DELTA- The Building of a Whale

This past week we have been working on the construction of a new low ropes course/initiative problem for DELTA called the Whale Watch. The challenge is that the group is to get onto an 8' x 12' platform that is balanced on a log. The entire group must get onto the platform and divide themselves without the platform tilting down and touch the ground on either side. Given the success of the group, it can also be arranged that once the group is entirely on the platform, they must split half and half, then change sides. A number of variations can be used like that in order to create additional challenges.

The Whale Watch will be located at the A.L. Mickelson Field Station course, and will be transported up as soon as the snows melt, which might take a couple more months!

Ice Climbing

This past weekend, the PEAC 1600 Ice Climbing class took to Shell Canyon to try out climbing on some real ice (not the 2x10 wood on the climbing wall any longer). Sunday we spent getting aqcuainted with the equipment and movement on ice climbing on the Shroud, a low angle WI2 slab. The benefits to this style of climbing is that it give the climber the chance to really understand climbing ice using your feet.

Sunday we headed back up the canyon to the climbs above the Post Creek Trailhead. After a long uphill hike, we found our desination to be occupied by a pair from Casper (so it goes when you go climbing) so we headed to the left and found "Skinny Sister", an 80' WI3+. The climbing was great on vertical chandeliered ice, and gave the students the oppertunity to try out some harder climbing.

Below are some photos from Sunday, courtesy of David Leinen.



"Skinny Sister" WI3+

"V-Thread" Lesson and Practice