Practicing crampons and ice axe?

[nomad_games]

Hey folks. I've been stuck in NYC for a month for work and I need mountains in a bad way. Coming back next weekend, thank god. Anyway, on my Iztaccihuatl attempt a couple weeks ago, I found out that I have no confidence or experience on crampons and that I would like to acquire both before I put myself in another situation where I actually need them to keep myself from careening off the side of a mountain. Likewise with ice axe.

So where can I go practice? I'm in Golden.

[druid2112]

Well, you need snow for that. So, you likely need to look somewhere other than Colorado.

I'm sure St. Mary's Glacier is the answer in these very forums, the last n times this was asked.

[nomad_games]

Alright. No need to discuss further then. I'll find the info. Worked two weeks of 17 hrs and am so tired I didn't think to look.

[CheapCigarMan]

I've never been to St. Mary's.
I started by searching for Easy Snow climbs https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/routeselector.php
I first climbed Angel of Shavano, then "S Gully."
After that I started Moderate Snow climbs.
I found this to be a perfect strategy for breaking in crampons and an ice axe.

[JaredJohnson]

I've been stuck in NYC for a month for work and I need mountains in a bad way

I'm vacationing in CT right now and drove 4 hours on Sunday to NH and attempted Mount Washington via the Lion's Head route. I didn't make the summit (I was too slow) but I made it to the Lion's Head formation. I'd previously done some snow stuff in CO but hadn't managed to find terrain where microspikes weren't enough. The climbing below treeline leading to the Lion's Head was surprisingly steep and mixed terrain, a really good introduction to crampon work and in some spots very exhilarating for me as a beginner. I also got to experience some real wind and cold once I got above treeline. The winter conditions above treeline were also very surreal even for someone who has been up some CO 13ers and 14ers in the snow.

When I made my attempt, temps were in the teens and with the wind it was dangerously cold. It looks like the forecast of the next week calls for much colder temps, so you may have missed your window, at least for summiting. The weather on Washington is no joke so if you decide to give it a shot while you're in the area don't mess around, do your research and go prepared, maybe with a guide or something if you're into that.

For a more basic intro I also recommend st mary's.

-Jared

[nomad_games]

Good advice, thanks. Won't have time to do Mt Washington ok this trip but the snow routes thing sounds good.

[nyker]

If you're still in NYC, you could probably practice your crampons on any steep embankment in Central Park here given the recent snow and cold temps, 5*F right now.
Further north there will be more snow and if you want some more challenging peaks, the Adirondacks have plenty of snow, but also pretty cold temps.
The summit of Mt. Marcy at noon Friday was -10F with 48 mph winds as measured by NWS with Wind Chill, -45*F.

http://www.adirondackbasecamp.com/curre ... igh-peaks/

[CheapCigarMan]

-92˚ windchill on Mt. Washington - New Hampshire, and I wish I would have brought my crampons as I walked across the parking lot at work in Philadelphia in an ice storm today.