WA ice?

Does anybody know of any top rope-able ice in WA? Was looking to try my hand at it this up coming season after going to the ouray ice Fest

WA ice is pretty fickle. Some years it is in and some years your shit out of luck. Your best bet is to look into eastern wa...the areas around Soap and Lenore Lakes and up that highway all the way out to Banks Lake...when it is cold enough the coulees up there usually have top-ropeable ice. There is also ice that sometimes forms right at Steven's Pass but I dont know if anything can be TR'd there. Legend has it that Snoqualmie Pass/Alpental develops easy ice that can be TR'd on good years...some of it within the Alpental ski area. The problem though is even on a normal year ice is pretty slim pickings in WA and it doesn't look like this is going to be a normal year. NOAA's climate forecast for OND and DJF calls for above average temps and below average precip...we are looking at another El Nino for sure.

The good Washington ice is in Canada.

"Ingrids inspiration" at alpental has a formation at times

Is this really the case? Fickle? I'm moving up that way for winter and though most of the climbs that I'm after are in Canada, the WA ice book by mountaineers has 200 routes in it at 28 different areas. Some mention that it takes a good freeze but most say nothing. Is there no ice in Leavenworth?

Or are you just referring to top rope able?

Also if you have any additional beta on anything in the WI4 single or multi-pitch. Any good areas close to wa in Canada?

Well, assumingly there is no costal ice in Washington. The question is can you find any solid lead able WI3 you can mess around on within 4 hours of Bellingham, WA? Also, why is't there hardly any info on WA ice on MP? I suppose there are local forums that cover that area in depth. Any leads on those?

Ben Beckerich wrote: In general: There's ice to be had, but it is not in abundance, and there are no significant waterfalls that freeze up for the winter below around 4,000'. Only real waterfall ice to climb is during brief snaps, and then it's usually still a pretty wet affair.. expect to weigh about 30lbs more at the top than you did at the bottom. Most of the US side PNW ice you're going to climb is gonna be drips at elevation, or alpine.

BTW climbing snow colours is not exactly ice climbing. Maybe that's what you are referring to.
What about Mt. Baker? They have ice climbing classes scheduled starting Dec. 5th. Do they know something we don't know? Wasn't Levenworth, WA voted a top 10 ice climbing destination in the US? If Steve House and Kitty Calhoun could find something to do in WA, then can't any of us?

Ryan N wrote:Is this really the case? Fickle? I'm moving up that way for winter and though most of the climbs that I'm after are in Canada, the WA ice book by mountaineers has 200 routes in it at 28 different areas. Some mention that it takes a good freeze but most say nothing. Is there no ice in Leavenworth? Or are you just referring to top rope able? Also if you have any additional beta on anything in the WI4 single or multi-pitch. Any good areas close to wa in Canada?

In my experience it is indeed the case, though I've only been ice climbing in WA for 3 seasons between 2008 and now. There are quite a few areas that are known to form ice if conditions are right so, ya, there is going to be info on WA ice but, once again, the biggest factor is weather conditions which more often than not are not the best for forming waterfall ice. I don't know much about Leavenworth ice except that there are good alpine routes in the area. If there is enough interest in it and enough ice climbers willing to contribute as conditions start forming then a separate WA ice thread would be something worth starting. I'll try to stay on top of that here.

eyesonice2014 wrote:Well, assumingly there is no costal ice in Washington.

What's your definition of coastal? There's definitely multi-pitch ice within 20 miles of salt water. It's mentioned in the guidebook, and I found it to be very enjoyable.

Dobson wrote: What's your definition of coastal? There's definitely multi-pitch ice within 20 miles of salt water. It's mentioned in the guidebook, and I found it to be very enjoyable.

I'm getting a fathom screaming barface right now...

Super stoked on ice season! Anyone who needs a partner, please hit me up. I have gear, beer and an unhealthy climbing addiction.

Andrew Shoemaker 1 wrote: In my experience it is indeed the case, though I've only been ice climbing in WA for 3 seasons between 2008 and now. There are quite a few areas that are known to form ice if conditions are right so, ya, there is going to be info on WA ice but, once again, the biggest factor is weather conditions which more often than not are not the best for forming waterfall ice. I don't know much about Leavenworth ice except that there are good alpine routes in the area. If there is enough interest in it and enough ice climbers willing to contribute as conditions start forming then a separate WA ice thread would be something worth starting. I'll try to stay on top of that here.

Ditto on interest in a Cascades/PNW ice thread.

I've got gear, a car, tons of free time, and am willing to go to ridiculous lengths to find some ice. I'm also am in desperate need of some ice/mixed/alpine partners. Anybody in the area that's looking to get out anywhere around the Cascades—hit me up!

There's a decently tall top ropeable pitch at the mount baker ski area, looker's right of the run the chute, accessible from the heather meadows base area. Looks like WI3 or 4

John Collis wrote: Ditto on interest in a Cascades/PNW ice thread. I've got gear, a car, tons of free time, and am willing to go to ridiculous lengths to find some ice. I'm also am in desperate need of some ice/mixed/alpine partners. Anybody in the area that's looking to get out anywhere around the Cascades—hit me up!

PM sent.

We will be looking for some ice too! We will jump into some crevases for starters .

Also interested in WA ice/alpine climbing thread! Just moved here from NE and am looking to get on some ice out here! Any info would be great!

Supposedly Coleman glacier is a go to thing for beginners. Variety of ice cragging and glacier walking.

Anyone seen or been on Narada Falls lately? I heard tale that it looked good and could possibly be quite fat with one more thaw/freeze cycle. Also, can an admin sticky this as the 14/15 WA Ice thread, please?

+1 on creating an official 14/15 WA ice thread.

Ryan, check out Copper Falls (WI3, 200 ft) right on the border between Idaho and Canada. Also Gibraltar Wall (WI4-4+, 500 ft) is near Radium Hot Springs, Canada. I try to hit at least one of these every time I head North (I live in Spokane so I have to go through Idaho to enter Canada) on my way to other objectives. Helps to break up the drive and they are great climbs in their own right.