The Winona Ice Park, the only in the United States that sits within city limits, was recently featured in the winter edition of the Minnesota Trails Magazine.
The author Jan Lasar explains, “The fundamentals of ice climbing are easy to grasp: You start by kicking the crampons into the ice one foot at a time to gain a secure hold and use the ice axes, one in each hand, to steady yourself. Then, you slowly walk up . . . And even though a lot of people think it has to be more difficult [than rock climbing], in a lot of ways ice climbing is easier, because you create your own holds by kicking in your feet and driving in your axe.”
As the popularity of climbing (both rock and ice) continues to increase in Winona, Eric Barnard, owner of Big River Climbing Guides and director of the Outdoor and Recreation Center at Winona State University, says, “It’s not about getting to the top, it’s about the whole experience.” Barnard continues, “. . . climbing becomes an opportunity for personal growth that forces you to step outside of your comfort zone.”
To read the full article, see pages 8-10 in the latest magazine.