Après Parties No Longer Just For Skiers

Please join us for the 2008 Ice Festival's

Après Climb Party
Friday, February 8
4:30–6:00 PM
I.M.E

sponsored by Tuckerman Brewing Co. and Mammut.

Mingle with fellow ice climbers and mountaineers, chat it up with Ice Fest celebrities like Max Turgeon and Josh Wharton, drink some free beer from Tuckerman, and enjoy the tight-knit climbing community of New England.

The Après Climb Party is free and open to the public.
Be there!


*Happy Ice Fest Climbers*


*Hooray for beer sponsors!*

Sign Up Time!

Have you noticed the variety we offer with our courses, clinics, and guided ascents during the Ice Fest? Check it out, find what you've been wanting to do, and give us a call! Don't find what you're looking for? Let us tailor a clinic to your needs.
IMCS: 603.356.7064

A list of all the clinics can be found on the Ice Fest web page.

Clinics this year include:

* Huntington Ravine gully climb with IMCS guide

* Private climb with IMCS Guide (up to 4 people)

* Mixed climbing with Mark Synnott

* Fast and Light: Efficient alpine climbing techniques with Josh Wharton

*Steep Waterfall Ice Climbing Skills with guest guide Will Mayo

* Women's steep waterfall ice skills with Majka Burhardt

* Two-day ice leader skills with Bob Baribeau

* Two-day glacier travel and crevasse rescue

* Snow and ice anchors clinic

* Alpine-style primer climb

* One-day ice leader refresher course

*Presidential Terrain Traverse- 3 day

*Two-day Level I Avalanche course

Being a guide at IMCS is a profession and a passion that allows us to share the excitement of climbing and the mountain environment with YOU! Along the way we will help you build skills and gain experiences that will make YOU a better climber and mountaineer.

Will Mayo to give a slideshow about New England Ice and Mixed!

We are pleased to announce that Will Mayo will be presenting a slide show during Ice Fest on Friday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 pm. Will is going to kick-off the evening on Friday night with a show about the ice and mixed climbing here in our own backyard. We love watching shows about radical routes in far corners of the globe---but sometimes it's nice to be reminded of the world-class adventures to be had right here in New England.

What: Northeast Ice and Mixed Climbing: Past, Present, and Future: A slide show by Will Mayo

When: Friday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 pm. Doors open at 7:00, beer will be served before the show, so come early!

Where: The climbing wall at the Cranmore Fitness Center, North Conway

Please note: Mark Richey, who was previously scheduled to give a slide show on Friday night, will unfortunately not be able to attend due to a last-minute scheduling conflict. Mark will be halfway to Mumbai, India during the night of the show, so I guess he has a good excuse! We hope you can make it next year, Mark!

Swing an axe with Mark Synnott!

There are still a few spots left in Mark Synnott's Intro to Mixed Climbing courses during Ice Fest! From the basics of dry-tooling to transitioning from rock to ice and back again, Mark will give you the skills to explore a whole new winter world.

Plus, you get to spend the day with Mark, who is not only a world-famous, inspirational climber, he's also one of the best story tellers in the business. Prepare to be entertained.

Mark's clinics are being held Thursday, Feb. 7 and Friday, Feb. 8, and are limited to 4 climbers per clinic. Call the IMCS office (603-356-7064) today to sign up!

Will Mayo a Top Finisher in Ouray; Next Stop: Mount Washington Valley

At 8th place overall, New England ice master Will Mayo was the top U.S. finisher at the recently held Ouray Ice Festival. After dropping a tool on his final route, Mayo managed to keep climbing, hoisting himself up a man-made obstacle with a single tool and thoroughly entertaining the crowd.

Check out a photo of Will on the Climbing magazine Hot Flashes site.

Check out a write-up of the event on the Alpinist News Wire site,

Want to climb as hard as Will? Or just hang out with him? (He's a really nice guy.) Sign up for one of his clinics during the Mount Washington Valley Ice Festival! He is teaching steep ice clinics on Friday, February 8 and Saturday, February 9. Space is limited, so call the IMCS office today to reserve your spot! 603-356-7064

Ice Fest SCHEDULE

Confused about what's happening when for this year's Ice Fest? Download a PDF of the official ICE FEST SCHEDULE here. Or click on the image below for a full-size version in your browser.

IMCS Guides in the News

IMCS guides Peter Doucette and Freddie Wilkinson are up on the latest Hot Flashes from Climbing magazine. Check out the article about their new first-ascent on Cannon. Peter Doucette will be guiding each day during Ice Fest. Want to climb with him? Call the IMCS office! 603-356-7064

Recycle Your Ropes!

We are proud to announce that Sterling Rope will have their Rope Redemption Program at the Ice Fest! For years Sterling Rope has recycled the nylon waste fiber that is left over from even the most efficient manufacturing processes—now they can take used dynamic climbing ropes and recycle those as well! Yep, it's cool to do green things! So get on the program!

What: Bring your USED, OLD, CRUSTY, SKETCHY, CORE SHOT ropes to either Friday or Saturday's slideshow night.
Where: Cranmore Climbing Wall, North Conway, NH
When: Friday & Saturday nights, 7:00pm
Why: 1. For each rope you bring you will receive a raffle ticket from Sterling to win a NEW Sterling rope! Winners will be announced the night of each slideshow!
2. Keeps the ropes out of a landfill!
3. Helps you stay safe! Time to let go of that old rope!

