Climbing out of comfort zones
Students overcome fears, brave the elements for Ice Fest
Climbing out of comfort zones
Students overcome fears, brave the elements for Ice Fest
After three attempts, Emalee Anderson dug her ice pick and crampons, the spikes fitted to the bottom of her snow boots, into the ice wall one more time as friends and strangers cheered her on.
“Give it one more go,” a fellow Laker shouted. “Focus on your feet. You’ve got it.”
An Ice Fest volunteer who was belaying Anderson, or controlling her ropes while she climbed, coached her as she navigated the ice. “Really dig your toes in. You’re not going to fall, I’ve got you.”
Adjusting her form, she began to climb again. Before long, Anderson reached the top of the 30-foot ice wall. The proud, beaming smile on her face would never tell you that this was Anderson’s first time ever ice climbing, or that she has fought a fear of heights her entire life.
Anderson’s perseverance was a theme seen throughout eight GVSU students’ recent trip to Ice Fest.
Walker Fairbanks, left, and Audrey Bulow prepare for their climbs by attaching crampons to their boots.
Walker Fairbanks, left, and Audrey Bulow prepare for their climbs by attaching crampons to their boots.
Crampons are specialized metal spikes that attach to boots for ice climbing.
Crampons are specialized metal spikes that attach to boots for ice climbing.
The eight students, led by Joe Bitely (center), attended Ice Fest through GVSU's Outdoor Adventures program.
The eight students, led by Joe Bitely (center), attended Ice Fest through GVSU's Outdoor Adventures program.
Held annually in Munising, Ice Fest is the country’s longest-running ice climbing festival. These eight students attended through Outdoor Adventures, a GVSU Recreation & Wellness program that encourages students to get outside their comfort zone through nature-based opportunities.
The trip was led by Joe Bitely, assistant director of Recreation & Wellness, who has been bringing students to Ice Fest for 15 years. After climbing opportunities at the festival were canceled due to warm temperatures and a lack of ice in 2024, Bitely said students were itching to attend.
“The ice is really good this year,” Bitely said. “You never know what you're going to get from one year to the next.”
Several days ahead of the trip, students gathered to review their itinerary and were fitted for the gear they’d need: boots, helmets and crampons, all available to borrow through Recreation & Wellness. For seven of the eight students, this would be their first time attending Ice Fest and, for that matter, ice climbing at all.
One week later, they made the 370-mile journey to Munising. With more than 1,000 climbers of varying skill levels attending annually, the festival features presentations from world-renowned climbers, educational workshops and opportunities for all experience levels to ice climb along Michigan’s iconic Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Held annually in Munising, Ice Fest is the country’s longest-running ice climbing festival. These eight students attended through Outdoor Adventures, a GVSU Recreation & Wellness program that encourages students to get outside their comfort zone through nature-based opportunities.
The trip was led by Joe Bitely, assistant director of Recreation & Wellness, who has been bringing students to Ice Fest for 15 years. After climbing opportunities at the festival were canceled due to warm temperatures and a lack of ice in 2024, Bitely said students were itching to attend.
“The ice is really good this year,” Bitely said. “You never know what you're going to get from one year to the next.”
Several days ahead of the trip, students gathered to review their itinerary and were fitted for the gear they’d need: boots, helmets and crampons, all available to borrow through Recreation & Wellness. For seven of the eight students, this would be their first time attending Ice Fest and, for that matter, ice climbing at all.
One week later, they made the 370-mile journey to Munising. With more than 1,000 climbers of varying skill levels attending annually, the festival features presentations from world-renowned climbers, educational workshops and opportunities for all experience levels to ice climb along Michigan’s iconic Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Walker Fairbanks, left, and Audrey Bulow prepare for their climbs by attaching crampons to their boots.
Walker Fairbanks, left, and Audrey Bulow prepare for their climbs by attaching crampons to their boots.
Crampons are specialized metal spikes that attach to boots for ice climbing.
Crampons are specialized metal spikes that attach to boots for ice climbing.
The eight students, led by Joe Bitely (center), attended Ice Fest through GVSU's Outdoor Adventures program.
The eight students, led by Joe Bitely (center), attended Ice Fest through GVSU's Outdoor Adventures program.
Varying in climbing abilities, year and major — the students are studying everything from cybersecurity to Spanish education to marketing — this group would seldom have reason to run into one another in their usual spaces on campus. However, they are united by a shared passion for outdoor adventures.
For Walker Fairbanks, a sophomore studying economics, this love for adventure — specifically, climbing — is what brought him to GVSU.
“I chose to go to Grand Valley mainly because of the rock climbing gym,” he said between his climbs, adding that other schools he looked at didn’t have similar facilities. “I probably shouldn't choose my school based on what fun activities they have. But it's true, there’s so much outdoor stuff to do here.”
Joe Bitely, assistant director of Recreation & Wellness, climbs the Curtains during Ice Fest.
Joe Bitely, assistant director of Recreation & Wellness, climbs the Curtains during Ice Fest.
Grand Valley’s location and unique access to Michigan’s diverse landscape make it a popular spot for those with a similar passion, as well as a prime location to instill that passion into others.
