Chilling reminder out of Michigan of just how dangerous ice climbing can be. The following video was shot at Miners Falls on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where the area had been experiencing a warm spell the week prior with temperatures hovering around 25-35F.
On the day of the climb temperatures had dropped to 11-14F and the ice with a blueish hue was “bullet hard.” This rapid change in temperatures can loosening and tightening ice features and lead to dangerous instabilities.
One unfortunate whack with an ice axe sent the entire frozen waterfall crashing to the ground. Thankfully the climber somehow rode on top of the debris as he fell like a skier on top of an avalanche. The belay partner also got quite lucky as an ice boulder missed him by mere inches. The climbers estimate the feature weighed around 60,000lbs.