ERIKA TARANTAL SAYS TO BRING IT ON.
>> SHE BEGINS HER WINTER ADVENTURES UP HIGH AND ON ICE.
ERIKA: SOME PEOPLE JUST ASPIRE TO ASCEND, EVEN IF IT INVOLVES AXES, SPIKES AND REAL RISK.
CHRIS O’CONNELL IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.
HE SEES VERTICAL ICE AND JUST WANTS UP.
>> IT IS LIKE MAGIC.
ERIKA: HE HAS CLIMBED TOWERING, FROZEN ROCK FACES ALL OVER NORTH AMERICA.
TO SHOW YOU HOW HE DOES IT, HE SHOWS ME.
BUT BEFORE WE GET HERE, LET’S REWIND.
WE BEGIN AT A GYM IN RANDOLPH.
I AUTHORIZE PERMISSION TO THE FGYM TO SECURE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR ME.
SIMULATING AN ICE CLIMB IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT?
NOT A BAD IDEA FOR A NOVICE.
>> GETTING A SENSE OF CLIMBING, LEARNING THE ROPE MANAGEMENT AND THE LANGUAGE.
ERIKA: ACTUAL ICE AXES CAN BE MODIFIED FOR INDOOR CLIMES.
>> THIS IS A BLACK DIAMOND COBRA, A PRETTY COMMON TOOL.
YOU CAN REPLACE THE ICE CLIMBING BLADE WITH ONE MADE FOR CLIMBING INDOORS.
ERIKA: THE FAILSAFE, A TECHNIQUE CALLED BELAYING.
HARNESS ON..
THIS IS GOING TO CATCH ME.
>> IT SHOULD.
ERIKA: CHRIS KEEPS A TIGHT GRIP ON A ROPE SECURED TO ME AND THE TOP OF THE WALL.
>> AS YOU CLIMB, I WILL KEEP IT SECURED.
ERIKA: CERTAINLY NOT SPEEDY, BUT STEADY.
HOLD BY HOLD, THE IDEA IS TO PUSH WITH THE LEGS AND NOT PULL WITH THE ARMS.
FOCUS FORWARD, NOT DOWN.
>> ALL RIGHT.
ERIKA: THE DISSENT PRETTY MUCH A TRUST EXERCISE, LET GO AND DROP.
AND THEN CUE THE CELEBRATION.
>> GOOD JOB!
ERIKA: THANK YOU.
CINDY KNOWS THAT FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
SHE’S BEEN ROCKCLIMBING FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
>> I’VE LEARNED A LOT.
I WAS INSECURE ABOUT MY BODY, AND THIS WAS A WAY TO HELP BE COMFORTABLE WITH MY OWN BODY AND PUSH MYSELF.
ERIKA: SHE IS HONING HER ICE CLIMBING SKILLS WITH LARGER GOALS IN MIND.
>> I AM INTERESTED IN DOING MOUNTAINEERING, AND THIS IS A SKILL YOU REALLY NEED TO HAVE.
ERIKA: ALL RIGHT.
TO THE REAL ICE.
SOME OF THE BEST AROUND FORMS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE’S CRAWFORD NOTCH STATE PARK.
A HIKE IS IN ORDER.
MOUNT WASHINGTON, IN A PERFECT BLUEBIRD SKY UP AHEAD.
THE SUNSHINE WELCOME ON A SUB-FREEZING DAY.
>> ICE CLIMBING HAS GROWN IN POPULARITY, AND THIS IS KIND OF THE CENTER OF THE NEW ENGLAND ICE CLIMBING SCENE.
ERIKA: BUT IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.
THERE IS THE COLD, THE EQUIPMENT IS EXPENSIVE AND THERE’S ALWAYS THE CHANCE OF AN ACCIDENT.
. >> CLIMBING IS NEVER REALLY SAFE.
YOU ARE MITIGATING THE RISK AS BEST AS YOU CAN.
