Some good weather and decent ice conditions at Blue Lake saw Jenny and I heading down to the snow for a weekend of ice climbing over the 1st – 2nd of August. Of course, it was also a weekend of driving, hiking and heavy packs but that didn’t make it less enjoyable.
We started the drive on Friday evening after dinner, and stayed the night at Island Bend campground. After a not-so-alpine start the following morning, we hiked out to the campground near Mt Twynam. Having only 2 snow pegs, we set up the tent using snow shoes and an avalanche kit to keep it standing.
Jenny carrying a very heavy pack in to the campsite near Blue Lake.
We spent the Saturday afternoon over at Blue Lake top-roping some ice routes and trying to remember the skills we had learnt in New Zealand over the summer. A slab provided the ideal spot to practice using our feet properly, maintaining a vague A shape and caterpillering up the wall.
We watched a group walk across the frozen lake and thought they must be pretty confident in the thickness of the ice.
Jenny traversing some snow slopes
That night dinner was pasta, and I realised the importance of making sure my inflatable mat is well inflated before going to sleep.
The next day we returned for more, setting up top-ropes on other, more vertical and featured routes. It was good to hear the thunk of ice tools going into the ice again.
All too soon it was time to make the trek back to the car and the drive back to Sydney.
Ice climbing is great