The 2012-13 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

doligo wrote: I agree with Kevin - watching the weather pattern and then going to explore is part of the game, especially if you are so pressed to get on early season ice. Used to be, the early season ice was for the adventurous and intrepid. Nowadays, it seems to have opened up for the lazy "veni, vidi, vici" types who need to tick off climbs before the approaches get chocked up with snow.

Yeah, good point, let's just shut this thread down and burn all the guidebooks while we're at it. Once everything's in there's not much point anyway. Not everyone has unlimited time and gas money to scout AND climb. Probably should ask Aaron to shut down the Cody site and Will Gadd to take down his site for the Canadian Rockies as well. If you want to know, go look, right?. Meh. Again, whatever happened to climbers helping and being courteous to each other?

To the first party on the Bowling Alley at Lincoln on Saturday 11/17/12:
If you're on here, PM me, I forgot to get your contact info. I was the other dude with Aztars, as you were leading the first pitch.

doligo wrote: who need to tick off climbs before the approaches get chocked up with snow.

Yeah what kind of a knob would want to get some ice climbing done without the post holing, avi danger and spindrift.

cdec wrote: Yeah what kind of a knob would want to get some ice climbing done without the post holing, avi danger and spindrift.

Yep, other than the avi danger, post holing and spindrift are the part of the game, IMHO. On the other hand you get this kind of early season shenanigans thanks to the interwebs (lifted from the "screamers" thread):

Sally G. wrote: My friend was belaying a guy at Lincoln last week who took a lead fall, first screw came out, screamer deployed and he didn't hit the deck. He's bruised, but walking, so 20 bucks is cheap!

Please stop hijacking this thread for ethics issues. Start your own thread about it. Ice conditions only!

If you don't like this thread, dont use it.

agreed

phil wortmann wrote:Please stop hijacking this thread for ethics issues. Start your own thread about it. Ice conditions only! If you don't like this thread, dont use it.

ethics? i was talking about ice conditions. forecast says sunny with highs near 50 for the week. hope that helps. in case anyone was wondering campground couloir is IN!!!! and beat tho shit!!! there was only 4 cars parked at the base today, so get the word out, the parking can handle 3-4 times that.

Jamie Jones wrote:Ethics? There are no ethics any more, it's a selfish world out there, esp. with the crew from the Boulder area.

Sad story, I'm sure in some instances it's true. But this is my first ice season living in CO, And I've found folks to be very courteous and polite so far, A little bit of common sense goes a long way. For instance, if someone is about to lead a pitch, don't hike to the top and drop a TR on them, what if, and this might be a novel concept, you went up to them, said hello, offered them something from your thermos (or flask), and just acted friendly, my guess is that those folks would appreciate your politeness and be more than happy to trail your rope up for a TR after. The golden rule (not the Justin Timberlake/Andy Samberg one) has been around a long time for a reason. Maybe this is just my aw shucks southern ism coming out, but we're all climbers, and we've got more in common than not, it's just November, we've got another four months of ice, easy to climb, why not make friends and enjoy it together?

The concern is not the crowds. Its that if the formations aren't replenished, they'll all be beat to hell, knocked down, picked out, and impossible to lead safely if we don't just calm down.

I agree, later in the season, conditions reports are nice for the fat flows, but if my reports are going to drive so many people to the climb before its really in shape for that kind of crowding, maybe I shouldn't post them up.

Front Range ice is a very limited resource, so we should be careful not to love certain formations to death, since they might not form up twice in one season.

Brian Scoggins wrote:The concern is not the crowds. Its that if the formations aren't replenished, they'll all be beat to hell, knocked down, picked out, and impossible to lead safely if we don't just calm down. I agree, later in the season, conditions reports are nice for the fat flows, but if my reports are going to drive so many people to the climb before its really in shape for that kind of crowding, maybe I shouldn't post them up. Front Range ice is a very limited resource, so we should be careful not to love certain formations to death, since they might not form up twice in one season.

