Best Ice in U.S.?

jack roberts wrote: Conditions in the NE are just more fickle that's all. Less reliable.

What?
If you mean less reliable as in cold, stormy, windy, snowy, and cold. Then you are in the wrong bidnez with ice climbing. It's what makes it enjoyable out here. You can expect winter conditions in the winter, and winter conditions the rest of the year. It keeps you on your toes and makes you appreciate those bluebird days when you travel anywhere else. New England has, by far, the most individual ice climbing areas per square mile than anywhere else. I was out on the ice 35+ days last season and didn't climb the same climb twice. My partner and I were able to hit multiple areas miles from each other in a day too.

If the weather is your big concern, then you shouldn't be ice climbing. It's winter, expect to be cold and sometimes miserable. It is gear-intensive and getting the right clothing to mitigate the suck can sometimes make the difference. Oh, and FWIW I've alreay had 4 days on ice this season. I'll keep the fickle weather. It keeps me climbing.

The other thing about climbing ice in New England is that with proper planning you can miss the crowds anywhere you go.

Bump for New England.

The Adirondacks are a sweet winter playground. There is ice everywhere, of every type and grade.

Jay D. wrote: What? If you mean less reliable as in cold, stormy, windy, snowy, and cold. Then you are in the wrong bidnez with ice climbing. It's what makes it enjoyable out here. You can expect winter conditions in the winter, and winter conditions the rest of the year. It keeps you on your toes and makes you appreciate those bluebird days when you travel anywhere else. New England has, by far, the most individual ice climbing areas per square mile than anywhere else. I was out on the ice 35+ days last season and didn't climb the same climb twice. My partner and I were able to hit multiple areas miles from each other in a day too. If the weather is your big concern, then you shouldn't be ice climbing. It's winter, expect to be cold and sometimes miserable. It is gear-intensive and getting the right clothing to mitigate the suck can sometimes make the difference. Oh, and FWIW I've alreay had 4 days on ice this season. I'll keep the fickle weather. It keeps me climbing. The other thing about climbing ice in New England is that with proper planning you can miss the crowds anywhere you go.

Ah, dont take JR's comments too personally. We Colorado climbers are just spoiled by 300 sunny days a year, being able to climb in our soft-shells vs. full gore-tex and super gaitors, and the beautiful female climbing partners here in the 'Rado.

But, I gotta say, for pure ice climbing and brooding hard-men nothing comes even close to New England. Lake Willougby has some of the best ice anywhere!

Nope.

One year I was there for two weeks in February and it rained almost the entire time..........So, no. I'm aware that Winter is cold and snowy and yes, even miserable. But when one way the weather rains so much that belayers use umbrellas, then two days later it's snowing only to be followed the next by a calm 50 degree day, I think that qualifies as fickle............Nothing wrong or bad about all that.
I'd like to visit the Adirondacks. I hear the mixed climbing there is the best.

I enjoyed the NE climbing a lot and plan on returning this winter.
Keeps my toes strong.......

Jay D. wrote: I've alreay had 4 days on ice this season.

Why am I not in New England!!

erikwellborn wrote: ... and the beautiful female climbing partners here.

Oh, right.

jack roberts wrote: I'd like to visit the Adirondacks. I hear the mixed climbing there is the best.

Jack, don't forget about Smuggler's Notch in VT, it's just as good and it will make you toes even stronger!!

jack roberts wrote:One year I was there for two weeks in February and it rained almost the entire time.

Last week in January this year in North Conway, it rained in the early part of the week, then went sub-zero in the latter. Crazy.

Always something to do, though. Cold? Chase the sun. Wet? Go up high. Etc.

Just as fickle here in Utah. Couple seasons ago, the GWI in LCC fell down something like 3 times. Last year, the Angel of Fear came in huge in March. Go figure.

Even Cody can suffer when a chinook blows through. Seen it 58F in early January there.

Its just not as sustained cold as it used to be...seems to me...(at least from the early 80's ice I learned on).

Rock, ice, powder skiing...to every thing a season I suppose...

Kurt Ross wrote:Is mid spring still good for most of Canada?

I chuckled a bit on this one. You realize Canada spans 7 time zones from east to west? From north to south the climate ranges from temperate (equivalent to N. Carolina in southern Ontario) to the Arctic circle?

Anyway, I live about 7 hours north of North Conway. Ice in eastern Canada is reliable from Dec. - April in cold hollows. In freak years it can go a bit beyond that in either direction. The same is true for much of the ice in eastern Quebec.

Sorry for interrupting a U.S. post with my nationalist drivel... carry on!

Chris Norfolk wrote:I chuckled a bit on this one. You realize Canada spans 7 time zones from east to west? From north to south the climate ranges from temperate (equivalent to N. Carolina in southern Ontario) to the Arctic circle? Anyway, I live about 7 hours north of North Conway. Ice in eastern Canada is reliable from Dec. - April in cold hollows. In freak years it can go a bit beyond that in either direction. The same is true for much of the ice in eastern Quebec. Sorry for interrupting a U.S. post with my nationalist drivel... carry on!

Is the weather in Russia nice that time of year too?

edit: this was meant to be a joke concerning climatic generalizations of large countries, no sociopolitical undertones were intended. It's 70 degrees and sunny in Boulder right now, NO ICE FOR US.

Chris Norfolk wrote:I chuckled a bit on this one. carry on!

Chris,
I suppose I was hoping that I would get some ideas of where is good that time of year, which you provided. Even if your one of those mean northerners, thanks.

Evan,
Keep your damn sociopolitical undertones out of here. MP is supposed to be a safe zone where everyone is extra nice to each other.

