Monday, February 21, 2011

"A Full Affair"

 
©nolasvoboda•accidentalartist
©nolasvoboda•accidentalartist
©nolasvoboda•accidentalartist
©nolasvoboda•accidentalartist

"Sweeping The Awards"

Published in The Daily Sentinel: February 20, 2011

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

"Ice Ice Baby"

This past weekend was, to say the least...incredible. The Packers won the Super Bowl, I tried out my new Venture Helix Splitboard for the first time and two friends and I did something else for the very first time. We climbed ice...a lot of it! Our destination, Ouray, CO!
We left from the Outdoor Program at Mesa State at 6:30am. Yes, it was THAT early! I actually wasn't scared of the ice climbing part, more so that the waking up that early would kill me!
We arrived at the Ouray Ice Park at about 10:30am and got all geared up.
At the entrance we stopped to put on our crampons.
View looking south off the bridge of Box Canyon. This is a very technical section.
All the warnings.
Kinda felt like the Dwarfs with the gear and helmets as we hiked to the section we were going to climb!
You can bet there was whistling!
We had to descend into the canyon.
And cross the creek on a log.
And again on a ladder.
Go team orange helmet!
My friend lowering down one of our trip leaders.
Cheese!
My other friend making the climb.
Up I go!
Oh goodness, there's the top. Hmmm guess I gotta go back down!
When standing around on ice, one must find a way to stay warm! 
 
 
And as I mentioned, I tried my new (well sort of) Venture Helix Splitboard this past weekend. Venture Boards are handmade and built with love in Silverton, CO. I found this board on Craigslist and bought it off a feller from Durango, CO. I met him In Ouray a week before ice climbing to pick it up and hadn't had a chance to get on it till this weekend. It is a 09/10 board that had been used one year, and the feller was selling it due to the fact that he could no longer ride anymore. It is in outstanding condition and he gave me an amazing deal on the board too!
It is pretty much the most awesome thing I have ever ridden! It is quick and floats like a dream! I am super impressed at how well the Voile Binding system works and skinning up the hill was a breeze! I didn't go very far up, just went out for a couple hours before the Super Bowl. Enough time to test it and see how everything works. It was easy to put back together after I made it to my destination and it felt killer in the powder!
The board being from Silverton, I felt it appropriate to be drinking a Silverton Brewery Red Mountain Ale while putting my bindings on!
Here it is all set up, I have made a couple position and angle adjustments since taking this pic.