You can verbally fight it all you want, but early season ice on the front range is doomed in the next decade. Everyone wants to ice climb for some bizarre reason, and you can't stop them from doing it, when they want, and where they want. Start getting used to mixed conditions is my recommendation.

Kevin, I have a suggestion on a new sport which seems to be right up your alley. It may not have the appeal or danger of ice climbing, but the level of sarcasm is unmatched...

youtube.com/watch?v=AIxzNe9…

Also, I was in Tyndall Gorge in RMNP this past Friday (11/16). The Squid is not in, the bottom 1/2 of the S. Flattop Gully is in. Bullet had some nice looking ice, and there were several other small flows up the hill from Emerald lake. Tyndall Glacier is windslabbed, and probably not safe anymore. There was evidence of windslabs above Emerald Lake such as hollow slabs, small fractures and definite layering of snow on weaker facets.

EDIT: The route I described is not Flattop gully. It is the rightmost red dotted line in the photo below. This is the S face of Flattop.

Here is the current condition photo taken 11/16:

S. face of Flattop.

Sounds like the Front Range is where it's at right now. Nothing to see out here, pretty dry and warm. Save you gas $ and stay on the Front Range......Besides it's perfect rock climbing conditions right now!

On a different and entirely unrelated note Total Abandon is in what appears to be pretty fat shape right now. Like WI4-, M-not really necessary fat. It has definitely seen a lot of traffic but is far from picked out. Takes short to medium screws, and maybe a few nuts or small/medium cams at anchors and on the the 3rd pitch. Following the chimney with a pack was less than awesome - make sure you lead the 2nd pitch!

Here's a little gem.
Picture taken Saturday 11-17-12

Stevens Gulch.
Updated link: mountainproject.com/v/no-na…

Sweet. Anyone have more good pics from the weekend?

Hey guys,

Headed out your way from Seattle for some turkey with the fam, and was hoping to swing some tools while I was there. Taking my little brother out for his first Ice climb, so I was hoping to find something in the WI3 range within a 2.5 hour drive from Denver.

I heard rumors that the Mt Lincoln ice is in. Is that true?

Is there anywhere else that fits the bill that is nearby denver, WI3ish, and within a 2.5 hour drive?

I really appreciate the help in advance!

James

JDCH wrote:Hey guys, Headed out your way from Seattle for some turkey with the fam, and was hoping to swing some tools while I was there. Taking my little brother out for his first Ice climb, so I was hoping to find something in the WI3 range within a 2.5 hour drive from Denver. I heard rumors that the Mt Lincoln ice is in. Is that true? Is there anywhere else that fits the bill that is nearby denver, WI3ish, and within a 2.5 hour drive? I really appreciate the help in advance! James

It was in fat on Saturday. It is crawling with people though, since its one of the few things close to Denver that's in right now. Get up early, go on a weekday (in this case, tuesday or wednesday) or both.

AMU on Sunday, 11/18/12.

AMU, 11/18/12.

AMU, 11/18/12.

I heard everything melted the past couple of days down here on the western slope...so all of you not from here should probably stay away for a while.

• *Also, to the guy with a white Chevy Avalanche or whatever stupid truck you have that was parked last week in Eureka: When you plan to leave your vehicle to set out for a climb, how about not parking it in the middle of the road? Just because you're scared to drive through some snow, doesn't mean other people aren't. Thanks;)

We found the perfect solution to hacked ice, long lines, rude climbers, and "out" conditions. Steve House's "Desperado" on the Ribbon Buttress on Camp Bird road is sure to please!

Erik Wellborn on p1 of Desperado.

Wellborn on P3.

P3 roof.

At AI4 M6 R/X, you're guaranteed not to race anyone to a route like this. Bring lots of iron, screamers, and a bigger pair than me. We decided to bail once the R/X became solid X.

If anyone wants to try the death choss, give Noah a shout. He lives for that stuff!