Mid January in coastal Maine is that time of year when steadily freezing temperatures creates a medium for winter climbing on snow, ice and rock, with an emphasis on that particular order. A quick glance out my living room window shows the order is now reversed. In fact, winter has yet to arrive. What the heck is going on?
25 consecutive years of climbing in Maine has provided an intimate connection with regional climate norms. Part of my job is to understand weather forecasts and to make predictions of my own for the good of my clientele. The first half of those years provided a consistent weather report, i.e. ice climbing season begins early to mid December and ends late March; rock climbing season was consistently June - October with a smattering of rain; November gray and April showers that brought May flowers.
One exception of personal indifference was the 2009 rock climbing season, when rains lasted well into August. Relentless storms yielded moldy crops and frustrated farmers. Regular communication with climbing client’s were dismal. “Well...we could get you on the rock, but we will definitely get wet” was my line used on rinse and repeat over the phone. Vacationland’s bustling coastal towns washed away into economic oblivion. Albeit this was not a regular summertime-in-Maine event, there has been noteworthy weather phenomenon that have left me wondering what is really happening here.
Case in point, temps in December, 2017 were so frigid that meteorologists called it the “Bomb Cyclone”. This arctic blast from northern Canada brought sustained, double digit negative temps straight into January. I remember telling clients, “this is the coldest day I have ever taken someone ice climbing” and each consecutive day I said the same. That was on the cusp of record Fall temps, an unseasonably warm Indian Summer, resulting in flowing groundwater into December that froze into never-before-seen ice routes. I was fortunate to notice a climb taking shape on Barrett’s Cove Cliff as Bomb Cyclone’s pressure system made way to warmer air. And just like the flick of a light switch, the temps rose nearly forty degrees overnight, allowing me to nab a first ascent I named after the weather event. (Watch the video of the Bomb Cyclone FA below) That next day, temps rose another twenty degrees and rain completely washed away gigatons of snow and ice - a truly epic sight as it all flowed into Lake Megunticook.
Today, January 19th, all coastal ice is a complete washout as well. With no foreseeable prospects in the 10-day forecast, this leaves me with two options to consider: 1) drive two hours west into the mountains, where colder temps and ice exists, or 2) surrender to the foreseeable shift in climate and develop new climbs on rock with ice axes and crampons.
Mixed Climbing - “A combination of ice climbing and rock climbing generally using ice climbing equipment such as crampons and ice tools. ” -Wikipedia
Bomb Cyclone took shape as a blob of ice on an 80 degree wall. Water seeped out from a horizontal crack, forming the main feature, which dripped down a steep wall forming a desirable ice curtain. The overhanging rock leading to Bomb Cyclone’s curtain was protected by two existing bolts from a rock climb named the Joker. Bomb Cyclone is the perfect example of mixed climbing in the modern era: a route that combines mediums of snow, ice and rock, protected by ice screws, bolts and traditional rock gear including cams, stoppers, etc.
The photo below provides another example of what mixed climbing looks like. Here I climb verglas ice and rock during the first ascent of Serpentarium, M9 - a steep crack that protects with stoppers and cams, turning into a thin seam through a bolt protected roof in coastal, Camden, Maine.
Ryan Howes climbs the first ascent of: Serpentaruim, M9 on January 10, 2023
Serpentarium is the most difficult mixed climb in Camden and quite possibly all of Maine.
Photo: Eric Stapleton
Why climb on rock when there is perfectly good ice in the mountains you ask?
The answer has four factors:
Increasing gas prices!
Less travel = lower footprint = my mind feels better about changing climate.
I have already climbed everything within striking distance of New England.
Mixed climbing provides an exceptional workout compared to most snow and ice climbing.
Due to these factors I have been looking at my surrounding hillsides and cliff faces with a shift in focus. The creative in me meets the craftsmen. Over the spring-summer-fall of 2022, I developed 30 new rock climbs. This has carried over to Camden’s existing mixed climbing. By the end of winter 2023, I foresee 20 new mixed climbs on several cliffs. Some of these routes with by a mixture of rock gear and bolts, while others will be fully bolt protected.
NV Guest Bob O’Brien ice climbing Double Clutch, NEI 4 at Maiden’s Cliff, Camden, Maine
Change can be hard. I don’t feel like an old washed up ice climber, but the desire to be a conscious citizen pushes me to stick close to “where the mountains meet the sea” in my home town of ice-less Camden, Maine. I continue to meet clients throughout northern New England for ice climbing adventures. However, I have been able to lure many of you to this beautiful landscape to climb here year round. In fact, more than half of the first ascents I have done in Camden over the past calendar year have been with NV guests.
This year has been a lot of fun developing new routes and taking you on them is sort of a rare guided experience. Regardless of this climate imperative pushing me to do so, I want to encourage you to come out to Camden and participate in developing new routes with me, especially if you have not done so. In fact, I have a Route Development Clinic happening this Sunday 2/22/23 and have two spots open. During this full day experience you will learn:
how to place bolts
the equipment and tools
step-by-step process
the vision and art form
climb your new first ascent!
Drop me a line, send me an email and in general be in touch. Would love to connect and have you out for this small group clinic this Sunday.
Best, Ryan