Mountain Project Logo

The 2013-2014 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

TKD · · Leadville, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 2

Just spent Wed and Thur climbing around Quandry/N Star region. Climbed Claim Jumper and the pitch of ice in the descent gully to the left of Claim Jumper. Claim Jumper was nice and moderate. We were able to sink 10 and 13cm screws and lots of rock gear for protection. The other pitch in the descent gully went about WI 3/3+ depending how you started and was around 50 meters long. Protected with 10 and 13cm screws as well. Both climbs had plenty of running water. Got on N Star on Thursday the right hand ice start is not in at the moment and the left start was thin and not well bonded looking. The the upper ice pitches were in great shape though.

coop Best · · Glenwood Springs, CO · Joined Jan 2005 · Points: 485

Anyone know what Pyramid looks like?

mountainproject.com/v/the-2…

Rob Cotter · · Silverthorne, CO · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 240
topher donahue wrote:SMEAR OF FEAR IS IN! Yesterday it was 2-4 inches thick for 400 feet but will be fatter with the next cold snap. Too bad the Feds just shut it down. Sofa king pissed. See photos from September 30th, 2013, ascent in thin conditions here.
Did that one back in the 90s looks about the same...
GLD · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 83

Quandary Ice Crags are starting to form but are not solid enough to be in. We basically dry tooled around the routes.

Jason Maki · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 95
Taylor-B. wrote:Lincoln Falls might take awhile to form because of to much water flow, the streams are raging and not allowing for good formation, plus don't knock down what is there, yet:) You will have better luck up at Blue Lake and McCullough Gulch by Quandry mountainproject.com/v/quand…. Noxious Fumes and Claim Jumper are both in excellent condition and there's a new pitch that needs a FA in the descent gully of Claim Jumper. The Blue Lakes region is holding a couple of jems. These two are right above the lake on North Star Peak and go at about WI3 M4 400ft and there's a rap anchor in place.
Yukon Jack and Goldschlager are now out, or "out" for most people. North Star looked fatter than ever, definitely better than the recent beta photos.

Lincoln Falls- out, give it a couple more weeks
Officers Gulch - bone dry
Taylor-B. · · Valdez, AK · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 3,186

Good to see lots of traffic up at Blue Lakes. I think I couted 6 six parties up on North Star Peak today. Nice!
Climbed Goat Urea in good conditions.

Goat Urea.
Lincoln Falls is good to go, bring rock gear. Let the farmed stuff form up, but the Bowling Alley is good to go, along with a few other moderate pitches and TRs. There's so much water this season that there is no way this place is going to be hacked out in the next few weeks.

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

News from Eureka... STH, HTH, and Hoser's weren't in yet as of Friday (even for the adventurous), but definitely forming up well - heavily verglassed throughout and the P3 pillar on STH was about 1/3 of the way "down" (but will take a while after it touches to fill in). Gold Rush was looking really good - heavily verglassed on the left wall, nothing in the dihedral yet though. Looked like a tiny bit of ice at the top of P1 of WHH. Didn't have time to drive up S. Mineral, but I assume it's coming along well too. Most of the last storm stayed north of Red Mountain Pass but plenty of moisture everywhere.

Clayton James · · SLC · Joined May 2011 · Points: 30

Made it up to North Star this afternoon. There's definitely some good fun to be had up there. The ice on pitch 2 is shaping up nicely...

North Star.

Martin le Roux · · Superior, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 401

Here's a link to some pictures of Lincoln that cropped up in the "other" 2013-2014 ice conditions thread.

mountainproject.com/v/the-2…

S Denny · · Aspen, CO · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 20

This thread should be renamed 2013-2014 Colorado Ice Conditions...

LIV Veraldi · · Lone Tree, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 495

It's in!! Heading down there for some development soon . . .

Bad roads, horrid approach, postholing waist deep for miles, but oh, so worth it!!

Southern Colorado.

LIV Veraldi · · Lone Tree, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 495
S Denny wrote:This thread should be renamed 2013-2014 Colorado Ice Conditions...
Done - thanks.
topher donahue · · Nederland, CO · Joined Sep 2007 · Points: 210
Mike Walley wrote:Nice photos and good blog Topher. You are right about BIG government too! How did Alexander's Chimney look?
Hi Mike, sorry I missed your question until now. Alexander's looked great. As did Field's Chimney. With the warm/cold cycles we've been getting those routes should be good for a while. If only they'd open our Park. Losers. And climbing is the least of it - congress is still getting paid while the people who do things like develop flu vaccine have had to shut down their experiments, turn off the lights, and close shop.
coop Best · · Glenwood Springs, CO · Joined Jan 2005 · Points: 485

what climb is this?

LIV wrote:It's in!! Heading down there for some development soon . . . Bad roads, horrid approach, postholing waist deep for miles, but oh, so worth it!!
Chris Wenker · · Santa Fe · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 1,887
LIV wrote:It's in!! Heading down there for some development soon . . . Bad roads, horrid approach, postholing waist deep for miles, but oh, so worth it!!
That looks like a springtime meltout scene?
LIV Veraldi · · Lone Tree, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 495
Chris Wenker wrote: That looks like a springtime meltout scene?
It is late summer....will post an update soon.
Nina GJ · · Grand Junction · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 0

Goat Urea is out, too bad... And Three Tiers in Officers Gulch is now out too.

Chris Gibbs · · Denver, CO · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 55

I guess you could say The Road is in (or at least it was last weekend).

vimeo.com/76401973

Smear of Fear is looking a little thin on the bottom and Alexander's might just be climbable. If you're into that sort of thing.

Long's Peak, 10-12-13.

Jason Maki · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 95
erik wellborn wrote:Is Martha in yet?
Martha, 10-13-13.

Looks like there is mild humidity. Suppose it is "in"!
Scott Bennett · · Western North America · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 1,265
10-15-13.

Long's Peak yesterday, 10-15-13

More photos, and report on climbing the Smear of Fear, here:
www.ropeandsummit.wordpress.com
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
Post a Reply to "The 2013-2014 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.