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Waterton Area Ice Conditions


Sabertooth

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Has anyone here climbed the ice around Waterton? Any climbs you would recommend? Those 2 300 meter WI2+ and WI3 routes look like fun. Almost zero approach too. How about those single pitch WI4s next to them. Are they good climbs? My book says they come in later than Banff, since it is usually a bit warmer down there. Any beta appreciated.

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I have. You can't go there and not do French Kiss and Quick and Dirty. Also, some of the one-pitchers in the gas fields are a lot of fun. And the multi-pitch behind the Warden's station is a nice way to "turn down the heat" before you leave (I think this one may be the 300m WI2+ you refer to in your post). Get JoJo's guidebook and you won't go wrong.

 

Stay in Pincher Creek at the Foothills Motel. You can bargain a weekly rate with them (~$200CN/week for dbl occ.), and they have the only hot tub in town. And they let you bring in bigdrink.gif to the tub with no questions asked. thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif

 

Apres-climb bigdrink.gif can be had in the Ram's Head Lounge at the Waterton Hotel, but be prepared for trendy high-styled folks with good hair. thumbs_down.gifthumbs_down.gif I got a good story to tell about busting into the dining room one Valentine's Day after climbing. The music stopped, literally! yellaf.gifyellaf.gif

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I climbed there a bunch back in the mid-90s, two times per year each year. The trips were over Christmas/New Year's and President's Day/Valentine's Day holidays. I seem to remember the last time I was there, the ice was thin and we were in the middle of a Chinook cycle, but that was in mid-February.

 

For the Christmas trips, the ice was usually quite fat and the weather was BF'ing cold. One year, I drove into Pincher Creek on Christmas Eve and parked at the hotel, only to find that my radiator had sprung a leak. Bummed rides to Waterton and back for two days, while the mechanics worked on it on Christmas and Boxing Day. Even installed a block heater. Great guys. They got a late Christmas present from me. $$$

 

Bottom line: Christmas ice should be great. Check your local listings.

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