CO Front Range: Ice Condition Reports ('08/'09)
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FYI, was up at the squid today and it is barely in at all (contrary to what Helmuth's website says). Expect pitch 1 to be 30m+ of drytooling on bare rock to some hideous anemic sunleached ice. Unless you're up for a lot of drytooling, I'd save yourself the effort and climb something else. |
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JAWS: |
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Hessie Chimney as of 1/3/09: P1 is dry except for a little ice near the exit, which we were able to place a 13cm screw. P2 (left and right finishes) have a spit of ice near the exit, else they're totally dry. Great mixed route though. |
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I went up to All Mixed Up on new years day with a couple of friends. It's in pretty bad shape, the only new ice I saw was on the extreme right side. Climbed Wazz's instead, there's a pretty good pillar touched down but the rest of the curtain is just icicles. |
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lincoln was in descent shape friday and crowded of course. |
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As of yesterday, Coors Lite in CCC is still completely out...WTF?!? |
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High 50's on Wednesday and 65 on Thursday...I don't think we will see CCC ice until this stops. |
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justin h. took me up on an offer for lincoln last week -- unfortunately, the headwall sucked donkey balls with multiple hollow layers of faceted ice; ah well, we got some good sticks in anyhoo. |
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Any ice up in BC yet? |
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Phoenix wrote:Any ice up in BC yet? EDIT: Does anybody know what the approach in Vail looks like?Went to the Rigid Designator on Saturday. Trail was well packed snow, and as easy an approach as one could expect (save, perhaps, the Lower Bridge Routes at Ouray.) Middle section of ice on the Dez was crap, however. |
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There is no ice in Boulder Canyon, there is no water in the aqueduct, there is no hope for humanity. |
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Evan Simons wrote:There is no ice in Boulder Canyon, there is no water in the aqueduct, there is no hope for humanity. On a happier note, there is some rad ice down south, Alpha Male on Wolf Creek Pass is in spectacular shape, and Zapata Falls near the sand dunes is lots of fun (short as all get out, but in an unbeatable setting) Pics and area description coming soon.Sounds pretty sweet can't wait to see pictures |
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Zapata is now listed as an area under Wolf Creek Pass / San Luis Valley. Here are pics of Alpha Male and Zapata. |
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Wondering if anybody has checked out North, or South, Clear Creek Falls near Creed? |
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WARNING: All of the south-facing and especially lower elevation ice climbs in RMNP are currently in a rapid state of decline due to above freezing temperatures at 10k. Check the NIWOT ridge weather station and Bear Lk. snotel sites, (linkable via climbinglife.com weather links) and you'll see it's 45F inside the unheated weather station at almost 12k and above freezing at Br. Lake just below the south-facing Squid. |
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Yup, saw Jaws turn to crap on Sunday even with a temperature well below freezing. That's 0 for 3 on my ice climbing attempts (in Colorado) this year. |
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Kirk Heatwole wrote:WORST FRONT RANGE ICE SEASON EVER!Dude, you clearly don't remember 1977! It was like 70 degrees every day in January. |
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On Saturday we turned around from Jaws from the sublimination happening... |
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Before I head up to Black Lake in RMNP, I am wondering if anyone knows the condition of West Gully and adjacent climbs in the area. The general feeling I get is the ice is questionable. Please advise. |
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Shane Zentner wrote:Before I head up to Black Lake in RMNP, I am wondering if anyone knows the condition of West Gully and adjacent climbs in the area. The general feeling I get is the ice is questionable. Please advise. Thank youAlthough the ice sucks, there has been a fair amount of snow up there (definitely not like in years past). Be careful for avy danger, especially on west gully. This is more of an early season climb. |