When I arrived in Estes Park, Colorado for my first ice climbing adventure, I was excited, but nervous. I pulled into the climbing school (my home away from home) at nearly 2am and it was snowing. The first day I spent resting and readjusting to the altitude, since I had driven in from the lowlands of St. Louis.

My guide and I got together the following morning to start my first ice climbing experience. As I tried on different gear to see which fit best, we decided to go to Boulder Canyon for the first day of ice climbing.

Boulder Canyon was fairly close and the ice climbing routes were only 150 yards from where we parked the SUV. As I strapped on my crampons, my thoughts were a mix of excitement and doubt. With my cerebral palsy, I wasn't sure I would be able to ice climb my first time out, but I've always had a love for adventure and challenges and a belief that you never know until you try.

After my guide got back from setting up my first climb (about 80 feet in length) it was my turn! My heart was racing as I started up the ice. The climb started out relatively easy, but as I moved higher the ice became steeper. As I climbed up, my spirits soared with each step. My feet slipped out a couple of times, leaving me hanging on my right arm and the rope. I simply kicked my crampons back into the ice and continued up. My concentration never broke when my crampons slipped out of the ice, nor was I afraid. I knew that with a rope tied to me and a professional climber belaying me, I wasn't in any real danger.

As I reached the top of my first ice route, a feeling of accomplishment set in as I looked around the expansive canyon. The trees and canyon walls took on a new look as I sat there. After I got back down I had a little time to contemplate my first ice route while my guide set up another, more difficult route. On this ice, I found that ice climbing was easier than rock climbing because I could make foot and hand holds where I wanted them.

After climbing my second ice route, my guide talked me into having him set up a route that contained a vertical section. Now I was really nervous. I wasn't sure I could climb a vertical section, yet he assured me.

As I started up my third ice route of the day, I got to the vertical section almost right away. My arm and leg muscles were screaming in pain when I got to the difficult portion of the climb. I started up the walled ice and almost right away my crampons slipped out of the ice and left me hanging by my right arm. I was glad I had a rope tied to me, but it was a dynamic rope so I was hanging with all my weight on my right arm.

I swung my feet around, trying to get my crampons back into the ice. A few minutes went by before I was able to get my crampons back into the ice. Once I got them in, I was able to continue up and finish the route with my arm muscles feeling like they were on fire. It hurt oh so good.

I love ice-climbing - the work out it gives me and the feeling of exhilaration I get when I reach the top of a route. After we finished climbing, my guide and I went out for dinner to celebrate a great day on the ice -- then I headed for the hot tub to contently rejuvenate my sore arms and legs.

— Tim Ashwood, Livin' the Life for MountainZone.com