By Erika Norton, WPAOG Senior Multimedia Journalist
After the recent snowfall and freezing temperatures, the West Point Mountaineering Team took advantage of the conditions and conducted an ice climbing trip to the Catskill Mountains. Cadets trained their anchor building, movement, and repelling skills, while taking in the icy blue scenery.
Highlights of the trip included Cadets Walker Blackmon ’26 and Jake Chaffin ’29, who followed their first multi-pitch ice route at Buttermilk Falls, a premier multi-pitch outing, typically offering 6 pitches of climbing.
“One of the really important skills for multi-pitch ice climbing is learning to be an effective second climber or ‘follower,’” Blackmon said. “We are really fortunate to have some skilled coaches to lead us up the climbs, but one of the skills we had to practice was learning to pace ourselves for a full day of climbing. We also learned more technical skills like rappelling down climbs to return to the start, how to properly use an ice axe and crampons, and how different weather conditions affect what kind of equipment you might use.”
During the excursion, CDT Luke Garver ’26 led his first ice route in the Asbestos climbing area located in the Kaaterskill Clove of the Catskills featuring vertical, 40-foot ice routes. The cadets finished their day by learning to rappel off from an Abalakov thread, a specialized ice climbing anchor used primarily for rappelling without leaving expensive equipment behind.
From multi-pitch climbing in the Gunks, to summiting Mount Washington, the Mountaineering Team offers unique training opportunities at top locations. Blackmon thinks that Mountaineering is one of the best cadet clubs to prepare you for the realities of being an Army officer.
“There is no other club at West Point where the stakes can be as high as on mountaineering,” Blackmon said. “We spend tons of time training and practicing skills that could be the difference between safely climbing a 5-pitch wall or a devastating fall. Mountaineering and climbing is a team sport where you’re not only putting yourself at risk if you don’t know what’s going on, but also your climbing partner.
“Mountaineering has given me countless reps at maintaining a level head in stressful situations and has taught me the importance of practice, attention to detail, and communication in a high-stakes environment that I don’t think other clubs can replicate,” Blackmon said. “At the end of the day, the only thing keeping you from the ground is your teammate, and there is a level of trust involved that I think replicates the seriousness and gravity of the Army well.”
What stands out most for Blackmon, however, is the community he found on the Mountaineering Team. He’s met some of his closest friends on the team and currently, all the firsties plan to get commissioned together.
Cadet clubs are made possible by Margin of Excellence gifts from graduates, families, and friends of West Point.
“I appreciate the opportunity to learn skills that in other places I would have to pay thousands of dollars to learn,” Blackmon said. “We have amazing coaches with a wealth of experience. We are getting a professional-level education for free and it’s truly amazing.”
