Type: | Ice, 250 ft (76 m), 3 pitches, Grade III |
FA: | Lou Dawson / Michael Kennedy, 1977 |
Page Views: | 6,127 total · 30/month |
Shared By: | Knockneed Man on Apr 25, 2008 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Description
Park at the Shoshone hydro plant not the rest area (per Ellen S), underneath I-70.
From here, the real crux of the day, can actually be crossing the Colorado River to obtain the south-side of Glenwood Canyon. There is water that's diverted from the river around here, so there are some shallower portions of river that, during cold weather, can form an ice bridge providing access to the other side. There is a dam, but crossing that is illegal, and I believe there are cameras that monitor this.
Once across the river, follow the train tracks West, but do not walk on them, as this too is considered trespassing. Be discrete.
Head South up a gully per Ellen S: containing Deadman's Creek towards the rim of the canyon, where a large sheet of ice should be visible. This is the object you desire. Ignore beta that says to go up a smaller gully west of Deadman's Creek. The approximate map of the gully section: caltopo.com/m/04TK4EK. The approximate climb location is: 39.56213, -107.22532.
The left side of the curtain provides some steeper and mixed options, though the most obvious line follows the right-hand side of the curtain from a chimney area. This is usually WI4. There is a cave that forms behind the curtain about 100 feet up which can provide an interesting belay, or continue up and right to belay. Above that there are two more pitches, one with moderate ice, and an upper pitch which is steep and mixed and being more in the WI5+ range.
Per Ellen S: for multi-party support: if you climb in 3 pitches; P2 drops ice onto P1. P3 and the rap route do not affect P1-2.
Come prepared for a night out when you do this climb as the ice bridge you crossed early in the morning may not be there in the afternoon.
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