Good Morning Folks!
We’re pleased to announce today that the American Alpine Club Northeast Region will be our official beneficiary again this year! We’ll be fundraising to help fund the 2014 Northeast Live Your Dream Grant! This is the grant that is for everyone: climbers of all experience levels, and disciplines, pursuing their climbing dreams. The grant is funded at $2,000 per year, per region, but every year they try to match that so they can give out $4,000. In 2013 they funded a team from New Hampshire on an expedition to a remote area of Quebec and a team from Philadelphia on their first big wall mission to Zion National Park!
The 2014 application period is from January 1, 2014 to March 1, 2014! The funds we raise at this year’s Ice Fest will go directly into this pot!
For more information on how the AAC is changing and where’re they’re looking to go in the future, visit their Mission and Vision page!
On Friday night, Jeff Longcor, VICE Fest Leader, will give a 15 minute slide show of a recent trip he took, which was funded by the AAC Live Your Dream Grant! Again, proceeds from this show, go to fund the 2014 Live Your Dream Grant!
Rob Gleich on the Summit Ridge. (Photo: Ryan Stolp)
Of his trip and show, Jeff says: “Earlier this year six amateur climbers set out for the Central Tien-Shan Mountain Range of Southeastern Kyrgyzstan to live our dream of achieving a first ascent in the Djangart Region. After a few collisions with local police enforcement, severe stomach upsets and altitude sickness; the team rallied our way across the country to an abandoned air base where the nearby border patrols kept an eye on things. Boarding an ancient military chopper piloted by three Russian-speaking officers, we wondered what might be in store for us. Would we land in the right place? Would we find our way to Pt 5318, the highest mountain in the region, still un-climbed after six previous attempts? Would we make it to the top? Would we make it back down?”
You’ll have to see the presentation to know how it ends! Sounds like a nail biter!
For more information on this and all of our other slideshows planned for the weekend, visit the Shows page on our website!