Group finds unique beauty by ascending above High Peaks hikers By Kevin MacKenzie Imagine that you are deep in the wilderness on an overhang of yellow, tannin-stained ice. Only the ice tools in your hands and the front-point of each crampon … [Read more...] about Crazy Freedom
ice climbing
Alpine enchantment on ice
By Phil Brown It’s 4:40 a.m. What the hell am I doing up? Oh, yeah, I’m meeting Kevin “MudRat” MacKenzie to go ice climbing. This is late for MudRat. The guy is notorious for alpine starts. Many times he has awoken at 2:45 a.m., trekked … [Read more...] about Alpine enchantment on ice
Adirondack Explorer stories of the year: No. 8
As we head into a new year, the Adirondack Explorer looks back at the most popular online stories of 2018. The Trap Dike is a famous part of the cliffs of Mt. Colden, which made this a popular read on the website. Phil Brown shared his experience … [Read more...] about Adirondack Explorer stories of the year: No. 8
Laying siege to the tower
A classic route near Chapel Pond combines technical ice climbing with alpine-style mountaineering. By Phil Brown If you’ve done any rock climbing at Chapel Pond Gully Cliff, you’ve probably passed a steep granite wall on your way to the … [Read more...] about Laying siege to the tower
The lure of thin ice
In 1996, the amazing Jeff Lowe climbed a futuristic ice route at Poke-O-Moonshine. No one has repeated it in 21 years. That won’t stop Matt Horner from trying. By PHIL BROWN Jeff Lowe is one of the greatest American mountaineers … [Read more...] about The lure of thin ice
Frozen Feat
How to climb an 85-foot wall of ice and keep your cool By Phil Brown More than thirty years ago, Don Mellor was in a plane flying over the High Peaks region, taking photos for his rock-climbing guidebook, when he spotted a large streambed … [Read more...] about Frozen Feat