Just do what Jack said.

If you're relatively new to it (whatever that means), go some place accessible and hone your chops. If you like ice, you'll have fun at Ouray, regardless of what others have posted. If you don't like the ice park, there are other places.

You don't want to invest the time and energy to go to someplace like Cody unless you have a good idea of what you're doing.

The best ice in the U.S. is the ice you are climbing on at the time. Go get it.

jack roberts wrote:Nope. One year I was there for two weeks in February and it rained almost the entire time..........So, no. I'm aware that Winter is cold and snowy and yes, even miserable. But when one way the weather rains so much that belayers use umbrellas, then two days later it's snowing only to be followed the next by a calm 50 degree day, I think that qualifies as fickle............Nothing wrong or bad about all that. I'd like to visit the Adirondacks. I hear the mixed climbing there is the best. I enjoyed the NE climbing a lot and plan on returning this winter. Keeps my toes strong.......

I thought fickle weather was good for ice - periods of below and above freezing, enough precipitation to rebuild ice, no?

The Lake, Smuggs, and Keene Valley, NY are the top three areas in my opinion, though I don't get outside the Northeast corridor much to climb ice because it's so dang good up here!

England,

I like that! When you are climbing on really good ice in CO or wherever, it doesn't matter what kind of ice there is anywhere else.

Fickle weather CAN be very good for ice buildup and for putting the shine on mixed routes............or it can destroy what little ice there is to climb on. It kind of depends on how much it continues to rain or if there is freeze after the hot sun leaves the ice. Sometimes those temps just aren't cold enough for very long.

On the days when I was climbing in the rain the ice was soft and like HERO ICE. I could solo up really steep stuff and feel like the strongest ice climber in the world. I would of had more fun if I were more appropriately dressed for rain instead of dry Colorado conditions..........still I was having the time of my life.

jack roberts wrote:On the days when I was climbing in the rain the ice was soft and like HERO ICE.

That can be the best, for sho.

Until...its not.

Diminishing return to say the least. But, fun while it lasts.

Having a big ice route fall down not long after you climb it is kind of a sobering experience (Broken Hearts in Cody is one can think of. Scary).

Jay D. wrote: What? If you mean less reliable as in cold, stormy, windy, snowy, and cold. Then you are in the wrong bidnez with ice climbing. It's what makes it enjoyable out here. You can expect winter conditions in the winter, and winter conditions the rest of the year. It keeps you on your toes and makes you appreciate those bluebird days when you travel anywhere else. New England has, by far, the most individual ice climbing areas per square mile than anywhere else. I was out on the ice 35+ days last season and didn't climb the same climb twice. My partner and I were able to hit multiple areas miles from each other in a day too. If the weather is your big concern, then you shouldn't be ice climbing. It's winter, expect to be cold and sometimes miserable. It is gear-intensive and getting the right clothing to mitigate the suck can sometimes make the difference. Oh, and FWIW I've alreay had 4 days on ice this season. I'll keep the fickle weather. It keeps me climbing. The other thing about climbing ice in New England is that with proper planning you can miss the crowds anywhere you go.

No, he means that some years just suck since it can be so warm that the season is short. Having ice climbed on the East Coast for 12 yrs I found that some years you'd get out only to have it start to rain. The Daks are worse then Vermont about this. Out West most years you'll get atleast 4 good months in if not significantly more. And 4 days this year is decent but from what I've heard the San Juans are formed up nicely also.

If you think Ouray is only the ice park then you are missing out on some good climbing (assuming the avi danger is reasonable).

I have to say that Lake Willoughby is world class, but being East Coast (or West Coast) centric you will really limit yourself.

I have to say since I live 5 hours from the San Juans, my ice climbing has started to suck and I have become a total punter. It's hard to be a serious ice climber when you need to travel that much every weekend (especially when the rock climbing within 30min of the house is phenomenal). I mean I'll still probably get in 10 or 20days of ice climbing this year but its not enough for me to get decent again.

chuck claude wrote:...I have to say since I live 5 hours from the San Juans, my ice climbing has started to suck and I have become a total punter. ... I mean I'll still probably get in 10 or 20days of ice climbing this year but its not enough for me to get decent again.

Being a punter is living within 5 hours of ice and choosing to climb rock instead. My regular partner makes a 4 hour trek up from Conniticut to climb decent ice. He had more days on ice than I did last season.

I'm starting my transition from the North East to San Diego, and hopefully will be out there come sometime in January. I already know I'll be making the zombie-death-drives into the mountains for the Ice. I heard about a place by Bishop.... ;)

Jay D. wrote: Being a punter is living within 5 hours of ice and choosing to climb rock instead. My regular partner makes a 4 hour trek up from Conniticut to climb decent ice. He had more days on ice than I did last season. I'm starting my transition from the North East to San Diego, and hopefully will be out there come sometime in January. I already know I'll be making the zombie-death-drives into the mountains for the Ice. I heard about a place by Bishop.... ;)

For me, unless I am climbing ice 3 or more days a week I won't get any better, whereas within minutes of my home I have tons of cracks between 5.12 and 5.13 which will keep me busy (some world class which should show up in the next Alpinist), and I am still just a "weekend warrior", a punter, a gumbie on rock. I know it and am happy with it. Its just after 37years of climbing I know unless I am climbing ice on a consistent basis I won't get any better.

Sorry for the diversion, but X coast-centric attitudes drive me nuts. I've climbed a lot on both coasts and the East has good ice climbing, so does the west. The Canadian rockies in my opinion put both to shame and I'm hoping to check out Valdez this winter. Be happy and work with what you've got and travel a lot.