12th Annual Adirondack International Mountainfest - 2008

The weather for Mountainfest 2008 was miserable to say the least. Warm temperatures and rain preceded the weekend and continued throughout the event. For the first time in the history of our humble festival we had to cancel clinics due to dangerous and lack of ice to teach on. The advanced clinics were all cancelled but the mountaineering, beginner and avalanche clinics were held. 

As always we were fortunate to have some great guest climbers for this weekend. International climbing legend Doug Scott traveled from England to give a amazing slideshow spanning his career in alpinism, amazing! The tales of his Ogre "epic", descending thousands of feet with 2 broken ankles were grizzly to say the least. Saturday night featured a Newfoundland slideshow for regional hotshot Joe Terravecchia. Making everyone "oohh" and "aahh" with picture after picture of remote big ice across the border in Northeast Canada

Doug Scott and company after his slideshow.

Mountaineering/Slide Climbing Clinic participants learning the ropes.

One happy Adirondack climber.

More Mountainfest pictures on NEICE.COM

Did you take picture at 2008's Mountainfest? If so email them to The Mountaineer and we will add them to the blog. 

The Next Generation of Mountain Climbers

Hello Vinny, My name is Zach Lentz and I am 8 years old. Can you please attach this picture to the wall of fame? This was a picture from our hike of Black Dome, by Black Head mountain in the Catskills. My friend Matthew and I did not make it to the top, but we almost did. It was too icy and we did not think we would find that much ice on April 5th, so we didn't bring our crampons. We had to turn around becasue "Reaching the summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory", Ed Viesturs said that in his book "No Shortcuts to the Top". My dad and I read that book, he is typing this e-mail by the way I am just telling him what to type. Today April 19th 2009 we did a hike to the snow hole on the Taconic Crest Trail near Massachusetts. There was great views and I would recommend it. There was still snow in the snow hole. This is a fissure that I read people go speluking in if you are experienced enough. This is what it looked like. Can't wait to come back to the store I love it. I plan to hike Algonquin and Iraquois this year, maybe big slide to. That would make 10 of the 46 high peaks for me. My biggest accomplishment was Marcy which I hiked last year. We camped at Bushnell falls lean-to number 2. That is one of the lean-to's we adopted. We adopted Bushnells falls one and two. Hope I see you soon. You're friend Zach.

13th Annual Adirondack International Mountainfest - 2009

This years Mountainfest had excellent weather and great ice conditions.

Our guest climbers came from near and far. Conrad Anker and Jennifer Lowe-Anker along with sons Sam and Issac visited from Bozeman. Conrad tought two clinics as well as partnering with Jennifer for a moving presentation of there lives and that of Jennifer's late husband Alex Lowe.

LP Menard from Quebec came down to teach two clinics as well. Janet Bergman traveled over from New Hampshire to teach clinics and give a slideshow presentation.

Olof Soot displaying his new book "Alpine Americas".

Conrad Anker/Black Diamond outfitting a clinic participant.

Gearing up before clinics at Rock and River.

Conrad Anker belaying at Sundays Beginner/Intermediate Ice Climbing Class.

A happy clinic participant.

Steeeeeeep Ice Clinic.

Demo ice wall at Rock and River.

Hot Tubing!

Getting Pumped!

The Mountainfest lifestyle!

Additional Photo Report from Doug Millen @ NEICE.COM
Photos by Mike Lynch @ Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Did you takes pictures at this years Mountainfest?
If so email them into The Mountaineer and we will add them to the blog!