2015-16 Colorado Ice Conditions

Some pictures from Sunday:

All Mixed Up.

West Gully.

Black Lake slabs.

Black Lake slabs.

Bridal Veil Falls appears to be forming up nicely.

Bridal Veil Falls, 11/23/2015.

Does anyone have information on the conditions in the Vail Firehouse and Racquet Club areas? I'm planning on heading to the area next week.

very warm on the western slope. After a good snow warm temps have prevailed, too warm for most climbs, and avi danger hi. Temps in the 50's at ten thousand feet. Good for XC.

Anyone hit Silverton today? Been gone in the desert for a few days, heard we had some weather/wind/snow and am pondering checking out Eureka tomorrow.

Anyone climb this yet? Anyone climb this yet? It is looking fat. Hit it up tomorrow or it will be gone in a day or two.

Mike,

Is that the T2 smear? If it is, it hasn't been climb as of two years ago after talking with Topher

All Mixed Up looked in passing by this morning. Bottom looks mixed and the upper part looks decently big

Yeah kind of guarded by a 12ish looking roof. There were some things getting close in there.

Pillar.

Redgarden ice.

Ice.

Anyone been out to the Black Lake area recently? Looking for moderate climbing in the glacier gorge area. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks

Paul Pellissier wrote:Anyone been out to the Black Lake area recently? Looking for moderate climbing in the glacier gorge area. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks

Not black lake, but the jewel lake overflow area is in and reasonably fun with two lines of WI 2-3 on the right and a WI 4 curtain on the left. It is not picked out so the easier lines lend themselves to a little more honest lead then some of the more accessible areas and are great for shaking off the cob webs.

ScoRo wrote:Anyone hit Silverton today? Been gone in the desert for a few days, heard we had some weather/wind/snow and am pondering checking out Eureka tomorrow.

1st & 2nd Gully are in.

Goldrush is in but anorexic.

Stairway looks good. Early start recommended.

I wouldn't exactly say stairway looks good, stairway looks like it has ice present.

For those of you who havnt checked out the Colorado ice conditions on Facebook yet…..

The Designator has crashed again. Overall thin and wet ice conditions in the Vail area.

Was down in Telluride over the weekend - Bear Creek Falls is coming in. It has two large pillars set, but you can still see water flowing through at some points.

Bear Creek Gorge is looking good, as well. A few fat lines were available.

I'll be in Boulder for the week for work. What would be good within a 1 hour drive?

Not many consistent ice areas within 1 hr of Boulder any time of year, especially now early season. Moffat Tunnel is basically 1 hr away - some short scrappy lines and some bolted mixed. Hidden Falls is about 1:15 away, but it's probably still too thin. Estes/RMNP is 1 hr, but then tack on a 1-3 hr approach/avy concerns/possible need for skis or slowshoes. There can be some short flows in Boulder Canyon if you know where to look. Eldo will occasionally get some wild ice pitches but those are ephemeral, fleeting, and usually pretty scary.

Second Gully was fun yesterday - rap bolts have been chopped at least at the top of the first pitch BTW. Didn't see any at the top of the second pitch either but it was my first time up there.

Variable ice from bullet hard dinner platey goodness to super soft wetness. Glorious day.

ScoRo wrote:Second Gully was fun yesterday - rap bolts have been chopped at least at the top of the first pitch BTW.

WTF. If there are bolts that shouldn't be chopped it's rap or belay.

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Longs Peak this morning