On the World
I
2023
I
Film
freeze//thaw: Ice Climbing in a Changing Climate
I’ve watched New England winters become shorter, stranger, and less predictable. A film bringing climbers and scientists together to understand what a changing climate means for ice, and what we can still do about it.
Climbers are out there—we climb the highest peaks, roam deserts, and explore the woods for the most inspiring boulders. And the climbing community has been increasingly seeing anecdotal evidence of climate change impacting our climbing landscapes. But stories are one thing–scientific evidence, on the other hand, can be our topo for advocating for change.
In a first-of-its-kind study that was a finalist for the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) Mountain Protection Award, a team from the American Alpine Club joined up with climate researchers from the University of New Hampshire and the University of Calgary to take a close look at the historical data on seasonal temperatures and ice season length in the Mount Washington Valley of New Hampshire, one of the premiere ice climbing destinations in the United States.
"The future of winter climbing depends on our decarbonization choices today."
Team
American Alpine Club
Producer: Jimmy Voorhis
Executive Producers: Shane Johnson, Taylor Luneau
Editor: Nate Ptacek
Lead Camera: Ross Henry
Study Authors: Jimmy Voorhis, Dr. Graham McDowell, Dr. Elizabeth Burakowski, Taylor Luneau
Featuring: Bob Baribeau, Katie Bono, Elizabeth Burakowski, Majka Burhardt, Peter Doucette, Al Hospers, Taylor Luneau, Graham McDowell, Bayard Russel, Alexa Siegel, Mark Synnott, Jimmy Voorhis, Rick Wilcox, Marc Chauvin
This study was made possible
Recognitions
