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Well, when you're ancient like Kyle and me, you're lucky to even reach the ice, and overjoyed to actually climb two pitches. Icing on the frozen cake!

It's got your name written all over it Sol!

Thanks! Here are some details I left should there be any masochist out there loves long, strenuous approaches to not enough climbing: Total mileage from Icicle Rd. to the ice is 2.8 miles, with about 4,500' elevation gain. We passed right under Rat Creek Dome. In the drainage, we ascended high on the left side of Rat Creek, and this worked well to avoid a lot of the downfall, alder and thinly veiled boulders. On the descent, just try to stay out of the creek area itself. There's no "right" way down this thing. A good option for descent if you have time and energy is to ascend to Coney Lake, clmib the ridge to the West, and descend the west slopes of cannon, or the cannon mountain couloir.

Trip: Rat Creek: Dragon's Teeth - Some Ice Route... Date: 3/4/2012 Trip Report: Dragon's Teeth captures your attention as you look up Rat Creek from Icicle Road as it looms over the head of Rat. I'm not even sure it's called Dragon's Teeth. Maybe Slaphappy can chime in. I think Gyselink climbed this a few summers ago. Anyway, every winter I've seen ice form at its base, and sticks around well into spring. It's usually thick and blue. A few years ago Kyle Flick, Tom Janisch and I skied up Rat Creek and descended the CMC on Cannon. On the way by, I took photos of the ice, hoping to get back there at some point. So, that some point was today with Flick. The approach up Rat sucks as usual, but really not too bad with decent coverage. The sun warmed east slopes of Rat Creek were putting on a thunderous show for us on the way up to the ice, as the sun quickly warmed the new snow that accumulated over the past few days. What's cool about this ice, is that there's a two pitch route that stays hidden until almost just below it. We climbed this route in two, 60m pitches of WI3, then v-threaded back to the skis. I'd like to say that the skiing was variable, thereby leaving the impression that part of it was good. But really, it was crap for 90% of the descent with breakable crust and mush with a thin layer of crust on top. Unique location, and really solid and thick ice. We were glad we went, but a return trip is highly unlikely. Dragon's Teeth (I think) with the thick ice seepage: Closer Look. We climbed the flow on the left. Camera distortion makes it looks steeper than it really is: Kyle starting up on the first pitch, with the overhanging wall looming above: Kyle following the second pitch: The Un-payoff. Skiing crust with very tiny bits of powder: Just get us back to the car, please. At least when we fell, we were dumping vertical:

Wonder if we'll ever see this again. TR from Pete H. and Dan C. 2007

For the last few years, the FS has been opening the gate when the road is at least melted out around the 3 mile mark, around the 8 Mile Trailhead, so that helps move the spring climbing/skiing season along for the area...

I guess I'm confused by this too. Is it closed, or open? One can climb there, but should voluntarily choose not to climb there? Strange wording...

When I am snowmobiling, I snowmobile. When I'm trespassing wilderness, I trespass wilderness.

I'm shocked that WMC hasn't pounced on this yet...begin countdown...

A sled ride would have just slowed him down. That's how good Dan is.

On RTL, make damned sure you're the first on the route. You don't want another party above you.

Fantastic, Dan! Thanks for the great read!

On your next meth run trip to bridgeport, be sure to tick this hiway 97 classic ice line. I'm sure it maintains the finest tradition of WA low elevation ice. Actually, it's as good as I've ever seen it. Oh, and never mind those pesky "DOT no trespassing" signs.

Thanks for the info. I'm hoping it'll remain a little colder this weekend for a few britches-soiling pitches of ice.

Oh, I did find this... Mazama Ice Anyone get on these lately?

Does anyone recognize this ice climb, on or near Goat Wall? Also, where's this ice climb (Goat's Beard) on goat wall? How's the ice climbing near Mazama?

Now that's full value. Take care of those aches and tweaks man! Lots of climbing to be done this spring/summer.

Chris and I used this method last year on Liberty crack, and it was super efficient on the first three pitches. Also, I've been e-climbing some burly shit lately, and want to make sure I'm doing it safely.

Anyone have any thoughts about jugging on a locked off reverso/atc guide? For instance, the follower wants a belay for a portion of the pitch, then jugs the rest. It would make the most sense to use a reverso-like device, which would lock the lead rope off as soon as the second switched from free to jumaring, and the leader wouldn't have to do any rope schenanigans at the anchors. I'm posing this question because I'm trying to be a better e-big waller.

I'm a pretty reliable virtual belayer.

"By royal proclamation of Marmot Prince, I am an e-mountaineer and I don't know shit." That is so funny! So, what is your next e-climb? You planning on e-summiting?

Start skinning at Bridge Creek C.G., and continue for the next 10 miles. For the deproach, reverse directions. It took us 6 1/2 hours to reach the ice, and 3 1/2 hours to get back to the car.

Impressive! Things were sure filled in nicely in Feb. 2009. The ice on the right side of the cliffs in your second photo looked steep and fun Saturday.

Very nice path. It was very good skinning. The down skinning was exceptional! I was prepared to head back up for a second lap.

Yeah, we vaguely remembered a TR on this area a while ago. Was that yours?