Sambas and snowcones

Excellent day at a rapidly melting Asbestos Wall on Sunday with our itinerant Brazilian friend. Since JK was tired of all the unbearable surf and sunshine in Rio, we headed up with Eric and Brian to get in a little ice climbing. Despite a disaster-in-the-making spill the previous night and a hematoma the size of a grapefruit on her thigh, she made it up in the AM and we were all piled into Eric's ride and out of the city at the gentlemanly hour of 7.


We stopped by New Paltz to outfit Joana and Eric at Rock and Snow, picking up a pair of rental axes in the process. Nomics were out due to the ongoing Catskills Icefest, but we managed to score a pair of BD Reactors to play with. Not that we really needed a second pair of tools since we were planning on easy approach ice cragging, but you never know when some idiot will leave his axes planted up by the TR anchor. After picking up some excellent coffee and breakfast around the corner, we were back on the road and headed north.


After passing through Palenville and heading into Catskills Park, we drove past Moore's Bridge, which looked in and solid, with several WI4-ish lines fat up to the trees. No clear place to park for Moore's, looked like a good hike along the road in either direction from the nearest pullout. We soon reached the pullout for Asbestos (which also serves some of the icefalls across Kaaterskill Creek) and set about gearing up. Conditions were toasty, low to mid 40s with very little wind.

Can you say short approach? Asbestos Wall through the trees

Asbestos is long and low, with lots of short sections of climbable ice running up and to the right after you cross 23A; it's literally a ten minute approach. Several parties were toproping further to the east, so we settled on one of the first formations we hit on our way up from the road. The line went up the right side of the front of a large ice cave, and I started up the column that seemed the least detached from the underlying rock. The snow was soft, aerated, and taking placements really well, to the point that removing your axes was considerable work. Put in a few screws heading up the 30-40 ft wall, but with the conditions of the slush I was glad that it was solo material: easy climbing, clear drop zone, short pitch. Probably about WI2-2+, though when the ice is solid there would be multiple ways to get to the top. Joana followed with some stylish frontpointing to claw her way to the top, showing no ill effects from her gimpy leg. And on his first ice pitch ever, Eric looked really strong and got to the top quickly. Brian was nice enough to run the pitch easily and bring me back my axes, which I for some reason (read: senior moment) left by the TR anchor. It was a relatively easy walkaround (to climber's left) to get back to the ground after breaking down the anchor.

Ice cave, with leadable lines to the far right

Brian racked up for the next climb, a two-tiered fall punctuated by a level flat. Tough lead, as the day was getting warmer and the snow was aerated and really thin at the top, with picks and crampons hitting rock at every swing and kick. Unfeatured rock guarding both topouts too. B relied on all sorts of righteous protection chicanery at the top, including slinging a screamer on a stubby and girth-hitching a wee sapling. Fun climb to second, with a contrived mixed start to the right and some stemming possibilities up top (which I missed). JK was looking more comfortable with each swing, and Eric managed to not gore himself despite highstepping a crampon point into his thigh.

B leads up: if you squint, you can see all the rock beneath the ice
The classic game of "which pro is dicier?"
A manly swing
Horsing around with a totally unnecessary mixed start

By mid-afternoon blocks were bombing off the upper slopes, and our thoughts of dropping a TR further to the east were replaced by warm fuzzy notions of brews at the Otter. Good looking line next to us, but it'll have to wait until things are a little colder and stable. Nothing like narrowly avoiding getting squashed to keep you on your toes! Great leisurely day out, followed by a fantastic meal at Chloe's (thanks C and M!). Props to Eric on his first ice climbing, and to JK for some serious ninja recovery skills.

What, me worry? (yes)
"This is how you scare the crap out of yourself..."