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porkchop_express
Aug 24, 2006, 10:00 PM
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i realize that i may be inserting my foot into my own mouth with this question, but as i am sincere in my curiosity, i hope you will bear with me...
Now the concept of an ice skating rink isn't a new one by any stretch of the imagination, and i have even heard of indoor skiing facilities...
My question is: are there indoor ice climbing facilities in operation, and if there aren't, is it because no one thought of it, or just because its a terrible idea?
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tallnik
Aug 24, 2006, 10:17 PM
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There's one in Scotland that I know about...
and I quickly googled the topic and found this.
http://www.indoorclimbing.com/iceclimbing.html
enjoy,
Nik
PS - Wanna open one in NY? I'd go...
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tallnik
Aug 24, 2006, 10:29 PM
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DAMN! the scottish one at the top of the page sounds wicked online. I LOVE the fact that they have a sauna/steambath where you can thaw out after a day of cranking!
Why doesn't my gym have a sauna? OR A BIG FRICKIN ICE WALL!?!
Nik
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basilisk
Aug 25, 2006, 2:57 AM
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one of my local gyms has an ice wall. it isn't really ice though. just really thick foam. horizontal tips crampons are required because the verticals completely shred the thing. all in all it's a good time. it's fun to be using those tools in comfortable temperatures and wearing shorts. the gym even rigged up some climbing holds into the wall so you can get some mixed climbing if you do it right
the catch: it's 5 bucks per climb on the ice/foam wall. apparently the foam is a wee bit expensive- so they claim anyway
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porkchop_express
Aug 25, 2006, 8:21 PM
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thanks alot for the heads up folks.
actually i am thinking about the feasibility of opening an indoor ice wall. aside from the fact that i don't have the resources or experience to do it, there's a good chance it will happen :)
i figured that if i am gonna even think about it, getting some informed opinions would be the best place to start. The resources and experience will come with a little time. I'm just out of college and id like to do something climbing related for a job, and while id like to get good enough to guide, id also like to be able to contribute something new to the climbing community.
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snowjunkie
Aug 25, 2006, 8:52 PM
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Hey porkchop_express... if you're really serious about it I'd try and get a hold of someone up at Rock&Snow in Keene (NY).. they build an outdoor ice wall every year (weather permitting) at the mountainfest... I know it took them a while to get it perfected and it would be quicker to learn from them seeing as they have ironed out the kinks. I live right outside of New Paltz and am looking for a partner to climb with afternoons/after work... if you're interested or interested on getting on some ice come this winter get a hold of me
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porkchop_express
Aug 26, 2006, 12:47 AM
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absolutely! thank you very much. ill try and contact them. I would love to do some ice climbing with you this winter. i have no ice climbing experience and or gear though. gear i can buy, experience i have to earn. but id love to give it a shot.
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chossmonkey
Aug 26, 2006, 1:27 AM
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In reply to: if you're really serious about it I'd try and get a hold of someone up at Rock&Snow in Keene (NY)..
Do you mean the Mountaineer?
Last I new Rock and Snow was in New Paltz.
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tallnik
Aug 27, 2006, 4:43 PM
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14 approx times 2.5 = $35
Nik
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tallnik
Aug 27, 2006, 4:47 PM
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To put it in scale though a Big Mac meal costs 5 pounds, so it's really equivalent to paying 15$cdn for two hours of ice climbing. England's HELLISHLY expensive unless you work there.
Hmmm... would I pay that in July to swing my sticks? Probably... and then to destress and chill in the SAUNA, and have a couple brews in the BAR! I want that to be my local gym.
Nik
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redpointron
Aug 27, 2006, 4:50 PM
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In reply to: it's 5 bucks per climb on the ice/foam wall. apparently the foam is a wee bit expensive- so they claim anyway
it is expensive. just under 300 bucks for a 2 foot by 9 foot section. check out the ice wall page.
http://72.10.43.194/walls/
regards.
r.r.
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rendog
Aug 27, 2006, 10:20 PM
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I'm still trying to convince the fellas at The Crux that they've got the structural feasability and the demographic to open an ice wall here. The nice thing about the summer is going out to the crag after work for a few hours. and in the winter hitting the gym for a quick session.
but to be able to hit an ice climb after work in the winter isn't realistic. so a gym with a real ice wall would just plain old be the TITS!!
d
edited for bad link
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snowjunkie
Aug 28, 2006, 11:26 AM
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Registered: Oct 30, 2005
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Yeah you're right it's not Rock&Snow... I live outside of New Paltz and had just been there so I guess somehow I got it mixed up... the place I'm talking about that builds the ice wall up in Keene every year for Mountainfest is Rock&River (www.rockandriver.com). The names are kind of similar now that I think about it though..
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thespider
Aug 28, 2006, 2:47 PM
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My non-exsistant local climbing gym (started but never finished or opened) had a real ice climbing wall inside of it. I found pictures online, but I have never found the building. http://www.penn.com/~petro/ice.html It's in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, called Powerplant. Unfortunately I can not find it nor can I find anyone that has any information on it. I am willing to donate money and time to the project if anyone out there sees this and can help! It would be the only climbing gym in central PA besides the YMCA.
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porkchop_express
Aug 28, 2006, 10:22 PM
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once i get a good idea of the startup costs and see if there is a demographic that would support it money wise, i actually plan on getting a project like this off the ground. I wont deny that its a big "if" but if enough people would give it a go, i think it could work. Thank god for rampant idealism. See i was thinking near or in NYC because i know there are alot of people there who are frustrated by a lack of climbing directly nearby, to say nothing of money to fund it. Of course, conversely, startup costs there would be abysmally high as well...
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tradman
Aug 29, 2006, 1:22 PM
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The Ice Factor - the indoor ie wall in Scotland - is a blast and well worth a visit. The ice isn't water ice, it's snow that's packed onto the wall by hand every night before they turn the temp down and go home. It's fun to climb on and even has some placements for screws, but all in all it bears little resemblance to outdoor ice climbing (except that it's good fun).
Oh and the reason there aren't many indoor ice walls is simple - do you know how much that amount of ice WEIGHS?!?! The Ice Factor wabuilt inside an old aluminium smelter, but it still needed to have its foundations reinforced!
:wink:
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veganboyjosh
Aug 29, 2006, 1:47 PM
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Registered: Dec 22, 2003
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the idea i had for an indoor wall:
deep water indoor ice soloing...build it overhanging, over a pool...
just gotta figure out those hvac issues...
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