An incomplete History ofMidwest Ice Climbing

Eric Landmann – Granite Publishing

1932 --Laurent Grivel added front points to crampons.

1958--Chouinard Equipment is formed in Ventura, CA by Yvon Chouinard.

1962--First lightweight, completely adjustable crampons invented by Salewa (Salewa “Classic”).

1964--Salewa ice screw invented.

1969--Chouinard began making ice axes with curved picks, a popular innovation which increased their utility on different surfaces.

1973--Great Pacific Iron Works Inc. was created by Chouinard in 1973. Chrome-moly pitons are Yvon’s new invention.

1974--Jeff Lowe and Mike Weiss climb Bridalveil Falls, Colorado.

1978

1979

1980--Shaun Parent, Joanne Murphy and Paul Dedi climb Kakabeka Falls, probably the first time ice was climbed in the region.--At Munising, Dairyland (WI5, 50m) by Paul Kuenn. Ahead of his time!

1981--First climb done in Orient Bay (Tempest) led by Paul Dedi. Equipment included one 11-meter rope, four ice screws, a 75cm ice axe and a short rock hammer.

1982--Paul Landry and Guy Lacelle climb Glace Eclatante (WI3+, 55m).

1983--Alpine Outing FA by Shaun Parent and Ed Iwasa.

1984--Second edition of Climber's Guide to Thunder Bay by Shaun Parent is published listing 22 ice climbs.

1985--Ice Stud (WI2, 55m) FA by Shaun Parent and Dave Pugliese.--Curtain Call and White Lightning were FA'd by Shaun and partners.

1985

1986

Climber's Guide to the Ice of Orient Bayby Shaun Parent is released.

Includes 78 routes, a few maps, no photos.

Mellow YellowGoMar FallsGlace EclatanteRemember the DayRanxerox TangentThe Adrenaline SolutionEveil des SensHigh Fidelity

Reflection WallCascade FallsObesessionTempestTears of JoySycho IcychoAndromeda WeepsStarquake

Routes done by 1986

1986

Governor Dodge

1986

Governor Dodge

1986

Lone Rock

Downriver

1986

Lone Rock

Upriver

1987

Governor Dodge

Stephen’s Falls

1989

Gibraltar Rock

1999

The Ice Pit

1987–Ice Fest I happened almost by accident when Shaun and climbers from Toronto met up with a handful of local Thunder Bay and Minnesota climbers.

–Article in Climbing mag by Laurence Saroka about Orient Bay.

–Orient Bay guide supplement lists 16 new routes, including Parallax (Rone and B Lindquist), and 10% Real (Mike Dahlberg, Laurence Saroka, Melissa Quigley, and Steve Arneson).

On the FA of Parallax – “I did the first ascent of this route with Burt Lindquist in March of 1987. Tools were a Lowe Big Bird axe and a Hummingbird Hammer. Crampons were Footfangs on double-leather boots. Screws were Chouinards and an occasional pound-in Snarg. Gloves were Dachstein boiled wool. I remember being so pumped as I finished the lead I couldn't hang on to the tools anymore, my fingers were just opening up! Sheer terror and the fear of a hell of a fall got me to the top.” – Dave Rone

1989

Orient Bay – Tempest

1989

Orient Bay – McCollum’s Cabins

1988--In Agawa, Bridalveil Falls (WI3, 80m) by Shaun Parent and Chris Lloyd and Flying Circus (WI4+, 95m) by Shaun Parent and A. McColm.

1989--Black Diamond is formed.

--In Montreal River South Bay, first ascents of Steps to Rama (WI4, 140m) by Shaun Parent and Chris Loyd, and Solo Menagerie (WI5, 100m), and Comfortably Numb (WI4, 130m)

1990--Climbing mag #117 has a special Canadian issue, and mentions Orient Bay. This drives more visitors to Ice Fest IV.

1991--Getting Oriented (WI4, 55m) at Kama Bay is first climbed.

1991

Starved Rock

1991

1992

Orient Bay

CheeseheadAttack!

