The 2013-2014 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

I left a pair of Smith sunglasses in the cave below Mixed Feelings yesterday in RMNP (super fat btw). If you pick them up if you could shoot me a PM, along with your favorite beer, I would be truly appreciative of their return.

Ray Hellinger wrote: Did the line that is the first on to the right of Stairway. Everyone seems to change up the names. This is the one between Stairway and the climb in the recessed gully. Anyway, the ice was perfect. 5 pitches up to WI4 and it looks like a couple more easy ones after that if you were so inclined. It's a fun route. We rapped it off of v-threads and some slings.....

Hey Ray, glad you got on that. Pretty sure it's un-named as the deep recessed gully, I've always been told, is Highway to Hell (or Highway 666) and Road to Nowhere. The route that you climbed looked good when we were there too, but we were being lazy slugs. The person who originally told me about it hasn't posted on it so I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag. I kind of doubt it's a FA, but you never know - you might get to name it!

Edit: Doh! I see this has been on the site for a couple of years as "Unknown Scrappy Gully." Regardless, looked pretty cool as of weekend before last.

Has anyone been up to Lincoln recently?

At Lincoln yesterday. Ice is very good, though getting stepped out. Be very careful with the free-hangers, as they need time to gain a little more mass.

Anybody know what the mixed line is called/rated just left of a free-hanger, to the right of Scottish Gully on the lower ice tier? It has two bolts on a slight overhang before getting on the ice, but the moves up to them are stout and the pro at first look is scarce.

Climbed The Ribbon, Campground Couloir and the first real pitch of Direct North Face. All in good shape.

Will Butler wrote:I left a pair of Smith sunglasses in the cave below Mixed Feelings yesterday in RMNP (super fat btw). If you pick them up if you could shoot me a PM, along with your favorite beer, I would be truly appreciative of their return.

Hey! I found your sunnies under Mixed Feelings and I just drank my last Alaskan Winter Seasonal. I live in Estes so let me know next time you come up! - V

Climbed Crystal Meth in Loch Vale, fatty fat fun.

Launching onto Crystal Meth.

Climbing the Talisman video (Ouray) 3 days ago. Short and sweet.

https://vimeo.com/80045640

Some more pictures to throw in from the Talisman a week or so ago. Oh so classic.

Pitch 2.
Alpine conditions.

No climbable ice in the Redstone area, temps have been too warm, need a few weeks of cold temperatures

Thought we'd be clever after all the moisture and recent cold and get on Hessie Chimney while it's fat. Unfortunately, reality didn't cooperate...

Hessie Chimney on 11/23/13.

So that's whose tracks were below Hessie! Erik Rieger and I managed to get up the long first pitch, though the crux was sportier than usual. Delicate moves rather far above gear. We removed a very large and dangerous flake near the top of the lower chimney (just below the midway ledge/stance). Probably 70 or 80 pounds. Scary!

Dougald MacDonald wrote:So that's whose tracks were below Hessie! Erik Rieger and I managed to get up the long first pitch, though the crux was sportier than usual. Delicate moves rather far above gear. We removed a very large and dangerous flake near the top of the lower chimney (just below the midway ledge/stance). Probably 70 or 80 pounds. Scary!

Thanks for doin' all the leg work guys! I was going to check this out but... looks like I found my answer.

Good on ya' Dougald; we weren't up for the scrappyness today. Looked like the flood rains mainly washed a bunch of mud into the chimney rather than form ice! :( You're most welcome for the broken track; seemed like the line we took was easier than the approaches described here and in Jack's book. Thanks for the clean-up efforts.

No worries Andy, just trying to practice what I preach and sharing the wealth/info. Seems like there's not as much condition-reporting as in years past and I've been lamenting the lack of community spirit.

Went to Jewell Lake in RMNp on 11/19/13. Ice there was good. All Mixed Up looked huge (see left side of photo) and there were at least 4 big climbs to the right (east) of AMU. Might need snowshoes for that approach now. Farther up valley, Reflections looked big too.

All Mixed Up and other ice climbs in RMNP 11-19-2013

Did AMU on the 16th - full conditions day - more ice than I have EVER seen up there. Lots of routes to the right to do. Approach sucked as usual.

Summit/Eagle Co conditions: Things have been great here in the high country. Lincoln has been in fat for over a month now. The road is gated so it requires a longer scenic walk in. 10 Mile has been building well and is now headed into an avi danger condition. Tony's, Fish, Round the Corner, and 3 Tiers are all in great shape. Upper Tiers is now out. No Shroud, but building slow. Firehouse has some early ice conditions so get your thin game on! Staircase is climbable as well as the pillars in the Belfry. Tourettes and Secret Prob in great shape. Ice is forming above 7th Testicle and the Fang and Desi are still a ways off. As always, there is a ton of drytooling in Vail to get your pump. Enjoy the early season conditions.

Made a quick trip up the Big Thompson Canyon to look at the Big T icefall (just in case). Found that the river is still quite high, old crossing is washed away, the far bank is going to be a pain to scramble up and over, and well, it just ain't ready.

We bailed and will wait for more river ice. It probably wasn't in anyway ;-)

Alexander's Chimney is still in good shape. Top half of pitch 4 is dry.

Round the Corner and Right of Round the Corner on 11-24-13, long slog up loose snow over rocks and small boulders. After the wind storm over the weekend of the 16th there wasn't much snow on the approach, 1-2ft.

Round the Corner, Ten Mile Canyon.