressure that require more strength and rigidity can be designed specifically to enhance these characteristics. This vital aspect is made possible by the type of reinforcement and the orientation of the fibres, and the light alloy matrix transfers load to the external reinforcement in Carbon fiber.
Helix SPD Ice Screw
The Grivel Helix SPD Ice Screw uses an integrated sling which lets it be place and removed while still clipped to a rope. This makes protection your pitch easier and faster, reduces the chances of dropping gear, and saves you the weight of a carabiner on every single piece. Like the standard Helix ice screw, the Grivel SPD includes a large knob that makes placements easier, even in the hardest bulletproof ice.
Super big thanks to Ames Adventure Outfitters, Liberty Mountain Works and Grivel for bring their products out and helping to make our Ice Fest even better!
European-based Salewa has been outfitting alpine adventurers for over 75 years, and now brings its groundbreaking and innovative all-mountain footwear to the Michigan Ice Fest!. Salewa offers shoes and boots for technical approach, mountaineering, trekking, and speed-hiking that provide outstanding flexibility, fit, and support. Salewa’s advanced technologies and versatile, multi-sport designs enable you to traverse rocks, snow, technical trails, via ferrata, and any other terrain in security and comfort.
Adding to an already impressive demo line up- Salewa will be bringing their latest ice climbing boots for participants to try.
Pro Gaitor Mounatineering Boot
From mixed climbing to vertical ice, this rugged, four-season boot features an embedded aluminum stay in the heel that tightens or loosens at the turn of a key to switch between walk mode and a rigid climbing mode. No longer do your feet need suffer on the approach.
Lightweight Schoeller Super Fabric upper resists abrasion and moisture while maintaining breathability
Included Allen wrench lets you easily tighten or loosen the clearly labeled sole tension system depending on whether you’re walking or climbing
Waterproof breathable membrane keeps your feet dry and comfortable
Thinsulate 400 insulation traps heat so you don’t have to drop out of a multi-pitch ordeal to hold your toes over a fire
Salewa 3F system locks down your heel for a blister-free fit
Standard lacing with speed hooks and glove-friendly waterproof zipper pull makes for easy operation and the custom fit you’re used to
Top seals off with elastic, anatomic collar and secure lock
Full rubber rand adds durability and protection
Durable, grippy Vibram Salewa Pro outsole features aggressive lugs that offer a high level of grip on mud and snow when you’re not stepping into a crampon Climbing toe profile offers edging performance
Be sure to stop by Sydney’s and check out a pair of Salewa boots sometime over the weekend….your feet will thank you! Michigan Ice Fest is proud to welcome Salewa to our event!
For years Black Diamond has been very generous by sending double the amount of demo gear that other festivals receive, so that all of our participants can test out the latest and greatest ice climbing gear. BD, like our other Gold Sponsors, has sent amazing athletes to our event ensuring that we get the highest quality instructors, and are entertained in the evening with inspiring stories of climbing around the world. This year BD has teamed up with Arc’Teryx and has graciously agreed to send Will Gadd.
Will Gadd
I grew up in a family that hiked, climbed and went into the mountains whenever they could. Some of my earliest memories are of long backpacking trips, wind-blown summits and surviving winter skip trips. The first sport I really got into on my was caving. When I was 14 I started kayaking. At 16 I bought my first climbing rope, and did my first new rock route. At 25 I first flew a paraglider. At 41 my daughter came into the world. She’s already doing all the stuff I did as a kid, and she’s an athlete too. Some of Will’s exploits include:
-Establishing the hardest mixed ice climbing lines in the world.
-Setting the world distance record for paragliding. Twice. 423 km (263 miles) the second time.
-Kayaking down dozens of first ascents across North America.
-Winning the Canadian National Sport-Climbing Championships. Four times.
-Winning three gold medals at the X Games. And the Ice Climbing World Cup.
-Winning the US and Canadian Paragliding Nationals.
-Flying my paraglider over the Grand Canyon.
-Climbing icebergs off the coast of Labrador with Ben Firth.
-Flying my paramotor across the USA with Jim Grossman.
-Using supplemental oxygen to explore high carbon-dioxide caves in Thailand.
-Ice climbing in underground mines in Sweden.
-First one-day ascent of the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, Mt. Robson. Solo.
-Climbing big new rock, ice and alpine routes all over the world.
Don’t forget that Down Wind Sports will also feature a full selection of sweet Black Diamond gear at our on site retail shop. Enjoy Will Gadd’s show then come on up and get geared up for your next adventure!
Black Diamond Stinger Crampon
It’s always exciting to see new gear being offered at the Michigan Ice Fest demo and this year we are super pyched to have the Black Diamond Stinger Crampon available for participants to try out!
