CRUX LGBTQ Climbing - Guided Ice Climbing Day Trip

CRUX Climbing is dedicated to expanding access to the sport of rock climbing and outdoor recreation for LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual) communities in the NYC-metropolitan area and Greater Albany.

Outside of the LGBTQIA community and want to support CRUX? Your financial and volunteer support go a long way towards CRUX's advocacy for LGBTQIA access to the sport. This allows us to hold safe and affirming spaces for LGBTQIA participants at our events. Email [email protected] to get involved!

Come with us on a wintery outdoor adventure. We'll meet up at Rock & Snow in downtown New Paltz, NY, then head up to The Catskills where we'll rope up to scale features such as icefalls, frozen waterfalls, cliffs and rock slabs. Instruction on winter climbing technique and safety will be offered by guides from Gunks Guides & Climbing School. No previous ice climbing experience is required.

• Lunch and snacks ~ 3500 calories. Pack foods that don’t freeze hard, cover different food groups, and are easy to eat.
• At least two liters of water or hot beverage in a double-wall insulated bottle.
• Backpack: 2,000-3,000 cubic inches or about 30-50 liters is recommended with a max 20lb load. A properly fitted pack will make your day 100 times better!!! A comfortable hip belt will help support the bulk of the weight. Use a backpack large enough to stow all of your gear on the inside without having to strap any of your personal gear on the outside where it is exposed to the elements.
• A dry set of clothes for the ride home

• Tight-fitting fleece or merino wool hat (will be worn under a helmet)
• Balaclava (protects your face from frost-nip)
• 2 pairs of waterproof gloves or mittens. Glove liners are nice too, if you have them. It's important that your hands stay warm and dry all day!
• Socks: Merino wool or wool blends are great natural insulators, even when wet. Too heavy of a layering on your feet is your worst enemy; it constricts your blood flow and causes your feet to be cold.
• Base Layer (top & bottom): Wear fabrics that wick moisture away from your skin (no cotton), which help you regulate your core temperature and avoid overheating or chilling. Light to midweight merino wool or synthetics, with a snug fit and close to skin.
• Insulation Layer (top only): Mid-layers add insulation to help retain heat that your body creates and are worn between the base layer and outer jacket. Examples of insulating mid-layers include a fleece jacket or a synthetic jacket made of PrimaLoft® or Thermore®, 200-300 weight fleece, heavyweight soft shell, or lightweight synthetic jacket.
• Uninsulated Waterproof/Windproof Shell (jacket & pants): Forget bulky coats, think Gortex®. Wear an outer shell (over your base and insulation layers) to shed water and snow. Layering will give you more versatility, depending on the weather and your activity. Outerwear that is waterproof with increased breathability will be more adaptable and can help transfer moisture away from your body to keep you dry and protected from the elements. Jacket MUST have an integrated hood.
• “Over-it-All” Hooded Down or PrimaLoft® Jacket
  This crucial layer is often added when you belay, or stop for a break. It helps to maintain your body temperature while you are resting and is essential for keeping you warm. This layer is generally worn over your outermost layers.

• Ice boots
• Crampons
• Ice axes
• Climbing harness
• Climbing helmet

Rental Gear Available for $10 each:

• Gaiters, strongly recommended
• Gloves
• Backpacks

Transportation is not provided by CRUX, but we do help participants coordinate car pool travel plans.

Registration fee includes guides, and rental of ice boots, crampons, ice axes, harness and helmets. Please let us know if you need to borrow other clothing gear listed above, and we can see if other Cruxers can help you out!

Registration fee does NOT include transportation and optional tip.

Ice climbing usually requires the ability to grip and swing an ice axe with at least one hand and kick crampon spikes repeatedly into the ice with at least one leg. Depending on the conditions, ice climbing approaches can require a mixture of walking, hiking, scrambling and potentially rappelling in stiff ice climbing specific boots (somewhat similar to ski boots). Please let us know if you have mobility concerns, as our guides may be able to select locations or gear which can accommodate you best.

Please email [email protected] with any questions or anything we can help with. Examples: disability accommodations, financial assistance, borrowing warm waterproof winter clothing.

Financial assistance is available. Please ask!

CRUX does NOT issue refunds unless the day trip is cancelled or rescheduled. We can provide assistance with finding someone to take your spot, but you will not receive a refund until your spot is taken by someone else.

Weather-related cancellations are refundable and decided by Gunks Guides & Climbing School on the day of or day before the event. Weather cancellations are very rare and mostly happen if roads are impassable or unsafe for regular passenger vehicles. If this occurs, we will attempt to reschedule for a different date. You will receive a full refund if the new date does not work for you.

If conditions are too warm or otherwise do not allow for ice climbing, you'll be notified by the day before.

REGISTRATION CLOSES WHEN ALL 8 SPOTS ARE TAKEN, SO DON'T DELAY!

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Host or Publisher CRUX LGBTQIA+ Climbing