5th Annual Ice and Mixed Climbing Festival Attracts Hundreds
Quarry Park has quickly become a destination for Midwestern climbers and though the weather was above freezing on Saturday, the ice was still safe.
DULUTH, Minn. – Quarry Park in Duluth has a 1000 feet wide, 100 feet tall rock face perfect for ice climbing.
Hundreds of local and regional climbers came out to be challenged by the old quarry.
The ice is formed by groundwater seeping down and forming against the rock.
Quarry Park has quickly become a destination for Midwestern climbers and though the weather was above freezing on Saturday, the ice was still safe.
“The ice changes the warmer it gets it’ll soften it’ll delaminate from the surface of the rock. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all going to fall down because by the time we hit this time of the year the structure of the ice climb has formed in a way that it supports itself in almost a free standing way,” said Lucas Kramer, the president of Duluth Climbers Coalition.
Climbers ranging from beginners to the biggest names in Midwestern ice climbing took advantage of a rare mild weather day in Duluth for ice and mixed climbing.
Mixed climbing is going from ice to regular rocks during the climb.
For one first-time ice climber and experienced rock climber, the day presented a special challenge.
“It surprised me today. There’s aspects that felt like rock climbing and there’s definitely aspects that were much different and new challenges and if you’re really missing being outside up at Palisade climbing on rock this is a great way to be out doing something that kind of reminds you that summer is coming again soon,” said Taylor Jacobson, a first-time ice climber.
The climbing experience is different for everyone.
One experienced climber traveled more than 100 miles just to catch the thrill.
“I climb because it puts me on edge and I can feel all those nerves and I feel alive. Other people climb for control they feel control of a situation that could be precarious there’s a ton of reasons why people climb and that answer is different for everyone,” Jake Brunnquell, traveled from River Falls.
There is fear of falling that comes with climbing but climbers say that is just part of the experience.
They tell us when people do fall it is usually only three feet on ropes set to take 5000 pounds.
Even though Quarry Park is already a popular destination, the Duluth Climbers Coalition has big plans for next year.
They say they hope to farm ice by running a pipe along the cliff’s edge and sprinkling water down the r ock to make extra routes accessible for beginners.