Designed to tackle serious ice and mixed lines on winter crags and alpine faces the world over, the Black Diamond Stinger is the lightweight stainless steel crampon offered by Black Diamond, with a replaceable monopoint. An asymmetrical design fits the contours of modern mountain boots, and thin, low-profile heel and toe wires offer a precise fit for less weight.
Asymmetrical stainless steel design is lightweight, won’t rust and fits the contours of modern boots
Mono frontpoint is replaceable at low cost and can be changed quickly and easily in the field
Hooded frontpoint and aggressive secondary points are optimized for precise, secure placements
Low-profile micro-adjust heel level offers precision fit
Thin, low-profile toe bail and thinner, shorter heel wire for improved fit with modern boots
Includes front and rear dual-density ABS
Cobra Ice Axe
Oh-la-la! This is the most aesthetically beautiful tool on the market. Not only does it look good- it swings even better! The ultimate carbon fiber tool for leashless mixed, ice and alpine climbing, the Black Diamond Cobra provides unparalleled performance from the crags to the Karakoram. The Cobra features a lightweight shaft that provides precise, technical swings and offers the most clearance of any of our tools-all without sacrificing balance or axis of rotation.
Lightweight carbon fiber shaft with greatest clearance of any Black Diamond tool
Balanced with weight in head for damp, accurate strikes
Laser Pick, Cobra Strike and Fang included, modular head design
Removable upper and lower pommels
Shaft CEN-T certified, patented
Pick is CEN-B
All these videos makes us want to go climbing! We can extend the Ice Fest discount one week- call or email the store for your hook up! Once again a big thank you goes out to Black Diamond for another year at being a Gold Level Sponsor!
One of our gold level sponsors Arc’teryx is really stepping up to the plate this year by teaming up with Black Diamond to send one of their team athletes, Will Gadd to instruct and present a slide show Saturday night.
Will Gadd
Will is known as being one of the most versatile outdoor athletes in the world. He is an especially accomplished Ice Climber and mountaineer. His creativity, drive and agressive style has enabled him to win the 2000 Ice World Cup Overall. He has made several benchmark first ascents on routes such as Musashi (M12), Howse of Cards (1100 Meters, VI, WI6X, M7), Great Western (2000 meters, V, WI5, M7), and the first one day ascent of Mount Robson.
As a rock climber Will climbs to 5.13C, both sport and traditional, He is a solid competition climber and a three time Canadian National sport climbing champion. Follow Will Gadd on his latest venture on a steep ice line on Teng Kangpoche in the Khumbu region of Himalayan Nepal. This line looks to be one of the most challenging and sustained vertical ice lines in the world. Follow the action at: http://www.icelinenepal.com
Besides Will, Arc’teryx will also be at the event with their amazing clothing and the M280 Mixed Climbing Harness. Arc’teryx designed the M280 to give demanding ice and mixed climbers a
lightweight, comfortable feel with all the features they need and nothing more. Thanks to revolutionary WST construction, this Arc’teryx harness disperses weight throughout the entire width of the waist belt, so it doesn’t need bulky padding. The M280 Harness includes two gear loops to hold your draws and four ice clipper slots to help carry screws and holster tools. Arc’teryx also used mesh leg loops to decrease bulk even further and shave weight to a mere 9.8oz.
Don’t forget to check out one of these sweet harnesses at some point Ice Fest weekend! Another bonus is that Down Wind sports will also be stocking an array of Arc’teryx clothing in the store and between slide shows participants will be able to shop for killer deals!
Thanks Arc’teryx for committing to support Mid West ice climbers and sending Will to this years Michigan Ice Fest!
FITS Sock Co. products are designed to be the best fitting performance outdoor socks in the industry. Over 100 years of experience has taught us to recognize the importance of careful, precise sock-fitting based more on total foot volume than foot length. All FITS™ socks deliver unique benefits – thanks to superior construction, the highest quality materials, and innovative design. Our socks are constructed from two-ply, compact-spun, ultra-fine Merino Wool, providing the ultimate blend of softness and durability. Our F3 Technology™ delivers a unique form FIT thanks to a deep heel pocket, specialized toe seam, and contoured leg – which keep FITS socks firmly in place. This means no more bunching, hot spots, or friction, regardless of the task at hand. Best yet these are American made socks!
Our staff has been climbing in these socks this winter and we absolutely love them! Don’t miss out as we have a few surprises planned for FITS at Ice Fest- including FITS socks for Ice Fest participants!
