ICE CLIMBING 201

Semester 2:  Begins in December

(All dates are flexible to the team schedules, but once set they’ll stay consistent all 5 weeks)

Week 1:
-Milford, MI (ropes/knots, belay and rappel training)

Week 2:
-Either Peabody Ice Club, Fenton, MI or Planet Rock, Madison Heights (ice climbing/endurance training)

Week 3:
-Either Peabody Ice Club, Fenton, MI or Planet Rock, Madison Heights (ice climbing/endurance training)

Week 4:
-Either Peabody Ice Club, Fenton, MI or Holdridge Lakes Mountain Biking Trails (ice climbing/backpacking endurance training)

Week 5:
-Either Peabody Ice Club, Fenton, MI or Holdridge Lakes Mountain Biking Trails (ice climbing/backpacking endurance training)

Trip Details
Leaving within the window of January 13-15 @ 4:30am from Flint, MI (4-day trip with some flexibility around a weekend)
Snowshoeing and winter camping 3 nights, 2 days of climbing some of the best ice in the U.P.
Returning within the window of January 16-18 @9:30pm to Flint, MI
All gear provided
Students will need some specific clothing (detailed list will be provided), snacks for the road, and a crazy adventurous attitude!

Trip Snapshot

Ice climbing 201 takes climbing to a whole new level. There are not a lot of people in the world who can say that they’ve camped in the winter time–add a 7 mile snowshoe and two days of climbing frozen waterfalls and you’ll be among the very few.  This trip focuses on the basics of an adventurous spirit and human survival in the midst of a beautiful winter wonderland and is sure to sharpen your character in every way imaginable and then in ways you just can’t imagine until you see it with your own eyes.  If you are fearful that you won’t make it, may I give a little history… we’ve taken teen girls on this trip who have never camped a day in their lives… chew on that for a moment.

Safety

All Project Forty instructors have been trained in their focused discipline and carry a minimum 2 years experience as a Guide Partner, under direct supervision from a current instructor.  Climbing instructors are trained as Single Pitch Instructors (on rock) through the American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA), hold a certificate of completion for Guiding on Ice Terrain, and hold a Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) or higher.  All rappel sites are set up with redundant and equalized roped anchors, built off of solid, live trees.  Rappels are backed up by a second belay line controlled by an instructor.  Climbing for participants are all top roped from solid bolted anchors or well-rooted, live trees.