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Firehouse Area 
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Spiral Staircase area 

Vail Ice

Submitted By: Leo Paik on Mar 19, 2006
Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac
Elevation: 8,500 feet
Views: 86,698 page views

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The Frigid Inseminator.


Description 

Dang those organizing types. Why couldn't we just leave this area a mess and let climbers figure it all out? Shucks, we're just being helpful 'round these parts.

This is a decidedly popular ice area. It is north-facing, so dress warmly. It is easily visible from the road. While most of the popular areas are listed here, there certainly is more ice that forms up here.

This area holds a great variety of of 1-2 pitch ice and mixed routes. If you get to climb here, you'll likely leave with a smile. This is probably the birthplace for Colorado modern mixed climbing with Jeff Lowe's ascent of Octopussy, although Alex Lowe's influence was strong, too.

Parking is a hassle since the town of Vail outlaws on-the-street parking. So, don't assume anything or you'll be made to pay.

Snow can pile up. It can even avalanche.

Access issues can be problematic. Check things out first.

Occasionally rappel trees fail. So, beware!


Getting There 

Located approximately 100 miles W of Denver. Most folks will use I-70 to access this area. The E Vail exit is most useful for most of these climbs. Parking is a hassle. Probably, the locals know the best scoop on parking. It's best to find a legal spot and expect to walk a bit further than you'd like or just buy one of these little shacks and cough up a mil or two.

Odd tidbit for 2007: there seem to be conflicting signs posted near Pumphouse where one sign suggests climbers need to pay to cross the golf course, but other signs do not.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Vail Ice:
Seventh Tentacle   WI5 M6     Trad, Mixed, Ice, 1 pitch   Rigid Designator Amphitheat...
Pumphouse Falls   WI3-4     Trad, Ice, 1 pitch, 100 feet   Pumphouse & downhill
Cupcake Corner   WI4-5 M5     Sport, Mixed, Ice, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Rigid Designator Amphitheat...
The Eraser   WI4-5     Trad, Ice, 1 pitch   Spiral Staircase area
The Pencil   WI4-5     Trad, Ice, 1 pitch   Spiral Staircase area
Esmerelda   WI4 M6-7     Trad, Mixed, Ice, 1 pitch   Spiral Staircase area
The Fang   WI5     Trad, Ice, 1 pitch, 130 feet, Grade II   Rigid Designator Amphitheat...
Spiral Staircase   WI4     Trad, Ice, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Spiral Staircase area
The Thang aka Frigid Inseminator   WI5+ M5+ R     Trad, Mixed, Ice, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Rigid Designator Amphitheat...
Secret Probation   WI5 M6-7     Trad, Mixed, Ice, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Spiral Staircase area
Rigid Designator   WI5-     Trad, Ice, 1 pitch, 115 feet   Rigid Designator Amphitheat...
Browse More Classics in Vail Ice

Featured Route For Vail Ice
Rich Purnell on Pitch Black--Vail, CO m9films

Pitch Black WI4 M9 R  CO : CO Ice & Mixed : ... : Rigid Designator Amphitheat...
Very long running through solid and not so solid bands of that funky Vail rock...every type of climbing ..technical, juggy and ending on a small pillar to 40 feet of ice. This route can be found left of the Designator and [bisects Teriebel] Traverse....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO


Photos of Vail Ice Slideshow Add Photo
The Frigid Inseminator

The Frigid Inseminator

Climber on the Frigid Inseminator. 12/29/07

Climber on the Frigid Inseminator. 12/29/07


Comments on Vail Ice Add Comment
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Comments displayed oldest to newest — Skip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Dec 10, 2008
By gregg purnell
From: golden
Dec 15, 2001

Everything in Vail is in. To get your dosage of mixed ice films visit www.m9ice.com

By rich purnell
Dec 5, 2002

Vail amphitheater most all mixed climbs are in: Amphibian, Fatman & Robin, 7th [Tentacle], Little [Thang] - not in at all but - Pitch [Black], Lucky, [Reptile], [Somnambulist], [Resurrection], [Teriebel] Traverse and the route way left of the Designator "[Dr.] Delicate?" are in and good ([hasn't] come in in a long time). The Belfry (above staircase) all routes including [Pencil] and [Eraser] are climbable and need done. Secret [Probation] also in "thin" as are the routes left of the "[Spiral Staircase]". Lots of water in the area - yehaww! game is on lets climb........

By Russell McCullar
Dec 7, 2003

Hi all. Is there another name for Pumphouse falls? The climb near the golf course west of the Designator area. Is it in this database. Looking for manageable WI-3-4 first time lead in the Vail area Dec. 27-Jan 2.

Any help greatly appreciated.

By Jim Toman
From: Asheville, NC
Feb 26, 2007

Lost Camera at Pitkin Falls!!! She is an old school Powershot with 3.2 megapixel resolution. Left behind the curtain on Sunday February 25. I'm back in Crested Butte but will return that way soon. Help a brother out. The Falls were great, bullet hard on the left, but a small hole opening up top.

By Brad Grohusky
Dec 10, 2008

Darn .... I left my Marmot thin gloves on right side of Pencil and Eraser on 12-08-08. It was dark when we left. If anybody picks them up .... please get them back to me. 970 668 5187. Super big thanks.
I guess that also means that stuff is kind of in there. Staircase is great. Brad