ERIKA: CINDY, NOW ACCOMPANIED BY HER ICE CLIMBING BOYFRIEND ALEX SMITH REMINDS ME WHY WE ARE HERE.
>> LEARNING A NEW SET OF SKILLS, ABOUT YOURSELF.
IT IS AWESOME.
>> THE FEATURES ARE SO BEAUTIFUL.
THESE HUGE CLIMES 100 FEET HIGH.
A FUN THING TO DO ANY GOOD WAY TO PUSH YOURSELF.
ERIKA: SOME OF THIS LOOKS FAMILIAR BUT NOT EVERYTHING.
>> SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR AT LEAST.
ERIKA: THE HARNESS IS EXACTLY THE SAME.
THE CLOTHING CLEARLY NOT.
WE WENT FROM A TANK TOP TO FIVE LAYERS.
AND THE FOOTWEAR WAY MORE SERIOUS.
>> TO SUMMARIZE, YOU WILL SWING WITH THE SWINGERS, KICK, AND GET IT IN AND STAND UP.
GOOD.
THAT’S A GOOD KICK, RIGHT THERE, DOWN A HAIR.
THAT’S GOOD.
GO AHEAD, STAND UP ON THAT.
NICE, GOOD.
NOW DO IT AGAIN.
ERIKA: FINDING THE SWEET TO STRIKE TAKES PRACTICE.
>> AGAIN.
DO YOU FEEL THAT?
ERIKA: I DO.
>> THAT IS YOUR NEXT PLACE.
ERIKA: YOU GOT ME?
>> I GOT YOU.
ERIKA: FEELING THE FATIGUE, A KEY TIP IS TO RELEASE THE GRIP, ONE HAND AT A TIME.
THE PAIN OF LOSING BLOOD FLOW TO THE FINGERS HAS A PRETTY DESCRIPTIVE NAME.
>> I DON’T WANT YOU GETTING THE "SCREAMING BARFIES." ERIKA: OK.
>> SHAKE THEM.
THAT’S GREAT.
EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
ERIKA: AFTER A QUICK DISSENT -- DESCENT, I REALIZE I SHOULD HAVE SHAKEN THEM A LITTLE MORE.
MADE IT!
OH, MY FINGERS!
>> HOPEFULLY THEY ARE NOT THE FULL ON "SCREAMING BARFIES.
WHEN YOUR HANDS ARE ABOVE YOUR HEART, AND IT IS COLD OUT ANYWHERE GRIPPING, THE BLOOD STOPS FLOWING, AND WHEN YOU GET DOWN THE BLOOD STARTS AND IT REALLY HURTS, SO YOU FEEL LIKE
SCREAMING AND THROWING UP AT THE SAME TIME.
ERIKA: OW!
>> IT HURTS.
ERIKA: THEY ASSURE ME THAT THIS PSEUDO-TORTURE IS A KIND OF FUN.
>> THIS IS AWESOME.
GOING TO BE GREAT.
WANT TO KEEP DOING THIS.
>> IT’S SCARY IN THE MOMENT BUT YOU LOOK BACK AND YOU GOT SOMETHING OUT OF IT.
MAYBE YOU FROZE YOUR HANDS, BUT YOU LOOK BACK, THAT WAS REALLY COOL.
ERIKA: IT WAS CERTAINLY COLD, AND LOOKING BACK, OK, FUN TOO.
[LAUGHTER] SHAYNA: ERIKA!
BACK TO THAT FUN SCALE, TYPE THREE FUN, A SCARY EXPERIENCE THAT WHILE DOING IT CAN BE FRIGHTENING AND AFTER THE FACT IS STILL FRIGHTENING, AND APPARENTLY PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
ANTHONY: IF YOU WANT TO RATCHET IT DOWN, THIS WEEKEND IS THE MOUNT WASHINGTON VALLEY ICE FEST AND THERE ARE CLINICS GOING ON AND PROFESSIONAL GUIDES WHO CAN HELP YOU, TEACH YOU A LITTLE
ABOUT THE SPORT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED,, THIS COMING WEEKEND.
SHAY