1992

1992Beardmore

1992

IceStationSuperior

1992

IceStationSuperior

1992   Hotel Normandie     Nipigon

1993

1993

North of SuperiorOrient BayIce Climber’s Guideby Shaun Parent

Granite Publishing

1994 Starved Rock

1994

1995

1996

1996

Paradice

Xanadu

1996

Paradice

Unclimbed

(Purgatory)

1997

Agawa Canyon

Trestle

1997

Orient Bay

GlaceEclatante

1998

BlackDiamondCobra

BlackDiamondSabretooth

1998

Da Yoo Pee

A “waterfall” in the U.P.

1998

Redridge

1998

Ice Stud

Thunder Bay

1998

CrystalChandelier

Black River

1999

1999

Ice Fest XIII

China Gardens

1999

Ice Fest XIII

1999

Ice Fest XIII

1999

Powerline Falls

Kama Bay

1999

Agawa Canyon Map(1st Ed.)

1999

The Ice Pit

1999

Quarry Monster FA

Wyalusing

1999

Wyalusing

Tip onewith Denny

1999

Black River

Paradise

1999

2000

Dairyland

Munising

2000

2000

Dairyland

Munising

2000

Dairyland

Munising

2000

Dairyland

Munising

2000

Dairyland

Munising

2000

Eagle Canyon

Ontario

2000

Superior Ice

Granite Publishing

2000

Superior Icework session

2000

Michigan Ice Fest

MunisingCarnage

2000

Getting Oriented

Kama Bay

2000

Getting Oriented

Kama Bay

2000

Getting Oriented

Kama Bay

2001

Starved Rock

2001

Tonti

Starved Rock

2001

Dryer Hose

Munising

2001

SweetMotherMoses

Munising

2001

Mad Moose Lodge

Batchawana

2001

Mad Moose Lodge

Batchawana

2002

BlackDiamondViper

BlackDiamondFusion

2002

Domino Theory

Mt. McRae

2002

House of Cards

Mt. McRae

2002

Java

Kama Bay

2002

MichiganIceFest

2003

AsymmetricWarfare

Kama Bay

2003

NC-17

Kama Bay

2003

Uthitta

Kama Bay

2003

StoneColdCowboys

Kama Bay

2003

Stratosfear

Montreal River

2003

TorquoiseCoyote

Montreal River

2004

NipigonIceFest

2004    Wall of Doom Orient Bay

2004

Mythophobia

Orient Bay

2004

Trickle Trunk

Orient Bay

2004

Tryptophan

The Fishery

2004

Sport Fishing

The Fishery

2004

Stick Bait

The Fishery

2005

Petzl Nomic

2004

HandsandKnees

Kama Bay

2004

Shelob’s Lair

2004

Shelob’s Lair

Kama Bay

2004

Shelob’s Lair

Kama Bay

2005

Kama BayCakewalk

Kama Bay

2005

Kama Sutra

Kama Bay

2005

Kama Sutra

Kama Bay

2005

Parsec

Orient Bay

2005

Parsec

Orient Bay

2005

ProfessionalBusinessmen

Orient Bay

2005

PsychoticEpisode

Orient Bay

2005

Time Well Wasted

Orient Bay

2005

AuroraBorealis

Montreal River

2005

AgawaCanyonMap(2nd Ed.)

by Shaun Parent

Granite Publishing

2005

Agawa Canyon

SweatingWhiskey

2006 Wailing Wall South Gillies

2006

Dirty Laundry

Wailing Wall

2006

Just StepAround

Wailing Wall

2006

Ed’s Cafe

Paradice

2006

Arjumand’sShroud

Orient Bay

2006

EarlyRetirement

Orient Bay

2006

Mishepeshu

Orient Bay

2006

Relativity

Orient Bay

Wailing Wall

2006

Shaker's Dozen

Kama Bay

2006

Fumbledusk

Kama Bay

2006

Evanesce

Orient Bay

2006

Galadriel’sPhial

Kama Bay

2006

ReflectionWall

2006

Resolution

ReflectionWall

2007

2007

An Ice Climbers Guide to Munising, Michigan

1st Edition

By Jon Jugenheimer

2008

Black Gold

Paradice

2008

The Shining Path

Paradice

2008

The Shining Path

Kama Bay

2008

Purgatory

Kama Bay

2008

Purgatory

Kama Bay

2008

Obfuscation Overhang

Orient Bay

2008

Infidelity

Orient Bay

2010

B**** Road

?

2008

Eagle Eyes

Wyalusing

2010

Tatooine

Orient Bay