Utah Ice Conditions '12-'13

climbd stairway yesterday. a little steeper than usual and more interesting. 5th is pretty solid 5, and the 6th is in too.
conditions seem pretty good around here.

anyone know if Mahlen's in ogden is still climbable?

erok

Any advice for a 4 day ice climbing trip this coming weekend? Coming from 4 corners area and looking for grade 4-6 routes within a couple hours of salt lake. Flying into salt lake. Thanks!

Rolf Kelly wrote:Any advice for a 4 day ice climbing...looking for grade 4-6 routes within a couple hours of salt lake. Flying into salt lake. Thanks!

Wow, Um I know its a little farther, but with that kind of time frame, I could get into a lot of trouble in the Wind River Range. More ice than,,,, a place with a lot of ice. Take a SPOT or PLB because you would have the place to yourself. Same goes for the Sawtooth range. The first to pioneer the area didn't have guide books.

Any word on Willard Canyon Waterfall conditions these days?

Thanks!
~Nat

Rolf Kelly wrote:Any advice for a 4 day ice climbing trip this coming weekend? Coming from 4 corners area and looking for grade 4-6 routes within a couple hours of salt lake. Flying into salt lake. Thanks!

Well, instead of wandering around Wyoming or Idaho (ha ha), you could warm up in Provo Canyon on the popular stuff (Stairway,Finger of Fate, Millers, Fang, White Nightmare, etc). Spend a day in Santaquin poking around. If Maple is still ok (super warm last weekend) hit that, if Maple isn't in, reload by driving to Huntington Canyon and hit Inspired by Gravity, then finish up in Joes, or, head back to Provo to wrap up your trip.

We have a bit of weather coming that should produce some snow on Friday night. Could see a foot or more in the hills, with, some wind loading. Watch for avy conditions. Especially in Santaquin.

Report on conditions when you're done!

Just wonder how well Joe's Valley is holding up? Any one been out there this week? Thanks.

Anyone seen Maple recently?

Couple photos from the GWI BBQ.

Thanks to the organizers and especially to the sherpas hauling up the grill and charcoal.

http://www.petewilk.com/nextgen-gallery-page/nextGen-gallery/little-cottonwood-canyon-2/2013-great-white-icicle-bbq/

as embarassing as this one is I have to try.... after climbing Scruffy Band with a small group on Firday feb 8th one of my ice tools didn't make it home, only thing I can think is it was left in the parking lot of the Park and Ride in the mouth of LCC. car was parked near the boulder in the southwest corner of the lot, if anybody knows picked it up I'll straight up beg on top of sending good karma and beer of choice and quantity, or rope gun belay slave, whatever it'll take. It's a bit older of a tool, orginal Grivel Light Wing with some petzl trigrests for leashless, can send a pick of the one that did make it home. incomes been very low this last year so it's something I can't afford to replace. thanks in advance for any good info, even if that info is what store it might be in......

I'll be heading back to Utah March 1st. I know that is a ways away to know what the ice will be like but does anyone have any destinations suggestions? My partner is fairly new to technical ice climbing so I am looking for climbs that top ropes can be easily hung on around the WI3-4+ range. I appreciate any beta guys and I hope everyone has had a good ice seasons so far.

Joe's Valley has some easier stuff that can be top roped. The Dirtcicle on the way to Joe's is probably top roped more then lead and should still be in at that time.
If provo Canyon is still in there is loads of stuff there that can either be just top roped or lead then top roped. Apron of the stairway (top rope), Little Ouray (top rope) just down canyon from the Stairway to Heaven. Bridal Veil Right and Left WI3-5 (lead then top roped). You can climb Bridal Veil Right and carefully walk across the ledge to top rope any of the ice right there. White Nightmare WI4-5 (lead then top rope). A bit of ice 100 yrds. up canyon from Bridal Veil Falls (top roped). Saying that-- you can lead all of these climbs, but the ones that I listed as (top roped) have access to them by just hiking around.
Dallen

The Dirtcicle is looking a little lonely. Probably hasn't had any attention since November.

Dirtcicle

Trever W. wrote:Anyone seen Maple recently?

Maple is still in and in good shape. All the typical stuff is in in the main canyon, right fork and box. The road is even plowed. We did Cobble Cruncher and it was good; a little wet and with a nice hollow tube at the top -- probably typical. The Dagger was huge and Maple Corner Left was looking at least as good as in the picture -- one of you hardmen should go do it and take pics!

There was some club there on Saturday with about 30 people (no joke) TRing just about every route in the Main Canyon, which was rather obnoxious.

Frankenchrist on feb 8th

frankenchrist way steep mushrooms to deal with

Anyone seen Willard Falls recently?

steve lindsay wrote:Anyone seen Willard Falls recently?

I would think that it is mostly buried in snow.

Went to Joe's yesterday and everything is looking nice. Didn't check out Spear of Fear but BD posted a pic on Facebook of Kyle Dempster leading it this past Saturday and it looked burly.

Question: on our way in to Deadbolt we had to bypass the short ice flow that goes up through a cave-like overhang as a boulder was blocking the topout. I'm assuming this is new as I climbed Deadbolt a month ago and remember being able to stay on the frozen stream the entire way into the crux curtain. Anyone know anything about this?

For those who don't follow BD on Facebook, here's the pic:

Spear of Fear (Kyle Dempster climbing Spear of Fear in Joe's Valley somewhere in the weekend of Feb 9th).

Anyone interested in getting out for a day mission tomorrow (2/13)?

Willard Falls is covered in snow, but the steep pitches are still real fun.