Big Shout out to our headlining Sponsor Outdoor Research!  We’re still rolling out OR athletes and ambassadors!  Be sure to stop by the outdoor Research table at IME this weekend and chat with these folks about their rad gear! Alexa Siegal “Alexa first discovered climbing at the Boston Rock Gym in February of 2003. The gym was completely empty due to a winter storm warning, but her dad took her anyway. She dabbled in competition climbing, but soon found her fit on the granite cliffs of New Hampshire. Alexa loves all forms of climbing, from sport to ice and mixed climbing. She has traveled all ..read more

Every year at Ice Fest, we hold a silent auction to raise funds for non-profits that work hard to support the New England climbing community.  This year, we are excited to be working with the Access Fund as our official beneficiary.  Locally, Access Fund and Northeast Regional Director, Mike Morin have been hard at work on a number of projects that impact New England climbers on a daily basis.  One of the the most recent victories is the reopening of Band Am Ledge up here in the Mount Washington Valley! This Friday, Feb. 1st at the evening events we will host the Access Fund Silent Auction wi ..read more

The AAC Vision is a simple one.  A United Community Of Competent Climbers And Healthy Climbing Landscapes.  A simple vision in a complicated landscape.  We’re stoked to have AAC continue their sponsorship of MWV Ice Fest, the longest running Ice Climbing Festival in the United States. There are tons of benefits to joining the AAC, some are monetary (discounts), some are studious (publications), some safety minded (rescue).  One of the more important focuses of the AAC is that of community.  Every U.S. member lives in an AAC Section contained within a larger Region.  As Yogi Berra said, “Wherev ..read more

Cilogear Worksacks are back at Ice Fest to demo for the weekend.  These meticulously crafted backpacks are designed and manufactured in Portland, Oregon. They source all their materials scrupulously and use that same precision in their design and manufacturing process: and climbers and guides like the results. Williams started CiloGear (sounds like “jillo”) in Turkey in 2004, planning to build the packs there and sell them in the United States. That plan lasted for a few years, but he eventually tired of the challenges of international commerce and moved all his operations to the United States ..read more

Alain Comeau has been working as an instructor and guide since the 1970s.  He is the owner of New England Mountain Guides here in NH.  2009 AMGA Guide of the Year and 2017 AMGA Lifetime Achievement Award are just a couple of the accolades due to Alain.  These days Alain specializes in adaptive rescue systems and training military special ops teams as the Director of Leading Edge Concepts. Alain Comeau Bob Baribeau is an avid outdoorsman and Maine guide.  If you’ve ever looked upon the Katahdin massif and wondered if a route has been climbed: the answer is yes, and Bob climbed it.  You’ll find ..read more

Welcome back La Sportiva!  Visit Ice Fest friend Doug Madara at the La Sportiva booth and get hooked up with the perfect Mountaineering boots for your clinic! “Our mission is to bring you the best technical products to explore the outdoors. For 89 years we have been producing innovative products and we are looking forward to the next 80 years. Produced and designed in a small mountain town at the foot of the Dolomites, La Sportiva supports 140 families in a unique and enviable environment. Everyday the mountains surround the people who handcraft our products. Being mountain based and family ru ..read more

Welcome back Rab Equipment!  Stoked to have Rab back to demo their jackets and gloves at Ice Fest this year! About Rab: “Today, we are ceaseless in our commitment to Rab’s exacting standards, ingenuity and pioneering spirit. We make rugged, high performance mountain clothing and equipment that give you absolute protection, comfort and freedom on the hill, crag or peak. We use cutting edge materials as well as time-tested ones such as premium quality European down. Nothing fancy or over-engineered – just honest, hard-working pieces that you’d rather repair than replace. By climbers for climbers ..read more

Sarah Garlick is a climber from North Conway. She’s led expeditions to Greenland, Newfoundland, Patagonia, Peru, Mozambique, and Jordan. She’s the author of two books: Flakes, Jugs, and Splitters: A Rock Climber’s Guide to Geology (2009) and the National Geographic Pocket Guide to Rocks and Minerals of North America(2014). When she’s not climbing, she’s chasing around her two boys (ages 3 and 6) and directing science communication programs for the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study, a long term research program based in the White Mountains. Sarah currently serves as the president of the Board of Di ..read more

We have some more Mount Washington Valley local guides up on the blog for you!  While the valley is home base for all of these fellas, they certainly haven’t limited their climbing time to the local crags.  All have notable CVs with international destinations speckling their accomplishment lists.  They’re also all published authors and great community members. Michael Wejchert climbs and writes and builds here in the valley.  He is engaged to fellow guide Alexa Siegel.  Published previously in Alpinist, Ascent, Rock & Ice, Appalachia, and the New York Times: Michael recently wrote an updat ..read more