Jay Smith and Kitty Calhoun

Jay Filming the Ice Comp , Ouray Colorado

Kitty showing us her beautiful smile

Kitty climbing Le Pissoir WI5

We've been climbing quite a bit with Jay and Kitty. Here we're in the Ice Park getting a little training done for future big routes. Kitty's climbing a nice long route right of  the upper bridge. 

Jay Smith on Mixed Emotions M6 WI6 5.9

Here's Jay on the second pitch of mixed emotions. A very thin rock and ice start. We were happy Jay was there to lead the whole thing cause it definitly took experience and balls to pull off what he did. He placed nuts, cams and pitons before even touching the ice. Once he got on the ice it wasn't over. Very technical thin ice all the way up to the first anchor, which was a combination of a piton, wire nut and a screw. I'm glad it was him and not me. But watching him in the zone was very inspiring and motivating to learn more about mix climbing and the techniques used to do so. Alain and I felt like we were on a Alpine route. Very cool route.

Ice Climbing under the stars

Gravitational Pull WI6

We climbed this route in the middle of the night which was a blast. I got to climb my first really hard pitch in the dark and Alain took some wicked photos as you can see. The funny thing was that i got about 25 meters up there and my head lamp fell off my helmet and I was about 2 meters above my last screw. I was left in the dark in an awkward but yet reasonably good position. I kept calm and place a screw in what I thought was good ice. It turned out it was cause I sat on it lit up a smoke and untied my rope , lowered it to Alain and then he tied my head lamp to the rope and sent it off to me .....I finished my smoke of course and took of for the summit.........

2008 Ouray ice Festival

Ines Papert of Germany came in 2nd overall and First female.

Winner of the comp - mens division - Jeff Mercier, Chamonix France

First Ascent of Gravity's Test WI6+, Calixte LeBlanc and Alain Denis

A 35 meter free hanging pillar. Over Hang to vertical climbing . As I looked at this wild piece of ice i thought to myself why do I climb?????????? I didn't really know what to tell myself so I just got my shit ready and climbed up. When I got to the top the feeling inside was more than clear. Nothing beets the feeling of success when it comes down to climbing.......
Here comes the pump fest.......
Here they are : Gravitational Pull WI6 on the left and Gravity's Test WI6+ on the right.
Cal having a sip of hot chocolate, before heading out to Gravity's Rainbow WI5 on the left.