Another sweet addition to the Ice Fest! Keep checking back! We will be revealing more as the date gets closer!

Josh Wharton to give a slide show!

Ok, the good news first:

Mammut athlete and all around climbing mad-man Josh Wharton is coming to Ice Fest! Check out Josh's climbing bio on the Mammut website. Josh will be giving the feature slide show on Saturday night and will teach clinics and private guided ascents during the festival. Call the IMCS office to sign up for Josh's Saturday clinic: "Fast and Light: Techniques for Efficient Alpine Climbing". Also call to book a private climb with Josh for Friday or Sunday.

Now, the bad news:

Colin Haley had to cancel. I know, I know, we're disappointed too. But at least he's got a good reason: he's hooked up with Rolo Garibotti in Patagonia and is gunning for the coveted Torre Traverse. Good luck, Colin! We hope to see you next year!

Ben Is Back!

Ben Gilmore is back! He is THE quintessential New England climber. Humble, modest, friendly, and an incredible climber. Are we more than psyched he's on the IMCS team?
YES!

We'd like to give you a little background of what we know and like about Ben.
1. He fires out crux pitches when it NEEDS to happen! Yeah Ben!
2. He loves the mountains! Living and guiding in the Tetons in the summer and back to New England to be with IMCS in the winter!
3. He has done firsts ascents in Alaska, Patagonia, New Hampshire, Newfoundland, and Arizona!
4. He has been guiding for 11 years and is an amazing teacher.
5. He is a certified AMGA Rock and Alpine Guide!

Ben Gilmore will be at the Ice Fest this year teaching "Steep Water Fall Ice Climbing Skills" throughout the event. He will also be around at the Apres Party and the slideshows- if you're wondering was he's up to- just ask!
"Hey Ben what's in store for you this year?"


Ben Gilmore on the 2nd ascent of the Slovak Route (aka Czech Direct) on the South Face of Denali, Alaska.



Ben Gilmore on The Penguin, WI 4, Frankenstein Cliff, NH.

Ice Fest presenters making headlines

Check out the links below to read more about Ice Fest 2008 feature athletes Colin Haley, Maxime Turgeon, Will Mayo, Mark Richey, and Mark Synnott.

• New Route and Rare Repeat in Patagonia, Climbing Hot Flashes, Jan 4, 2008


• Patagonian Weather Keeps Strong Teams at Bay, Alpinist Newswire Dec 19, 2007


• CANNON'S MOST DIFFICULT, SUSTAINED WINTER LINE, Alpinist Newswire Dec 20, 2007


• Cerro Torre, Alpinist Newswire June 1, 2007


• FIRST WINTER ASCENT OF MT. HUNTINGTON, Alpinist Newswire March 20, 2007


• NEW LINE ON MT. ROBSON BY HOUSE, HALEY, Alpinist Newswire May 29, 2007


• Mt. Moffit, Alpinist Newswire March 1, 2007


• TURGEON SOLOS UNCLIMBED FAROL EAST IN CHARAKUSA, Alpinist Newswire Oct 16, 2007


• LATOK I's NORTH RIDGE WINS AGAIN, Alpinist Newswire Sept 18, 2006


• Mt. Foraker and Denali, Alpinist Newswire Nov 27, 2006


• MT. BRADLEY, NORTH FACE, Alpinist Newswire Dec 1, 2005


• Americans Climb Latok II and V, Climbing Hot Flashes


• Trident: Yes; Latok: No, Climbing Hot Flashes


• Near Miss in Nyainqentanglha, Climbing Hot Flashes


• New Route in Remote Guyana, Climbing Hot Flashes

Alpine- and Ice-Climbing STARS To Appear at Ice Fest

For those of you who are veterans of Ice Fest, you know that each year we bring in the biggest and brightest stars of modern ice, mixed, and alpine climbing to teach clinics, give slideshows, and just be around to hang out with the rest of us climbing mortals.

We are especially proud of the line-up of visitors for 2008: Colin Haley, Mark Richey, Max Turgeon, Will Mayo, and Mark Synnott. There's also a rumor circulating that New Hampshire-native Josh Wharton will be around this Ice Fest--I'll keep you posted when the details are confirmed.

If you're not a die-hard climbing-mag reader, you might not be instantly familiar with some of these names--even possibly our headliners Colin Haley and Max Turgeon. If you don't already know who these guys are, don't worry, you will soon. These are two of alpinism's rising stars--the guys who are on the front lines right now, opening the doors of what is possible to achieve in the mountains. We are stoked to be supporting this next generation of alpine bad-a*#es and we are grateful that these guys can take a few days out of their jet-setting expedition schedules to play with us here in New Hampshire.

Check out the Ice Fest SCHEDULE page for a list of the clinics offered by our celebrity guides and call us at the IMCS office (603-356-7064) today to reserve your spot in these limited-space courses!

Please note: Despite her name being on the poster, Zoe Hart unfortunately won't be able to join this year due to a scheduling conflict (she'll be off pioneering new routes halfway around the globe instead...). Our steep ice women's clinics will be taught by our guest guide from the Colorado Mountain School, Majka Burhardt. Majka is an extremely talented and accomplished climber and guide from Boulder, Colorado. Check out her feature article in the current issue of Climbing magazine!