Franklin Falls conditions

[mvs]

Checked it out this morning with danielpatricksmith.

 

The main falls were raging, but we climbed a fun rambling WI2-3 line on the left. 50 meters up and leftwards on good ice steps mixed with thin drytooly sections, finishing on a distinctive ice ramp. We rapped from a slung column just below hanging shrubbery. Pitons and stubby screws were handy.

 

There was a lot of vertical solid ice to the left, well away from the spray of the falls, but it seemed too thin for screws.

 

Popular trail is well packed, didn't need flotation, but using x-country skis would probably be fun...

[Jens]

I've never climbed at Franklin Falls but looking at my map, would it be quicker to approach from the snowed over access road that starts near the alpental I-90 exit. Could you glide down the road on a pair of skis and be at the falls in 10minutes? Or am I dreaming or reading my map wrong?

 

The reason I ask is--- would this work for some quick afternoon after- work action?

 

 

Also how did the stuff near the east end of exit 38 look? I was up there a few days ago and it was pretty grim.

[DPS]

We accessed the falls by taking the Denny Creek/Asahel Curtis exit and following it towards the Denny Creek Campground. The road is plowed only to a bridge from where it is neccessary to hoof it. It was about two miles to the falls from that point. If the road was plowed and open all the way it might be a 10 minute approach but count on more like 30 minutes or more on skis in the current conditions. If the main falls ever come in it would be a very cool climb.