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The 2012-13 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

Martin le Roux · · Superior, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 401
Shadrock wrote:Anybody been on Martha?
Right now any ice that might have formed is probably buried under a couple of feet of fresh snow. Plus more in the forecast.
Ryan Fifer · · Colorado Springs · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 0
Martin le Roux wrote: Right now any ice that might have formed is probably buried under a couple of feet of fresh snow. Plus more in the forecast.
Climbed at loch vale this past weekend, ice was thin in parts with some mixed lines, about 3 solid flows, went to hidden falls Fri, had the place to ourselves, mostly again a bit of mixed climbing to get onto the routes. Again only 3 lines with some super cool mixed sections. Awesone ice cave at the top with rappel anchors. Snow wasn't too bad, ankle deep with little to no Avy danger. Ice is a little chandliered and brittle
Rocky_Mtn_High · · Arvada, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 230

A few photos for Christmas week!

Fun on the West Gully (Dec 15): Deb tops out P1

Deb tops out P1 of West Gully.

Our first time to Vail -- some really fun moderate ice!
Lance on Pumphouse Falls (Dec 17)

Lance on Pumphouse Falls.

John on Pitkin Falls (Dec 18)

John on Pitkin Falls.

Yer gonna die!

Yer Gonna Die!

Rocky_Mtn_High · · Arvada, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 230

Question: we headed out to Notchtop earlier in the week (Dec 15) to check out Notchtop's North Face or Grace Falls. Turns out we were wallowing in drifts and only made it to Helene Lake. The North Face was pretty well covered in snow:

Notchtop North face.

If we had snowshoes, we would have considered the approach to Grace Falls; however, it's not clear to me from the route description and photos where it is exactly. The candidate ice we saw below the North Face were these:

Icefall below Notchtop N face.

Ice below Notchtop N Face -- Grace Falls?

Since these were the only decent ice falls that were visible, I'm guessing one is Grace Falls, probably the one that looks more like a waterfall and less like a slab?

Jim Amidon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2001 · Points: 850

North Face of Notchtop would be a death route for the foreseeable future.

it's a fall route as in winter continual winds deposit snow on the slopes.....

All it needs is a trigger...

Pretty much like Lee said too about Ten Mile Canyon......

People have died in there climbing ice, and some have lived....all tossed off by avalanches.

David Appelhans · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 410

rcky mtn high, how were avy conditions on West Gully in the park?

Is the park buried under alot of snow now? I was thinking of doing West Gully on Christmas day.

Rob Baumgartner · · Niwot · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 196

Anybody been to Hidden Falls recently? The last few posts about it are from a couple of weeks back.

Rocky_Mtn_High · · Arvada, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 230
David Appelhans wrote:rcky mtn high, how were avy conditions on West Gully in the park? Is the park buried under alot of snow now? I was thinking of doing West Gully on Christmas day.
We climbed the West Gully a week ago, and as you can see from the photo I posted on the 16th (previously in this thread), avy conditions weren't bad above West Gully, mostly wind scoured, rather than wind loaded. Since then the Park has received additional snow, and I'd guess you can even ski up to Black Lake, which makes for a wonderfully quick descent. It's also been really windy up there, needless to say, so it's possibly that the wind loading and additional snow has increased the avy danger. Of course, there's only one way to find out for sure, but my guess is that it would be worth the trip up there and that it is still climbable.

Merry Christmas, and climb safely!
John
Rodney Ley · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 40
Rocky_Mtn_High wrote:Question: we headed out to Notchtop earlier in the week (Dec 15) to check out Notchtop's North Face or Grace Falls. Turns out we were wallowing in drifts and only made it to Helene Lake. The North Face was pretty well covered in snow: If we had snowshoes, we would have considered the approach to Grace Falls; however, it's not clear to me from the route description and photos where it is exactly. The candidate ice we saw below the North Face were these: Since these were the only decent ice falls that were visible, I'm guessing one is Grace Falls, probably the one that looks more like a waterfall and less like a slab?
I agree that pic #3 is Grace Falls, but it is far smaller than its possible max size. Pic #2 I saw on 21 Dec and don't remember seeing that ever before, but it is huge. Looks like fun, though. And agreed, N Face of Notchtop is a death trap, the upper slopes are really wind loaded.
clay meier · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2008 · Points: 350

Ouray? Silverton?

jselwyn · · Grand Junction, CO · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 40

Silverton stuff was looking great a few weeks ago...not that it matters currently

avalanche.state.co.us/pub_b…

Eric and Lucie · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2004 · Points: 140

The Ouray area is very dry. Very little climbable ice outside of the park. The park itself is very thin/unconsolidated. OK top-roping but almost nothing in leadable shape yet.

A few of the routes I looked at:

  • Ribbon & Birdbrain: no ice at all
  • Skylight: super-thin and wet; not protectable
  • Choppo's: same

And a few others I've been told about but have not seen:
  • Bridalveil: very thin, apparently not getting much if any action
  • Ames Ice Hose: not in
  • Whorehouse: in
Kevin Jansen · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 0

Is Redstone still dry?

Ben Collett · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 1,560

There is some ice around Redstone. Tomato Chimney is in and has a trail almost to the base. Lots of the ephemeral routes are trying to come in. Marble falls is still too thin to be safe. Did not look at Avacado Gully or Redstone Pillar. People are climbing at Hays.

Timmy Foulkes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 20

Treasure Falls is in lean and mean. Tasty Freeze looked in from the parking area for Treasure but there was a lot of snow on it.

Had a great time on Lincoln the other day. Beautiful day and conditions. Thanks again to those who helped farm.

Does anyone have info on the Glenwood and Aspen areas. Thanks

Kevin Craig · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 325

FWIW, Glenwood Falls was definitely formed up on 12/22, but I can't speak for the quality of the ice as we drove past at night.

Timmy Foulkes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 20

That's great news guys. Thanks for the info.

Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974

Silverplume in good condition. Nice and sunny today.

Marc Durant · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 0

Took a newbie to Hidden Falls in RMNP today. Main flow and top pillar are pretty chopped up but can be climbed gracefully by hooking instead of swinging. Looked like most of the ice was pretty old except for the pillars on climber's right, which appear to be actively forming. The lower-angle flow on the far left is running wet as always. Trail in is easy boot-pack.

Taylor-B. · · Valdez, AK · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 3,186
Just after the French pillar collapsed. People still flirting with detached, sublimated, cracked, shit ice!
FYI/PSA: The Lincoln Falls pillars are always super dangerous in the winter. The French Pillar collapsed today with about half a dozen people directly below it and TRing that exact climb, along with a few other people in the vicinity of the falling ice. I’m so glad that no one was hurt. I know this forum is no place to rant, so I posted on a new forum the recipe for disaster.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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