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Utah Ice Conditions '12-'13

Peter W · · Salt Lake City · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 5
Alec wrote: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.
I was at Maple on Sunday and we ran into at least three ropes that were still set up as TRs on the road climbs. Not sure who the club was but leaving TRs overnight isn't cool. Had the ropes been better I might have had some new gear. We took down the ropes and left them near the climbs they came from. It didn't look like they were coming back on Sunday to claim their ropes either since we left around 4-5 pm and neither of the two cars still left were the owners.

Doubtful that the owners frequent this thread but: Please don't leave TRs overnight. Pick up your gear at the end of the day.
Rolf Kelly · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 0

Brian, thanks for the reply and info. We only made it to Stairway to Heaven and then decided to ski in the backcountry given the snowfall. We also heard stuff was not touching down in santaquin and maple was extremely thin. Stairway was good through pitch 5.

M L · · Sonora, CA · Joined Apr 2007 · Points: 165

whatever club that was needs a stern talkin' too regarding the # of people and routes they seiged. And leaving ropes overnight, especially on ice? WTF?

scott cooney · · La Casa Taco · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 85

there are many clubs that frequent Maple, I know I've run across the Utah's Climbers Club there who were gang roping pipeline area. wasn't an issue for us as we weren't looking to hit pipeline but for some reason one of the group heads kept trying to give unsolicited beta about the approach, and mind you it was incorrect trying to push us away from their group. I just laughed every time they tried to "share" like that....

as far as ropes overnight, doing that should teach someone a lesson just from being ice climbing.... are you sure they weren't already frozen in the day before being why they were left?

cdec · · SLC, UT · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 654

Scottish Gully is in and fun.

Travis Weil · · Leavenworth, WA · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 0

I will be traveling to central Utah next week. I am hoping to climb at Maple. The conditions sound pretty good. I am also looking for a partner. Is anyone willing to join up any days monday through thursday?

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
Rolf Kelly wrote:Brian, thanks for the reply and info. We only made it to Stairway to Heaven and then decided to ski in the backcountry given the snowfall. We also heard stuff was not touching down in santaquin and maple was extremely thin. Stairway was good through pitch 5.
Good on ya and thanks for the report!
Garret Nuzzo Jones · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 1,436

I was down at Stairway this morning and climbed up the first three pitches. The fourth pitch was either a super drippy pillar (the V-shaped one in the photo) or a much thinner easy ramp on the right. The topout was a bit sketchy for that though it was protectable.

stairway 2/13

Not super fat, but the ice is very good quality right now. Great sticks and great screw placements.

Garret Nuzzo Jones · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 1,436

Joe's is definitely still in and in great shape. Climbed CCC Falls, Deadbolt, and The Donorcicle. Led Donorcicle on the left side, would've been much better in the center as far as screw placements. Things got drippy after noon on Deadbolt, so don't sleep in.

Deadbolt

CCC Falls

The Donorcicle

Looked like Spear of Fear melted through at the top of the cone and is no longer climbable.

Erik Eriksson · · Colville, WA · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 126

candelstick from my facebook page last week
this and atc in decent shape
both pitches of atc are stout

taking the steep line

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711

Nothin' says current conditions like great shots of ice climbing.

Thanks, keep 'em coming!

cdec · · SLC, UT · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 654
Second pitch 2/17/13
2nd pitch.

Frozen assets in through 5 pitches and then some snow. A bit thin on the puctured pitch was aired out stubbies and 13's. Ice and gear got better higher up.
The pitch described as ice in a corner was dry and looked to be hard mixed climbing with poor to no gear. The last WI5 pitch wasn't in.
Micah Lewkowitz · · Ridgway, CO · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 0

Climbed Scottish Gully yesterday evening. First pitch is in, no aid necessary to get into the gully. The ice peeters out on the second pitch, so it's adventurous mixed climbing to a tree below a roof about 45 m from the pitch 1 belay (on the face right of the gully). Mini-mixed pitch out right for the finish (avoids the hanging death blocks above).

bay · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2007 · Points: 20

maple ice this past weekend kicked ass.
conditions are excellent.
hell, i was able to pull off the rare feat of sinking in my lonely 22cm (v-threader) to the hilt after trundling my final 13cm.
i also eyeballed a coupla lines that i've never noticed before and that are not documented in jason stevens guidebook.
sorry no pics available. yeah i know, no pics = invalid post...

RonB · · Berthoud, CO · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 275

Took a Strawberry Road tour on Sunday; here's what I found...

Yes it's in. Yes it's on private property. What a tease...

Another tease on private property, and not as fat as last year; probably mixed...

Public reclamation land I believe. There may be 2 other hidden pillars, and the upper pitches look fat...

Public reclamation land I believe. A low angle snow gully approach to a pitch of ice, and another pitch further back along the wall.

Click and zoom on the pics for details. I forget the given names, so someone who does can fill that in. First two (on private property) are east of Strawberry Pinnacles, and 2nd two are west. Didn't get to the Timber Canyon Rd junction, where lies another nice climb or two...

Garret Nuzzo Jones · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 1,436

Ron, have you or anyone else approached the private landowners about ice climbing on their land? Just curious if it was already a moot point or not.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
RonB wrote:First two (on private property) are east of Strawberry Pinnacles, and 2nd two are west. Didn't get to the Timber Canyon Rd junction, where lies another nice climb or two...
Too funny...I've climbed all except the second picture one you call "probably mixed". 10+ years ago or so.

First one is Spring Canyon Falls? Access hinky.

Second one, dunno. Someone climbed it a fair bit ago.

Third is Dead Deer Falls? Usually in from one to three pitches. I've climbed it a number of times in good to poor conditions. Crux may be crossing the creek.

Fourth...can't recall what we called it. V thread get off. If there isn't good snow to access the base, its a bit of a PIA to get to. Fun though. Looks big and in good shape right now.

Thanks for the updates!
Dave R. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 80

Climbed in Joe's on Monday. The first two pitches of CCC falls were great. The last pitch has some fracturing. Still decent ice on part of the curtain, but a lot of it was pretty beat.

Fracture

Fracturing on CCC Falls

Pitch 3 CCC Falls

MoonMountainMan · · Bellingham, WA · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 275

Ron did you happen to look for excalibur while in strawberry pinnicles? mountainproject.com/v/10746… (picture from last year)

RonB · · Berthoud, CO · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 275
Mooner wrote:Ron did you happen to look for excalibur while in strawberry pinnicles? mountainproject.com/v/10746… (picture from last year)
Not sure from your pic. I thought either the 1st or 2nd pic I posted was called "Excalibur", according to what I was told last year. Where from the pinnacles is it located?
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northern Utah & Idaho
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