Conrad Anker & Kris Erickson – Alpinists

As the 2013 ice-climbing season rolled around, one of the most difficult ice climbs in Hyalite Canyon, Montana, came in for the first time in 5 years: Winter Dance. In years past, climbers would hike around to the top of Winter Dance and then climb the final pitch of ice. In December of 1998, less than a year before his untimely death, Alex Lowe did the first ascent by climbing the rock pitches with ice tools and crampons. Fifteen years later, alpine climbers Conrad Anker and Kris Erickson set out to create a mixed climbing route that tackles the overhanging rock just adjacent to the route that Alex put up, as a way to honor their friend. Watch as Sherpas Cinema captures the emotional climb, and hear the story behind the film, moderated by Rock and Ice, in Calgary, AB, Toronto, ON, Bozeman, MT, or Ouray, CO.