The Sick-le (Ice Climbing Part 6)

... personally considered the most impressive and outrageous ice climb located up at the 'Secret Cliffs' - and that's saying something - around 80ft of very steep mixed rock and ice climbing before reaching an airy and long step out on to a 20ft free hanging "dagger" suspended precariously from the top of the cliff overhang - first climbed by Tim Anderson back around '06 (Grade 5/M5) - TR ascent - remains the only ascent to date - hasn't formed or formed sufficiently enough since then to attempt (safely, without risk of certain death) a free ascent - we captured the first ascent on video - the film short, 'The Sick-le', has been up on the web site for a long time now - we have a later free attempt by Tim, including the total collapse of that thing (impressive), completed as a film short - will eventually post it up on the web site as well...

... lone climber and the wall expanse - the 'Sick-le' is the near "dagger' with the rope trailing...

... climber working his way up the lower wall...

... the ominous 'Sick-le' looming above...

... higher up - nearing the good rest shelf and the airy transition...

... that's a long stretch to get out on to that thing - just prior to this shot he bungled the transition and took an airy swing...

... "the deadest of winter"...

... is what we guess you could call this weekend - and "old fashioned" 'ta boot - really been gettin' barraged with the snow squalls and cold temperatures - brilliant - people are ridin' snowmobiles around the "hood" - haven't seen that in a long time...

... here's the 'Gun Club Wall' from yesterday afternoon (following photos as well) - not bad, but not real great - kind of thin - wasn't a whole lot of water flowing, either - an abrupt, freezing "cold snap" with little daytime thaw and low humidity will most often "shut off the tap"...

 

... the nearby 'Yough River' - frozen and 'ice-dammed'...

... ditto...

... 'Laurel Run'...

... great time of year which doesn't happen enough - can't figure out why all the "weathermen" now-days' continually try to condition "the people" that winter is a "cruel mistake"...

... not wise to 'piss-off' the 'Old-Man'...

... supposed to be pretty frigid (single digits with a few below zero nights) from now toward the end of the week, then warming up - saw one forecast calling for rain next weekend (!!?) - if true, then ya' definitely can't win...