Such was the case for Kayla Lett ’23, who attended Ice Fest as a student at GVSU. She has attended several times since and ran into this year’s group of students as they hiked to their second climbing location. Working as a project engineer at Steelcase, Lett said climbing has offered her a beneficial respite from work and a sense of community.
“Sitting at the office all day, it's good to use my brain in a different way and to have some more social connections outside of the office,” she said. “I've really appreciated climbing for that.”
Lett also said that engineering and ice climbing have more in common than one might think.
“Ice climbing has a lot of problem-solving. It ties into why I like engineering so much. I've met a lot of other engineers through climbing,” Lett said.
Bitely echoes her sentiment. To him, the creative problem-solving and perseverance that it takes to reach the top of a climb are among the most important skills taught by ice climbing.
"It's teaching them to push through," Bitely said. "You try something, and maybe you don't get the result you're looking for, so you try something different. Piece by piece, you figure it out, and next thing you know, you're at the top."
Grand Valley’s location and unique access to Michigan’s diverse landscape make it a popular spot for those with a similar passion, as well as a prime location to instill that passion into others.
Such was the case for Kayla Lett ’23, who attended Ice Fest as a student at GVSU. She has attended several times since and ran into this year’s group of students as they hiked to their second climbing location. Working as a project engineer at Steelcase, Lett said climbing has offered her a beneficial respite from work and a sense of community.
“Sitting at the office all day, it's good to use my brain in a different way and to have some more social connections outside of the office,” she said. “I've really appreciated climbing for that.”
Lett also said that engineering and ice climbing have more in common than one might think.
“Ice climbing has a lot of problem-solving. It ties into why I like engineering so much. I've met a lot of other engineers through climbing,” Lett said.
Bitely echoes her sentiment. To him, the creative problem-solving and perseverance that it takes to reach the top of a climb are among the most important skills taught by ice climbing.
"It's teaching them to push through," Bitely said. "You try something, and maybe you don't get the result you're looking for, so you try something different. Piece by piece, you figure it out, and next thing you know, you're at the top."
Joe Bitely, assistant director of Recreation & Wellness, climbs the Curtains during Ice Fest.
Joe Bitely, assistant director of Recreation & Wellness, climbs the Curtains during Ice Fest.
And while the view from the top is beautiful, the climbs – and even the journey to get to the climbs – are not for the faint of heart. Near Sand Point Beach, students made a mile-long trek in the snow just to reach the base of the steep trail that leads to the various ice formations they climbed. While Ice Fest boasts up to 15 different climbing locations depending on conditions, students focused on three climbs: The Curtains, Dryer Hose, and Sweet Mother Moses, ranging from 30 to 75-feet tall.
Audrey Bulow, who works as a student assistant for Outdoor Adventures and helped lead the trip, was the only student who’d ice climbed previously. Watching students navigate new, challenging climbs, she reflected on the lessons that she’s learned through climbing.
“I think the biggest skill that transfers over is the ability to push through when you're not good at something right away,” she said. “Climbing is daunting. I think being able to approach difficult tasks with a mindset of: ‘I'm going do this at my pace, and I'm not going to let the fears of what other people think prevent me from overcoming something’ is so valuable.”
Isabelle Moore, followed by Emalee Anderson, hike through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore from one ice climbing location to the next.
Isabelle Moore, followed by Emalee Anderson, hike through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore from one ice climbing location to the next.
Andy Hardgrave smiles while watching other climbers during Ice Fest on February 15.
Andy Hardgrave smiles while watching other climbers during Ice Fest on February 15.
The Dryer Hose was the students' second climb.
The Dryer Hose was the students' second climb.
It’s a snowy, windy whirlwind of a weekend trip, but when the final day rolled around, students pushed through their exhaustion and soreness for one more adventure. This final day of climbing was labeled ‘optional’ on their itinerary, but the group was bustling with excitement for their longest hike and tallest climb yet: a formation known as Sweet Mother Moses.
“I’ve never been higher on life,” joked Andy Hardgrave, as the group attached crampons to their boots and prepared for the trek.
Bitely gathered the students for a pre-hike huddle in the parking lot. Despite the students’ enthusiasm for the climbs ahead, Bitely warned them not to let their excitement get the best of them.
“Now is not the time to be a hero,” he said, warning them of how quickly hypothermia can set in. “If you feel like you can’t warm yourself up while we’re out there, you need to tell us. You’re not holding anybody up or letting them down. We have to be looking out for one another.”
After a safe and successful final climb, the group headed back to Allendale, completing the itinerary’s last item: ‘Return to Allendale (sore but smiling)’.
Reflecting on the challenges she faced during her first climb of the trip, Anderson appeared unphased by the challenge.
“I think failure is how you learn, right? You’re not going to get everything right on your first try. Life would be boring if that was the case,” she said. “It’s that journey, persevering through is what makes life interesting.”
Joe Bitely and students put their hands in together in a show of solidarity and teamwork.
Joe Bitely and students put their hands in together in a show of solidarity and teamwork.
See more photos from Ice Fest on Grand Valley's Exposure page.
