The 2011 SOUTHWEST Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

As Much as we Enjoy Hearing About the Front Range ... Let's Reserve this Thread for the Following Areas:

Durango
Wolf Creek area
Silverton
Telluride
Ouray
Lake City

Perhaps a template could be adhered to???

1) Condition of the route (thin/ dry/ fat/ brittle/ melting/ etc.)
2) Conditions of the approach (snowshoes/ skis/ hiking? What is necessary?)
3) Any SPECIAL protection considerations? Trad gear necessary? Stubbies? Chandelier ice that can't be protected?
4) Any SPECIAL descent considerations? (are there existing v-threads, is fixed pro covered, it that one tree looking dead, webbing rotten?)
5) Take a lovely photograph and share it

• Please refrain from obscure abbreviations and acronyms... More details = fewer questions
• Keep the partner-finding to PMs

If you have any other suggestions of things to add to the "condition template" let me know and I'll add them!

If nobody posts here, we'll have to put our tools away and just go shred the backcountry all winter.... -Sigh-

I have a few suggestions.

How about a swing by swing account of the route and how long it took to climb a given route. A picture of each pick placement would be great as well. I do not wanna get in above my head ;-)

It's amazing how lame the internet makes people. I think things are fine as the are.

Nothing but trickles and smears on the east side of Wolf Creek Pass, but the 100+ inches of snow so far should provide some runoff to freeze soon I would suspect.

John.Morgan wrote:I have a few suggestions. How about a swing by swing account of the route and how long it took to climb a given route. A picture of each pick placement would be great as well. I do not wanna get in above my head ;-) It's amazing how lame the internet makes people. I think things are fine as the are.

Dear John,

Thank you for joining the Mountain Project community! We're happy to have you as another "lame" user of the internet! I see that you joined today, and thus I am slightly disappointed at the first contribution you have made on this website whose goal is: "to take climbing beta beyond the guidebook, and deliver personalization and community features for climbers across the globe". Please take the time to consider why YOU joined this website. Here you will find driving directions, descent information, helpful beta on raptor nesting closures... heck you can even find lists of every single piece of pro needed to protect a single pitch rock climb. If you find that too lame, I'd readily invite you to leave the website and leave your sense of adventure outside at the base of a pitch of ice you drove three hours to climb only to find that it is a thin smear with a natural avy cycle happening in the bowl up above. As for me and most everyone else on the site, we'll do some prior research ('cause that's why you're here, right?) and go have a good, safe day out there. I will consider adding a bullet to the template for time spent on route. Thank you for that contribution.

Cheers,

Dylan Weldin

@Evan S: Thanks for the heads up! I'd love to see pictures when things start to form up

Gotta love Durango!

Dylan

I have been around for a very long time I had to create a new account due to I had not posted in a while and my email my account was setup with is no more. I just had to post once I read your requests due to them being so funny. I am all for beta on if a route is climable or not. I think that you are too used to the supertopo type of guide book entry. Your requests are just silly and too in-depth. Ice is not rock and can change so fast. You need to be prepared for anything when you go out in the backcountry. We can't get out there and climb it for you.
If you have followed route condition reports for the last 5 years you will see that things have always been fine. You will also see that things don't always pan out. Quit being so lazy and waiting for us to tell you every detail and figure things out for yourself. Who knows you might learn a thing or two.

Good to see - Living in Pagosa Springs, I'll be sure to post what I find!

Thanks starting the thread.

Why not Lake City,CO? Ooops I mean Colorado...

Stephen Berwanger wrote:Why not Lake City,CO? Ooops I mean Colorado...

+1!

Stephen Berwanger wrote:Why not Lake City,CO? Ooops I mean Colorado...

Thanks for pointing that out! Lake City has been added to the list. My apologies!

Also... stumbled upon this site: http://ourayiceclimbing.blogspot.com/
today which says 1st and second Gullies are IN (link is broken, so click on the "Ouray Ice Climbing" link that this takes you to

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/first-gully/105747753

Climbed 2nd gully today and it was it pretty good early season condition. Whorehouse is getting close, as well as Stairway. Route 66 had some avy debris at the bottom already, so heads up with changing conditions. Both gullies were getting climbed and Goldrush was thin but doable with rock gear. There is a plowed berm blocking passage past the normal parking area, so be prepared to hike up.

I'd liked it better when you just went there and figured it out

sorry to cross post but I found this on Silverton conditions last night: ourayiceclimbing.blogspot.com

Also, keep the good posts coming, ignore the nay-sayers. Good info is a real treat.

Thanks, there's a lot of good new info up. I'll be down your way next weekend and will def be checking things out. I've wondered about Burns Gulch too looked pretty good early last year as well.

Good idea! Anyone been out to Lake City?

Things are looking good!

San Juan Mountain Guides Blog

Does anyone have any info on access to South Mineral Creek area? Can you drive in or is there too much snow?

@ danny m- as of this past Sunday you could still drive in just need 4x4 since the road is snowpacked. Things might change this weekend though since there is a storm brewing.

Ian A.

Climbed the Sherman Climb in Lake City yesterday. 4x4 will easily get you even with the climb and further for exploration up Cuba Gulch. Seems like a nice time to head further out the drainage as LC has not seen too much snow yet this season. Pillar is in early season WI4 shape.

Also, saw a HUGE moose just below the base as we were racking up. Must have walked right past him on the approach! Easily 2000lbs and sporting a huge rack. His tracks were all over the approach slope...

Climbed The Ribbon with Tom Byrne on Wednesday. Its in all the way. 1st pitch was a bit thin in spots but protectable with screws the whole way. Second pitch is phat. We climbed it in 2 pitches running a full 70 meters on the first pitch. As of Wednesday there was minimal spindrift coming down. However with the current storm I would guess it to be more likely to slide.

The Ribbon and BBB from the road.

Tom leading the first pitch.

Excellent quality ice on the top of last pitch.

Get some.

Also i took a walk up to Pandora mine in Telluride yesterday just for kicks.

Some ice forming on the cliff bands below Ballard.

Bridalveil....

Ingram Falls.