14/15 ice season starter

 It was a cold weekend up in Nipigon Canada...

Liz and I spent Thursday a.m. in Duluth climbing with Adam at Casket Quarry. After Thanksgiving dinner with Adam's family, we drove north to the metropolis of Nipigon that evening to settle in at the Beaver Motel for the weekend.  We climbed Remember the Day, Ranxerox Tangent, and Tears of Joy for our first day out on Friday.  It was cold and the ice was very brittle. Very brittle.  Saturday brought us back to the Ice Palace to attempt Eveil Des Sens (too wet) and then Off the Couch (too weak) so we bailed without Liz swinging a tool for the a.m.  We drove to the end of the corridor and hopped on an easy condition Andromeda Weeps where I proceeded to leave my tools on the top of the climb after rappelling down.  Liz went back up to get them for her second lap. Then we ran back to the car to get one more climb in for the day, as I like to say a "bonus" route to get in before dark.

We were going to get on Obsession, but decided to head over to Cascade instead as the darkness was coming fast. We climbed the right side of Cascade, with Liz finishing in the dark.  Sunday brought us out early for another route before heading home.  We both got up a dripping Obsession before returning to the car, frozen and bailing on another "bonus" climb. Started the drive south instead; dinner in Duluth, Madison at 11pm.

Liz on Tears of Joy

Liz topping out on Andromeda Weeps

My high point on Eveil.  It was the first climb of Saturday and I wasn't committed to getting soaked

Liz topping out on Cascade in the dark

Liz finishing Obsession

Carter and Co. on Cascade.  Note Carter climbing in his parka...

And...the new bridge over the Nipigon River is being built...state-of-the-art.  Very cool to see Hwy 11 transform into a super highway of the future. 

Best part of the trip, MOM's COOKIES!!!!!!!!