Zicicle

Hey there, I am just wandering if anyone has ever made the hike to the Zicicle and found it in condition and climbable. What kind of continuous temps (and how for how long) are needed for it to form and what kind of conditions are required to get enough water flow into the canyon? I am from the UK and living out here at the moment and feel it would be a good one to tick off if possible. Any info would be much appreciated!

I'd guess late winter, fairly deep snow pack, melt freeze.

Seen it in mid March but looked scary...temps too warm.

I saw a lot of ice forming on the Eastside after a big snowstorm in February. All of this snow fell in one event. I was really wishing for my tools

Zion ice

Angel's Landing

We've had storms and weather that hasn't been seen in over 75 yrs, I would be willing to say that it is in and you would be spending your time well to go get on it. Maybe thin, but I bet its in. I've been climbing ice in Cedar City, Parawon, Cedar Breaks, Kanaraville for the past 7 days...and its good. The pics that have been coming out of the Narrows have been very encouraging.

I have climbed the Zicicle. It won't even come close to touching down yet. Most of our good steep routes will not be in until January, not unlike the Canadian Rockies really. We need a few freeze thaw cycles. In this particular case it is important for seepage. The snow on top melts, then the seepage freezes. The bottom 30' or so is the crux to this route coming in good enough to lead. If you just want to lower from a tree and top rope it, some of it would be there. But if you knock a bunch down, it will just take that much longer to form up completely. Due to an inversion this week (warmer temps at higher elevation), Hidden Haven was barely hanging on yesterday...so thin, no pro for top half (thin sheet covering running waterfall behind) and that is our most protected less vertical ice, in other words first in and last out climb and representative of conditions in general. This is a picture of me leading it yesterday....

Hidden Haven, 12/20/2013

Nice shot. Hidden Haven is a great route, one of the purtier ice climbs in Utah, methinks.

Accidently let the Zcicle cat out of the bag a few years back when we tried an early season decent of Englestead. Got popular after the lads (Chaz, etc) went and did it, then, the next season it made the cover of Climbing. Still, its a pretty fickle rig and a long hike/trip just to see if its in.

I think these guys got lucky and caught it in very unusual conditions.

20 January 2007. First ascent? More'n likely.

picasaweb.google.com/jared.…

I've looked in from the rim (March 2006) and for me, was a definate "no go". Frightening location. I'd make sure I had enough rope to jug all the way back out if need be (a 300 foot static rope and the means to ascend it). That's a long drop in. And, like Dow mentions in his summitpost description, if the bottom wasn't formed, its just a smooth slab. Heckuva long walk back to the car (understatement).

Brian in SLC wrote:Nice shot. Hidden Haven is a great route, one of the purtier ice climbs in Utah, methinks. Accidently let the Zcicle cat out of the bag a few years back when we tried an early season decent of Englestead. Got popular after the lads (Chaz, etc) went and did it, then, the next season it made the cover of Climbing. Still, its a pretty fickle rig and a long hike/trip just to see if its in.

I think any of the ice climbs that are in sandstone are pretty spectacular. The upper pitch of CCC falls and the Donorcicle have really stunning settings and make for a hell of a photo.

Garret Nuzzo-Jones wrote: I think any of the ice climbs that are in sandstone are pretty spectacular. The upper pitch of CCC falls and the Donorcicle have really stunning settings and make for a hell of a photo.

Guys, thanks for all the great replies. I really appreciate it. Any ideas on where I can find info on the other ice climbs in and around Zion? I am living in Vegas and it would be great to know about the ice that is within manageable Friday night driving distances. I probably wont be looking to make the trip up until late Jan but I am trying to come up with a plan now. Many thanks

Southern Utah Ice Climbs

I have heard people have attempted storming the castle in the winter. It's a 5.6 cobble climb up a gully in second left hand canyon in parowan canyon. I wouldn't be surprised if there is an icicle coming off one of the big cobble beehives back in first or second left hand canyon if the conditions were right. Does Kanaraville falls freeze?

bus driver wrote:Does Kanaraville falls freeze?

Yes it does.

Does anybody know the latest on the new routes Scott Adamson put up in Zion? Apparently he put up 4 new routes in 5 days.

@ Al Benson, January sometime.

Zicicle