I’m incredibly proud of Hao and Junlin for taking on a new challenge in a little Christmas Eve ice climbing! It was Hao’s first time on ice, and Junlin’s first time climbing ever. They crushed it on Pitchoff Right, dialing in technique quickly and having a grand time despite the cold and wind.

Hope they’re resting up tonight as we are venturing into Adirondack wilderness tomorrow for another new adventure for them: winter camping and mountaineering. 🏔️

A person in climbing gear ascends a frozen waterfall using ice axes surrounded by a snowy forest with bare trees. A person climbs a frozen waterfall using a bright green rope in a snowy landscape surrounded by bare trees under an overcast sky. A climber ascends a snow-covered ice wall using ropes and ice axes surrounded by bare winter trees. A person climbs a frozen waterfall using a bright green rope surrounded by bare trees against a cloudy winter sky. A person sits and smiles on snow wearing climbing gear including a helmet with “Edelrid” and “Outdoor Research” logos beside an ice-covered cliff and colorful mat. Two people dressed in winter gear pose cheerfully with hiking poles near a large formation of frozen icicles. Snow covers the ground and bare trees surround the icy backdrop. Three people wearing helmets and winter gear smile and pose with a snowy mountain backdrop featuring large icicles. Two of them have helmets labeled Pro-Tec Mountain.