where does a poor iowa guy go to climb ice?

peladoboton · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 1570

so now that i find myself living in Mason City, IA....

...where do you go to climb ice in these here parts?

climber555 · Joined: 13 Aug 2009 Posts: 8

From what I have heard, climbers in Iowa have been freezing the sides of silos just for climbing. Google "ice climbing in Iowa".

woodsxc · Joined: 20 Sep 2008 Posts: 2433

Ben, where'd the profile pic go?

drjohnso1182 · Joined: 05 Sep 2006 Posts: 649

This site: http://www.climbingcentral.com/home has pretty good information during the climbing season.

peladoboton · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 1570

woodsxc · Joined: 20 Sep 2008 Posts: 2433

RModelli · Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Posts: 439

Silo SUmmit!!!!!!

RModelli · Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Posts: 439

or come to MN!

peladoboton · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 1570

Deleted User · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 16777179

peladoboton · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 1570

tonyvav · Joined: 04 Nov 2007 Posts: 9

If you are looking for the ice in Minnesota a good place to start is the Mississippi river valley between Minneapolis and St Paul. The "Frozen Mississippi" climbs include the brickyards, homer, ivy and Franklin bridge. Theses routes are not vary long but they have very short approaches.
Another ice climbing spot in in Sandstone Minnesota, the climbs here are know for the steep, thin mixed rock and ice routes. Be sure and check out the Sandstone Ice Festival, December 11-13, 2009. Demo gear, clinics, guest speakers and fireworks.
There a re a few good climbs on the north shore of Lake Superior but the Mecca of Midwest ice climbing is in Nipigon.

ExcitibleBoy · Joined: 09 Nov 2005 Posts: 1050

My wife grew up in Iowa and used to go to Musing (sp?) Michigan to ice climb.

tallsailor · Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 9

2nd vote for Sandstone.

The MN north shore of L. Superior has a whole week worth of routes, from WI2 to backcountryish 2pitch WI4, and a quarry full of bolted mixed climbing. Most of them have very short approaches, and all of them are in beautiful river canyons that feel absolutely wild (even if you're only a quarter mile from the highway).

There are a few places to climb in Mpls/St. Paul area, but I would just drive the extra hour and a halfish to Sandstone and spend a weekend there.

Nipigon and the Thunder Bay area in Canada has the best climbing between Ouray/Silverton and the east coast. The routes in Nipigon are mostly multipitch or at least manditory leads, and there's everything from cutting edge trad-mixed to cruiser WI2. Plus, most of the climbs are right on the highway. It's really a fantastic area. Wild, remote, and beautiful.

MikeWizowski · Joined: 18 Nov 2009 Posts: 15

check in with the guys that run the wal-nut creek climbing gym in kelly ia - i haven't been out there in a long time but the last winter i was there was talk of farming some ice...