AlpineMonkey

Trip: Leavenworth - Fun Fatty Ice Date: 12/20/2009 Trip Report: Found an excellent gully route right off the Icicle Rd today. I believe Mark S., Curt H., and maybe some others first did this route a year or two ago. I'm not sure what the name of it is, but its excellent fat climbing (easy) for quite a ways. Approach as you’re going to The Sword bouldering area, but immediately take a left past the first boulder off the Rd. Walk 10 min. to base of climb and climb your little heart away. We climbed it in a series of 6 steps, the majority being Grade 2, then at the top I chose to take a 3 variation, but one could easily make it easier if they wanted. We soloed all the pitches except the last one. Lots of ice! The wife on some easy ground: Finally caught up to the speed demon, what a pretty gully up ahead! Making it a little harder just for fun: Go Down Notes: Topped out to find a sketch piton in the rock that someone rappeled off of. It easily came out in my hand, so we walked down, climbers right.

This "little warmning trend" will NOT obliterate everything...It's just making things fatter. Suppose to get cold again by the end of the week.

We climbed it in exactly 3 70m rope lengths; what you climbed it in was definitely much fater conditions then when Aaron and I found it. We never said it was hard. Compare our initial pics of the last pitch with the most recent pics.

Climbed Silver Falls at Entiat today with the wife. 40 feet of vertical ice to 1 full pitch of WI2. Muy bueno. No Camera. "What do Ardenvors Eat" look goooood and haaaard. WA Ice Book says there may be trespassing issues. I don't think thats the case, I don't see any private land around there...Go get it someone. (but take me ) Heard rumors today that there was a river rescue up the Tumwater. I don't think its tubeing season...Who was trying to get to Drury?? Quote from Wenatchee world: http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/dec/19/leavenworth/

Far from being an elder, go HIGH up...

Do you have any more vacation for the rest of the year?, you were out there for a while!

Theres so much ice around there...kinda like in WA. Like the pics.

Nice job. Thats a lot of walking, two days in a row. Is the waterfall in my picture here the one you climbed on Sunday? Just trying to figure out where you were.

Thats it.

Cool people would approach on ice skates.

Trip: FA: Seven Minutes of Pleasure - Ingalls Creek Date: 12/12/2009 Trip Report: Today Conor Byrne, Kyle Flick, Mark Shipman and I went and climbed a fun line visible about an hour and a half up the Ingalls Creek Trail. It was a nice piece of ice in a beautiful setting. We named our route Seven Minutes of Pleasure, WI3. The climb was a full 70 meter pitch. Three parties went and climbed Gray Falls today, two of which were soloist and one party of three. One of them also went and put up another new line in the valley, but I'll leave that up to him to talk about if he wants. I hope some of you who got out this weekend will post what you did, it really helps. Conor Byrne showing some ass(???) on the approach to our new route. Mark Shipman enjoying his "seven minutes of pleasure." Approach Notes: Clearly Visible about an hour and a half up the Ingalls Creek Trail. Walk down.

I certainly won't call that a IV.

Here is another picture for size comparison of the first step and the overall route. I didn't post it at first because its so bad and sun washed.

Trip: FA: "Gray Falls" - Ingalls Creek Date: 12/10/2009 Trip Report: Today Mark Shipman and I partnered up and climbed a route we named "Gray Falls" (WI4) due to its close proximity to Gray Tower, above Ingalls Creek. We climbed the route in two roped pitches (each being a full 70 meters) and did a lot of solo climbing up rambling steps. The elevation gain from the base of the route to the top was 900 feet according to our watches. The route: We soloed the first ice tier, then roped up on the 2nd, & third. From the top of the third we put the rope away and climbed up more easy stuff. Mark leading the middle section, WI3: The the upper level, WI4: Upper rambling stuff. Approach Notes: 5 or 6 miles of Ingalls Creek Trail. Clearly Visable.

Did you guys get a look at the drip?

So many choices...To bad its going to be shitty this weekend.

Aaron and I just walked down with zero problems which took about 10 min. to get back to our packs at the bottom. No raps and no sketchy stuff. Not sure where you guys are running into probelms? Are you trying to stay too close to the route when your heading down?

damn, like the pics!

After my second time I promised myself I would never do it again. But here it is for those of you who want might want it. Maybe you wont find it in all that bad conditions. Should be good to go just in time for the weekend, a nice treat. This is a prime example of a climb that will be in for a day or two and gone the next. The picture is from this morning.

Frenchman Falls will most likely be "in" by the weekend. Though the book says its a 4, its not that easy so use caution. I've climbed it twice and both times found myself dancing on egg shells with roaring water underneath 25 meters above my last good piece. Kurt Hicks had a similar expierence a few years back. All the other climbs at Vantage are dry, no ice. Will post pics tonight

I charge if your over a certain age for that carry all the gear / rope gun factor... I'm not a competitive climber for the most part, but I did put some work into finding that route. I would be really irritated if someone went up there without me and climbed it, as I couldn’t find a partner to climb it on Sunday. Just wanted to show all the ice that’s out there right now. I’m going to go climb it on Saturday if it doesn’t dump snow and then I’ll post more.

Is that third pitch any fatter? It was really wet when we were on it? I would be interested in seeing a pic if it was any different.

For once I’ve done a route that’s gotten a repeat!, kind of makes me feel all fuzzy and warm inside. I’m glad you guys liked it! We also thought it was a neat route and it is at a grade which we are all capable of climbing. Washington ice comes one day and is gone the next so it is extremely important to spill the beans ASAP. The more we all know, the less wasted time and the more fun/climbing we all get. Thanks for all the compliments on the route.

I work during the weekdays days (8 to 5) unless I think there is something really worth my time, then I get sick.

Just for reference, for anyone who wants to get on this thing, here is a map of the general location. It's not exact as I really didn't GPS it or anything. But, just walk past the Millennium Walls and start looking up on your left, you'll see it, it's pretty obvious.