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Ice Climbing Near Bellingham Washington?

Original Post
Jeff Deutsch · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2007 · Points: 0

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the Pacific Northwest regional forum. Suggestions welcome.

I just moved to Bellingham, Washington after many years in upstate New York. Looking for ice climbing in this area, and also happy to find some new partners. Would love to get out this winter, and I'm excited to do anything from toproping to longer multipitch.

Would love to find a resource listing the ice climbing in this region, and something updated with condition reports would be even better!

Thanks,

Jeff

Skibo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 5

I'm way out of date, but there's a two pitch climb at the Mt. Baker Ski Area.  Almost 40 years ago when I climbed it, access wasn't a problem.  That's probably changed!  I think Banks Lake is where everybody climbs now, or Lillouet in BC

Brendan H · · MT · Joined Feb 2018 · Points: 5

I think the Washington Ice Guide is still available at the AAI gear store

Elliot K · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Feb 2019 · Points: 0

Why go to Washington when you have the Adirondacks :(

climbing coastie · · Wasilla, AK · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 95

Best bet is to drive north. SW Canada is having a stellar season so far!

Jeff Deutsch · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2007 · Points: 0

Oh, I can walk to the AAI gear store! Perfect!

Baltimore McAllister · · E'burg · Joined Nov 2022 · Points: 5

Howdy Jeff, welcome to the PNW! Skibo is talking about Pan Dome Falls, look at how far that is from Bellingham and you now have an idea of what’s available near you… nothing. I’m sorry to be the one to have to break this to you, Jeff. Coming from the Dacks/vt/NH you’re in for a serious adjustment when it comes to ice climbing… accessibility and reliability are the what’s lacking here. The fact is you live on the Pacific Ocean and there’s no ignoring that warm air mass. As has been said Banks Lake and Lillooet/sw BC are the only ice “destinations” near Bellingham imo. I say near loosely as neither of those places is close enough to bham to be possible for a day out climbing ice. Leavenworth can be good when the good routes aren’t threatened by avalanche (drury, pencil, drip, rainbow, hubba hubba, snow creek wall.) Alpental area off I-90 can also be good when in and there are established bolted mixed climbs there as well. Alpental also has arguably the best access to legit winter alpine climbs. Again though, not close to bham.
My best suggestion to you would be to try and incorporate bc skiing into your winter mix. Opening up the winter alpine is the key to your mental success. The Pnw doesn’t have New England ice but hot damn New England got nothing on us for alpine…. Play in accordance with where you live. No good book that is very current that I know of but Don Serl’s book “West Coast Ice” is excellent for BC. Also I’d go ahead and grab this for $9.99. Will definitely get you started. Good luck broski.

https://m.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/9780898869460?gclid=CjwKCAiAk--dBhABEiwAchIwkcNG5N_S-YXC7zR9KQ34W-rS_4xhFzpQokLX6choHiDv_CabZbFNqhoCaiQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&invid=17420864384&utm_campaign=NMPi&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=Google

Skibo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 5

Also, I see a number of Seattleites at Hyalite by Bozeman, MT, and on the Southwest Montana Ice Conditions FB page, they're sometimes looking for travel partners.  From Bellingham, it's a long drive, 12-14 hours to Bozeman.  My daughter lives in Bellingham, so I've traveled the route many times.

Jeff Deutsch · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2007 · Points: 0

Thanks all!

Yeah, I'm planning to get up to BC for climbing. There wasn't much ice where I lived in NY that was a reliable day trip. Most climbing required a weekend.

Pan Dome Falls looks like a good outing. I've skied up to Artists Point, and that was an easy half day including the drive.

Skibo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 5
Jeff Deutsch wrote:

Pan Dome Falls looks like a good outing. I've skied up to Artists Point, and that was an easy half day including the drive.

Pan Dome Falls has a trivial approach, as it's in the ski area, probably visible from the parking lot.  As it's on FS land managed by the ski area, there might be some access complications (e.g. parking, skiing across some active ski slopes)--dunno.  There is (was?) a steep snow slope above it, so have you avy senses a-tickin. 

Jason4Too · · Bellingham, Washington · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 0

Everything is relative when it comes to access to the outdoors in Bellingham.  There's great trail running, mountain biking, and sailing/paddling sports in town, everything else requires more effort.  My wife just did a day trip to Lillooet to get on Rambles.  There's more ice around the Heather Meadows area than just Pan Dome Falls and there's some alpine ice that should be good right now but requires a lot of commitment in the approach.  My wife typically travels to Bozeman, Canmore, or Colorado when she's chasing ice but not always.  If conditions are good and we have a cold Fraser River outflow then you can also find ice in the Hope/Chilliwack area of the Fraser River valley.

Matthew Tangeman · · SW Colorado · Joined May 2015 · Points: 1,113

When that Arctic outflow comes down the Fraser, the Hope area ice is so rad. In 2018 or 2019 I climbed Mousetrap like 3 times in the week it was in, something like 5-6 pitches of WI3 with no snow and no approach. Such a hoot.

If you ski (for the approach), stuff on Colfax Peak is pretty reliable early spring.

The irony of the PNW is the best time to climb ice is arguably the summer, when you can go drop into a crevasse on the Coleman Glacier or find the alpine ice on the volcanoes.

Check out the West Coast Ice group if you're on FB, seems like folks have been having a good season!

Skibo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 5

Yeah, I forgot about the Coleman Glacier, which is where I spent every weekend back in the 80s.  Access from the trail has changed dramatically, with the glacier melting out 100s of feet.  It used to be pretty trivial getting to the glacier from the end of the hiker's trail.

Justin S · · Squamish · Joined Jun 2021 · Points: 0

Hey Jeff, I'm based in Vancouver but go on day trips to ski/ climb in the Duffey often 

Hit me up if you need a partner!

Spencer Moore · · Bellingham · Joined Jun 2019 · Points: 133

Just came back from the Lillooet Ice fest and it was rad as hell. Not a day trip out to Duffey, but worthy of a weekend for sure. Also seconding the recommendation for Hope BC. That is a day trip when a cold snap sets in. West Coast Ice is a very valuable FB group for weather beta and partners. I'm also in Bellingham, so hit me up if you're looking for an ice partner. 

Justin S · · Squamish · Joined Jun 2021 · Points: 0

Drew from West Coast Ice just posted a weather forecast, seems like a cold snap is coming in next week, time to get on that Fraser Valley ice!

Jeff Deutsch · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2007 · Points: 0

Yeah, I'm definitely going to get out next week! Any suggestions for good introductory climbs around Hope? Would love to find a few multipitch WI3s in decent condition!

Also, I'm planning to get up toward Lillooet in the next two weeks (bummed that I missed the festival). Definitely plan to get on Rambles. What other climbs are similar? Synchronicity looks amazing, but maybe something I want to get on after I have a few dozen pitches under my belt this season.

Finally, I'm going to try for Pan Dome next week. Is it a mandatory ski approach, or can it be done on snowshoes? I'd rather not carry two pairs of boots (and my one experience skiing in ice boots convinced me never ever to try that again).

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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