Page 34 - San Diego Woman Magazine Digital Version

TR A VEL

a classroom who was always This was truly a once-in-a- just knew that I felt so alive at the ice. Now stretching my
being asked by the teacher lifetime-event. I thought that the moment, and either way, right arm above my head
to stop being so adventurous the biggest risk wasn’t jump- I wanted to make the most of and to the right, I swung
and come back to his seat. ing off a snowdrift. It was this delightful moment. my ice axe and slammed it
The guide politely requested getting too close to the edge We were given more into the ice. I hit the ice and
he stay with the group and of one of several gargantuan time to practice using our ice the axe’s blade sunk into the
stop exploring on his own. crevasses flowing with tons of axes and crampons, walking ice. I smiled. This was cool.
I laughed at the scenario. I icy cold rushing blue water, through frozen water above I pulled my left foot up to a
liked this guy. Watching him which disappeared into the the surface and exploring higher position than my right
was intriguing because he center of the ice. One false the length of the sections we foot and kicked my boot hard
could walk on. It was finally into the icy wall. My crampon
time to climb the mysteri- grabbed the ice, and I was off
ous vertical ice wall and our the ground. I then swung my
guided pointed out the wall. left arm above my head with
It stunned me. It was over 30 my pickaxe and it grabbed a
feet high! They told us that spot in the ice. I had succeed-
we were going to climb to the ed at getting all four limbs
top of the rim. For a mo- into position to climb to the
ment I questioned whether top. Then I started again with
I could do it. I looked at the my right foot, slamming my
daredevil and suggested he crampon into the ice a few
be the first one to try, since feet above my last position,
he was not afraid of jumping then my right arm getting
from snow mounds several my blade into the ice a little
feet tall. I wanted to see how higher than my last, and
scary it was for him to climb each move I made created a
this giant wall of frozen rhythm, right foot, right arm,
water. He gladly stepped left foot, left arm, axe in ice,
forward. crampon in ice. I was moving
The guides attached a up the ice easily and steadi-
rope around his waist, while ly. Sometimes, I had to kick
the other end was secured my foot into the ice a couple
over the top of the ice wall. of times to get my crampon
Then the guide took that end to grab that strong toehold.
to create a pulley system. I Sometimes I had to swing my
watched the daredevil scram- pick a few times to get the
ble up the ice wall without blade to sink into the ice. I
straining. He made it look so was having fun. It was exhil-
easy. He gave me confidence arating! I was surprised that I
that I could do it too. was climbing the ice so easily
My husband was ready with just an hour of training.
to climb next, but his boots I worked my way up the ice
needed tightening around his to about 15 feet from the top
ankles. When he bent down with this consistent pattern of
to tighten his laces, I imme- movement.
diately volunteered to go. I My husband’s boots
wasn’t afraid of the ice, he step on the ice and it would was excited and curious. I were now tightened, and he
was totally engrossed in the be goodbye forever. I stayed 8 wandered if I could get to the looked around for me. He
experience. feet from these edges. top of the ice as easily as the suddenly realized that I was
Trekking all over the ice We were told that the gla- daredevil? I donned the rope. half-way up the ice wall, and
was an amazing adventure. It cier is melting every day, and, I started climbing the ice. I he hadn’t even seen me do it.
didn’t feel that cold, partially in a few years, there would be raised my right foot about He grabbed his phone, taking
because of our clothing, and no ice trekking or climbing 12 inches off the ground and video of my climb. He was
partially because I was feeling mammoth glaciers in Alas- swung my boot with cram- shouting to me, “Wow, Dee-
an incredible exhilaration ka. I wasn’t sure if this was pons straight into the ice; I na!” “Look at her go!” “That’s
inside, trying to capture every just a promotion by the tour succeeded. I had made my my wife!” I was chuckling at
moment with all my senses. company or if it was a fact. I first rung of the ladder in him since I was having such a

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