Jeff Mercier’s New Snow Storm M8 WI6 in Quebec

Top French climber is visiting Quebec and has made the first ascent of Snow Storm M8 WI6, which was bolted by Dany Julien, at Pont Rouge.

“Snow Storm seems like a fitting name,” said photographer Tim Banfield, “Julien bolted the route in a snow storm and then when a snow storm changed our plans we unexpectedly ended up in Pont Rouge for a couple days. Today was a pretty solid storm too. The celebration shot at the end is us celebrating getting unstuck. While we were climbing the snow drifted in over 3ft deep and we had to pack it down with snowshoes for Dany’s car just like a runway in Alaska.

Mercier also sent a few of Stas Beskin’s new routes, including Songs of Norway M8 WI6 and Reborn M8 WI6. “Pont Rouge is under going a new route and retro bolt revival bringing life back to an area that has been passed-by since the end of Festiglace,” said Banfield.

Jeff landed at the airport in Quebec City and we were climbing in Pont Rouge an hour later. The plan was to drive north right away but a delay in gear and a big storm on the way forced us to change plans for a couple days. Fortunately @_danyjulien_ is the man and showed us around Pont Rouge last minute, and offered up a route he bolted for Jeff to try the first ascent. After onsighting Songs of Norway a new route by @stasbeskin he proceed to give the route beside it a couple tries. Unfortunately the route wasn’t totally clean and one of his tools popped when the rock sheared away. He jumped back on and went to the top. Not clean so not a first ascent yet. Then, the important job of maple syrup application. Shot for @rab.equipment . Day 1 #iceclimbingimages

A post shared by Tim Banfield (@timbanfield) on Feb 12, 2019 at 4:23pm PST

For sure climbing in the darkness adds to the ? but this line was AMAZING!!! ”Songs of Norway “, New route in pont rouge, Quebec, m8 wi6 3D, super crystal sector. Crazy ? skills by @_danyjulien_ with @jeffgherard and @carl.darveau . . . . . #climbing #climbingismypassion #climbing_pictures_of_instagram #iceclimbing #drytooling #mixedclimbing #traininghard #krukonogi #xdreams #iloveclimbing #climbing_is_my_life #liveclimbrepeat #winterclimbing #climbingphotography #verti_call #natureaddict #instagood #awesomeearth #ice #verticalworld #winterwonderland #pictureoftheday #unpackadventure #liveoutdoors #scarpana #outdoorresearch #campcassin #krukonogiproteam #cilogear #bealropes

A post shared by Stas Beskin (@stasbeskin) on Jan 7, 2019 at 6:56am PST