In case you have not heard, the new ice climbing guidebook, An Ice Climbers Guide To Munising Michigan Michigan will finally arrive just before Ice Fest. That is a cause for celebrating! Come join guidebook authors Jon Jugenheimer and Bill Thompson for the unveiling of this much anticipated guidebook, Thursday night of Ice Fest at Sydneys!
Burr On A Boat, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Andrew Burr photo
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore has been called one of the premier ice climbing areas in the country. Nestled on the southern shore of Lake Superior, it is renowned for its beautiful setting and phenomenal ice routes. This edition An Ice Climbers Guide To Munising Michigan offers the most thorough and up-to-date information, maps, and descriptions of the major ice climbing formations.
Peter Vintoniv, Twin Towers WI4, Mosquito Beach, Lake Superior National Lakeshore, Munising, MI Andrew Burr photo
We really could not organize the Ice Fest without Sterling Ropes…….really. Thanks to Sterling, the demo area is where many Midwest climbers have gotten their first ice climbing experience. Why do we use their ropes? We feel they are some of the best rope in the industry AND they are super durable- perfect for our demo site! John Branagan of Sterling has also informed us that they are hooking us up with an Ion 9.4 60 meter Dry Rope to give out at Saturday evenings raffle! Sterling representative Mark Wilford will be instructing and hanging out at the socials all weekend long and can answer any questions on Sterling Ropes. Thanks so much to Sterling for all of your support!
The Ion2 is the largest diameter rope in the fusion range. It’s unique design is manufactured by first twisting multiple colored fibers into a single sheath-strand and then braiding the sheath to create the speckled pattern. It’s diameter is a great size for intermediate climbers looking to match a lightweight rope with performance while knowing that the diameter isn’t TOO thin for a beginner belayer.
For over sixteen years now, Sterling Rope has been designing and manufacturing the highest quality, most technically advanced rope and cord for climbing. Our ropes for climbing and outdoor are designed for their specific purpose and as such we offer a broad range of great ropes from which to choose. Sterling ropes are made to perform extraordinarily well in all conditions due to our unique DryCore™ and Better Braid Technology™. These processes give you incredibly durable ropes that are smaller in diameter, lighter, and better handling, as well as dry cores, designed to keep moisture out and performance up.
Sterling Rope spent years researching and testing various solutions and treatment processes. We developed a process, using our own proprietary coating, that greatly improves dry treatment of rope. Studies have shown that wet ropes are more difficult to handle and their dynamic performance is drastically reduced. Our dry treated ropes provide an additional safety factor for alpinists, especially on ice, mixed ground and in winter. Protecting the rope from water absorption eliminates weight increase, risk of freezing in cold weather, and slows the wearing of the rope considerably.
In conventional ropes, it is usually only the sheath fibers that are dry-treated. Sterling Dry Ropes not only have a superior coating on the sheath, but also have DryCore standard on all its cores, reducing the ropes natural inclination to absorb moisture to greater levels. Sterling’s Arid system ensures a more effective and durable water resistance, while improving handling, resistance to friction, dirt, and durability.
Don’t forget we will have a full selection of Sterling Ropes at Ice Fest Headquarters at special pricing so you can take one home to send your next project! Check out all of the fantastic product that Sterling produces by clicking here!
For years Petzl has been very generous by providing crampons, ice axes, helmets, and harnesses to make sure our demo is a huge success. Petzl, like our other Gold Sponsors, has also sent amazing prizes for the Saturday evening raffle. Another opportunity for participants is to “pick the brains” of the manufacturers reps that will be on hand to answer any questions on gear. Be sure to corner Petzl representative Bryan Kuhn sometime during the weekend and find out what is new with Petzl!
Nomic
The Nomic allows the entire rock climbing repertoire to be transferred to ice. Thanks to its adjustable ergonomic handle, it offers multiple grip modes and limits the risk of snagging when switching hands. The ice pick allows easy penetration in any type of ice, and pulls out easily. The modular head has two removable pick weights to balance the axe and propel it into the ice with an exceptional swing. The Nomic can also be equipped with a hammer when placing pitons.
Check out the full line up of Petzl tools that will be at this years Ice Fest!
Lynx Crampons
Last year we practically had people fighting over these crampons at the demo! The long anticipated offering from Petzl is a phenomenal technical ice climbing crampon. From snow couloirs to dry tooling, the Lynx is a super versatile crampon. The modular front points allow for many options: dual or mono-point, long or short, and/or asymmetrical. They come with two types of interchangeable front bindings to adapt to boots with or without toe welts.
Thanks Petzl for committing to support Mid West ice climbers and sending Bryan to this years Michigan Ice Fest!
Helix SPD Ice Screw
