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The 2012-13 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

AaronPugmire Pugmire · · Golden, CO · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 35

Does any one know if there is any ice still in in the officers gulch area? Or anywhere else?

chris berdoulay · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 0

Tony's Nightmare climbed well today, Three Tiers is still in as well.

Jonathan White · · highlands ranch, co · Joined Aug 2005 · Points: 105

Officers Gulch had ice as of sunday, although I doubt the approach is safe. Did Firehouse in Vail on sunday-- wet, but plenty of ice there.

Kevin Hart · · Evergreen, CO · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 20
GLD wrote: You must have been the group in front of us on Martha on Saturday. There was a group that did Dreamweaver (don't know results) and another group that sailed up flying dutchman. My partner exiting the crux dropped a 0.5 BD C4 with blue Camp Nano racking biner and a BD quickdraw. It bounced and then slid out of sight, way past a lower. If it's found I will pay beer (I homebrew).
Might have been us on Dutchman.

It's a tedious snow slog with knee->thigh deep snow most of the way and being generous maybe 25' of WI2+.

We'd also agree on Dreamweaver, it was looking very dry and no visible ice on the way in.
Nodin deSaillan · · Boulder · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 80

Did dreamweaver today. No ice yet, but good snow and solid rock

Nick Venechuk · · Golden, CO · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 60
windupbird wrote:Did dreamweaver today. No ice yet, but good snow and solid rock
Saw you on the trail Saturday, that wind ever let up?
Nodin deSaillan · · Boulder · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 80
Nick Venechuk wrote: Saw you on the trail Saturday, that wind ever let up?
Very slow going to chasm, but the couloir was pretty well protected with only minimal spindrift. Descending meeker via the ramp was interesting as the front moved in and wind increased. Really good climb though!
Just Solo · · Colorado Springs · Joined Nov 2003 · Points: 80

How does the rest of the ice look up there? Worth a good hike?

Nodin deSaillan · · Boulder · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 80

Columbine is almost completely buried in snow. The flow left of columbine isn't much better. As other folks have stated, Martha still looks good, though I can't comment on ice. I'm curious about darkstar, though I think, like dreamweaver, it'll be dry. The notch and eighth route look pretty good as soon as the snow consolidates a bit.

Here's a shot of Martha and the diamond as of Saturday, though things have obviously changed at bit:

Diamond 4/13

Martha 4/13.

Just Solo · · Colorado Springs · Joined Nov 2003 · Points: 80

Anything on Mt. Lady???

michael voth · · Ft. Collins, CO · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 75

has anyone been back to hidden falls recently?

Marco GJ · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 0

Has anyone been up to Eureka lately? Or know if Birdbrain came in this spring? Thanks

phil wortmann · · Colorado Springs, Co. · Joined Feb 2005 · Points: 1,186
Tom-onator · · trollfreesociety · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 790
phil wortmann wrote:Pikes Peak Ice: pikespeakalpineschool.com/b…
Nice pic's Phil !
Do you ever get to climb the (unmentionable) vertically suspended H20 molecules existing at a temperature well below 0 degrees celcius on the other side of the nameless hump west of our fair burgh? That beautiful, remote location that no one is ever allowed to mention (like Fight Club)? Not to mention that I most certainainly will deny having ever mentioned anything about these (rumored) vertically suspended H20 molecules existing at a temperature well below 0 degrees celcius within this forum?
I ascended a column of these (fairytailed) vertically suspended H20 molecules existing at a temperature well below 0 degrees celcius many years ago (with no photographic evidence), and would greatly desire a returm visit to this magical place even though we all know (wink, wink) that it doesn't exist!
phil wortmann · · Colorado Springs, Co. · Joined Feb 2005 · Points: 1,186

Tom, I haven't climbed that one since last fall, so Im not sure if it's in or not. Unfortunately, the cat has been out of the bag on their existence for awhile now...

Tom-onator · · trollfreesociety · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 790

Thanks Phil,
Wasn't sure if anyone would interpret that babble as code, or the rantings of a lunatic! I could not get what I wanted to say out of your "quote box" no matter how hard I tried.
Search Gillett falls on this site and every post is pretty dated.
I climbed there once in '96(?) with my good friend Wayne-o. We parked down at the "flats" and snowshoed up the slopes along the floodpath. We drove all the way from Pueblo and we only had time for one pitch of ice with the long walk out. We bailed in haste and I vowed to come back and overnight to tick as many lines as I could.
I tried to return there later in about '99 with my wife and dogs, We wanted to shoe in and out just to check conditions and were following Cameron Burns' suggested access to the trailhead. Diane and I thought the pullout by the gate was way too small for parking and decided to leave.
Just then a small red car came up the hill and parked in the middle of the road so we couldn't get out. An older man got out of the car and approached us on foot, not looking too happy!
He told us we were trespassing and asked us what we were doing there. I said we were going to shoe in to see the ice, thought it best not to park here and that we're leaving as soon as he gets his car out of the way.
He then looked us over and said "You been readin that BOOK!" Then, as he turned to walk back to his car I noticed his gun tucked in the back of his belt! I was so pissed I wanted to run him down but decided to remain calm.
Turns out this nutjob resided in the last house on the last parcel of land just before the road climbs to the gate of the Timberline Fishing Club.
About 2 weeks later I was soloing at Silver Cascade falls and ran into a younger fellow who said he too had a run in with this man.
He and a buddy had skinned in from the "flats" and on their way out this old man jumps out from behind a boulder with his weapon drawn!
He tells them they are trespassing and to get the hell out of there.
When they finally get back to his truck that they left parked by the road all 4 tires had been slashed!
I tried sending an email to the TFC this year requesting permission for access, but never got a reply.
I was wondering if with the new Ring the Peak trail system there might be a way in that would avoid this issue, but it doesn't appear that option is viable.
I read somewhere it might be possible to ski in from Devils Playground, but this seems to be a logistical nightmare for an overnighter.
Any info would be greatly appreciated and thanks for letting me rant MP!
Regards,
Tom-o

Anunta Anunta · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 284

Has anyone been to Hidden Falls or Loch Vale in the past few days? Thinking of checking it out on Monday; hoping that there's some ice with all of this moisture and recent storms.

Nodin deSaillan · · Boulder · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 80
Anunta Anunta · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 284

Thanks for the pic...how's the approach? I heard the snow was pretty deep. Worth the trip in?

Nodin deSaillan · · Boulder · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 80

Gate is closed at the Sandbeach TR. We skinned in, but our track was stomped by snowshoers up to the Finch Lake TR. Well worth it. The upper section is quite steep, but everything is really solid. A blast of a day! Get after it!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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