Bozeman Ice Festival Celebrates its 15th Anniversary in December 2011

Oct. 6, 2011 - PRLog -- Bozeman, MT -  To celebrate its 15th anniversary, the Arc’teryx Bozeman Ice Festival is gearing up for the ice climbing gathering of a generation. Bringing together many of ice climbing’s greatest athletes and characters for a historical celebration, the Arc’teryx Bozeman Ice Festival kicks off the 2011-2012 ice season December 7-11 in Bozeman, MT, and will honor the life and accomplishments of ice and mixed climbing visionary Jeff Lowe.

Special guest, Jeff Lowe, will be in attendance and the festival will gather around Lowe to celebrate his lifetime of influential climbing accomplishments. Lowe, who is battling a rare neurodegenerative disease, is directing and producing a documentary about his many climbing exploits . Metanoia which is currently in advanced production.  Additionally, appearances and presentations by climbing greats such as Barry Blanchard, Will Gadd, Henry Barber, John Bragg, Joe Josephson, Kitty Calhoun, Mattie Sheafor, Bruce Hendricks, Jack Roberts, Jack Tackle, Kris Erickson, Bernard Mailhot, and more will make this event an once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

Bozeman’s Hyalite Canyon offers America’s most reliable, concentrated, and easily accessible ice climbing with quality conditions by Thanksgiving.  The 2011 Arc’teryx Bozeman Ice Festival will host four days of on-ice clinics ranging from first time beginner classes to more advanced tricks for even the most experienced climber. Friday December 9th is the “hottest women’s clinic on ice.” Going into its 5th year, Kitty Calhoun claims this unique women’s only day, “to be the best one day women’s specific clinic in the country.”

Sharpen your technique on the classic Hyalite ice by spending an intimate day with the best professionals in the sport and local guides from Montana Alpine Guides and Andes Mountain Guides. Demo the latest gear and clothing from Arc’teryx, Outdoor Research, Black Diamond, Patagonia, La Sportiva, Mammut, RAB, Petzl, Scarpa, Grivel, PrimaLoft® and Sterling Ropes. Clinic space is limited, so early registration at www.bozemanicefestival.com is required.

With on-ice clinics limited to just a few venues, there are still plenty of Hyalite’s 220+ routes available to climbers who want to find some solitude over the weekend. So spend a day on the ice, in a clinic or on your own, then join your piers and some of the best ice climbers and guides in the world for a full menu of special evening events at Bozeman’s beautiful Emerson Cultural Center, 111 South Grand Ave.

Thursday Night is “Ladies Night” (December 8) where Margo Talbot kicks off the weekend with her new show “All That Glitters”. In addition to the live shows, don’t miss mingling with your favorite ice stars, new friends, and old legends. Nightly gear raffles and beer sales go to supporting Hyalite Canyon winter access through the 501c3 nonprofit Friends of Hyalite.

On Friday and Saturday evenings (December 9-10), the Emerson Theatre will host a special two-part multimedia historical retrospective on ice climbing in North America. Narrated by Joe Josephson and Chris Alstrin, it begins with a special film on the 40th Anniversary of ice climbing in Hyalite and continues through two nights of colorful characters, stunning pictures and epic tales from across the continent that highlight the milestone eras in ice climbing and the pioneers who helped push the boundaries of what was possible.

The 2011 Bozeman Ice Festival is a special opportunity that is not to be missed and an exciting way to start this year’s ice climbing season. Evening tickets and on-ice clinic spots go on sale beginning October 1. at www.bozemanicefestival.com.  

About the Bozeman Ice Festival
The Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival (BIF) mission is to promote the sport of ice climbing to people of all ages and abilities, to educate ice climbers about necessary skills and safe techniques, and introduce climbers to cutting edge clothing and equipment. 100% of any profits from the Bozeman Ice Festival are put directly towards the Friends of Hyalite, a 501c3 organization, to support winter access into Hyalite Canyon for ice climbing. www.hyalite.org  The Bozeman Ice Festival has been organized by Mike Cooperstein, owner of Montana Alpine Guides www.montanaalpineguides.com and Andes Mountain Guides www.andesmountainguides.com and Joe Josephson lead guide for Montana Alpine Guides and Friends of Hyalite founder for the past 5 years.