Late Winter Climbing

Picture of climber.

Lauren working her way up Cheetah (5.10b).

It's hard to believe with last weekend's 80-degree weather in Wisconsin, but today is the first day of spring.

Two weekends ago when it hit 55 degrees for the first time this year, I went with the local mountaineering club to nearby Devil's Lake for some rock climbing. For most of us, it was our first outdoor climbing of the year. The lake was still frozen, the trees still bare, and the air wasn't quite warm enough for us to shed our parkas. On top of that, it was extremely windy, so we had to be extra careful getting set up. The hardest part of my day was traversing a ledge without getting blown off. But it was still a great day of climbing, and many more are sure to come this year.

Speaking of which, when it got into the 80's a week later, I had to hit “The Lake” again. The ice had completely thawed, and suddenly sunburn became our biggest hazard. Other than placing anchors, which I guess will always sketch me out.

I hope you got a chance to get outside and enjoy the weather on the last weekend of winter!

Photos From March 10
Photos From March 17

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