The 2014-2015 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread
|
James2 wrote:It's like a feeding frenzy on the front range, glad I don't live there.So are we. |
|
Took the tools for a walk today in RMNP through the Loch all the way up to Sky Pond. Things are starting to form but these warm daytime temperatures are even keeping the north facing ice thin and interrupted. The forecast for this coming week doesn't show much improvement. |
|
Climbed to the base of Dark Star/Right Chimney on Meeker hoping to find some ice. No such luck. Just a couple of discontinuous smears off to the side. Ended up scrambling across the Flying Buttress and climbing the top half of Dreamweaver. 10' of WI3 ice at the crux, otherwise mostly snow. |
|
Martin le Roux wrote:10' of WI3 ice at the crux, otherwise mostly snow.I think that's about all it ever is, no? |
|
seth0687 wrote:Thinking about smear or fields on longs this coming tues. Any current photos between now and then would be awesome, or beta from any of you monsters who already jumped on them this week. Cheers SethDW, TFD. Long's, 10/19/14. Long's, 10/19. |
|
Martin le Roux wrote:Climbed to the base of Dark Star/Right Chimney on Meeker hoping to find some ice. No such luck. Just a couple of discontinuous smears off to the side. Ended up scrambling across the Flying Buttress and climbing the top half of Dreamweaver. 10' of WI3 ice at the crux, otherwise mostly snow.I believe I ran into you gentlemen hiking down from chasm lake yesterday. Good talking with you. |
|
I dropped a pair of BD gloves over broadway yesterday above Alexanders. If anyone picked them up I love to get them back. |
|
Thatchtop 10/19/2014 - the Loch side.
Thatchtop 10/19/2014 - the Loch side. Took our tools for a walk before we went down for drytooling. Still pretty thin and dry. The recent 70s weather (in town) probably didn't help. With time though...! |
|
Chris Gibbs wrote:I dropped a pair of BD gloves over broadway yesterday above Alexanders. If anyone picked them up I love to get them back.Hey Chris, I don't have your gloves unfortunately but I did see both of them near the base of Alexanders Chimney in Lambs Slide. I would of picked them up but I thought somebody on Alexanders had dropped them and would pick them up on the way down. Good luck finding them! |
|
anybody been up alexander's chimney yet? |
|
WyomingSheepRanch wrote:anybody been up alexander's chimney yet?I was told it was the best it's been in 10 years on Sunday. So there's that. |
|
Scroll up. Lots of pics. I climbed Alexander's a week ago and it was awesome. Plenty of ice all the way up. |
|
Scott McMahon wrote: I was told it was the best it's been in 10 years on Sunday. So there's that.That would be truly something since last year, it was the best it's been in 20 years! :) |
|
Kevin Craig wrote: That would be truly something since last year, it was the best it's been in 20 years! :)I heard it's the best it's been in 30 years!!! haha!!! |
|
Found this on Instagram: |
|
Lincoln Falls pic courtesy of Pete Lardy's instagram (#pikespeakalpineschool). I was up there yesterday. Don't let the pic fool you. It's really wet, very little ice and a lot of loose rock in the main gully. |
|
Martin le Roux wrote:Climbed to the base of Dark Star/Right Chimney on Meeker hoping to find some ice. No such luck. Just a couple of discontinuous smears off to the side. Ended up scrambling across the Flying Buttress and climbing the top half of Dreamweaver. 10' of WI3 ice at the crux, otherwise mostly snow.What was pro like (if you used any)? Any need/possibility for screws? Also, if doing just DW would it be reasonable with one alpine axe and one second tool? |
|
Alexey Dynkin wrote:What was pro like (if you used any)? Any need/possibility for screws? Also, if doing just DW would it be reasonable with one alpine axe and one second tool?We didn't place any gear on Dreamweaver but there was enough ice at the crux for a couple of medium-length screws. It depends on your comfort level. I'm sure it could be climbed with one alpine axe and one technical tool, but a hydrid axe (BD Venom or similar) would be a better choice than a traditional alpine axe. BTW it didn't look like there was continuous snow lower down the Dreamweaver gully (we went up the right side of the Flying Buttress and crossed over at the top of the buttress). If you go all the way up Dreamweaver there might be some loose scree. |
|
I saw some apparently good ice below Crestone Peak last weekend, if you're up for a bit of a hike: |
|
What was your rack for Alexander's? |