Observation Rock

[selkirk]

Any body know the current conditions on Observation Rock?

Thanks in advance!

[CascadeClimber]

As of three weeks ago it was getting skied.

[pete_a]

As of sunday it was getting skied

There were Mounties (or some other group) 'ice climbing' it..but there is little if any actual ice showing right now...I'd give it another few weeks if you're hoping to wack ice tools on it.

[selkirk]

hmmm, actually supposed to head up it next weekend. Well maybe the hot weather will help!

[rock-ice]

Climbed it today. Its definitely not down to the WI yet, but nonetheless a fun climb. Couple weeks until its in true form.

[Jens]

Can anyone help me with this:

Did this route become a popular "ice route" as of the last couple of years -due to pics that were posted in the beginnings of cc? I did it in September a long time ago and it seemed like a place to romp around and get comfortable on crampons and perhaps practice some French technique for a little while but it was never really traditionally considered an alpine ice climbing destination? In the last few years I've heard of people carrying in large racks of quickdraws, screws, and the like and the name observation rock is at the top of list when discussing sept-oct. ice climbing.

Just my two cents

 

ps. the nisqually has some futuristic stuff that is wilder than the stuff I've seen on the coleman.

[Gary_Yngve]

ORock is the classic easy Mounties Intermediate Ice climb, just as the Beckey Route is the classic easy Mounties Intermediate Rock climb. All the Mounties ORock climbs are completely booked, and no one wanted to sign up for NW Face of Forbidden. Lame, if you ask me. I was hoping to climb that route (NWF Forb) with the Mounties illegally (I'm not yet "certified" to climb moderate ice with them yet), but the climb got cancelled because 3 people is too small for a Mountie-approved climb. Another climb leader got his Kautz climb cancelled for similar reasons -- lack of interest. Sorry for the rant.

 

Jens, where on the Nisqually did you find the wild stuff? When we were there a few weeks ago, we found some steep walls that were maybe 40 feet high. I'm supposed to have my last Ice fieldtrip with the Mounties there this weekend, but I'm tempted to blow it off for something cooler like Torment-Forbidden. But if there's some gnarly ice to be had...

 

For those of you wanting to check out ORock in the next few weeks, try Sept 9 and Sept 10... they are the only days between Sept 4 and Sept 13 that there's not a Mounties trip scheduled for there.

[philfort]

Anyone been on the north face of Fernow in the past few years? (the 1000ft ice apron mentioned in Beckey). I'm thinking of heading in there this weekend - figure it will be nice and icy, if it hasn't melted away completely.

[mike_m]

Did Obs Rock yesterday, no ice, just really hard neve, more than deep enough for pickets. IMHO, it may not get down to bare ice this season. Fun climb in a spectacular location, regardless.

[Gary_Yngve]

The Nisqually was pretty cool this past weekend.

 

http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/gyngve/Ice2/

 

(url fixed)

[tomtom]

The Nisqually was pretty cool this past weekend.

 

http://www.cs.waswhington.edu/homes/gyngve/Ice2/

 

'waswhington'?

[cracked]

So, like, what's this dude's name?

 

[greenfork]

So, like, what's this dude's name?

 

clearly his name is

[Jens]

Nice pictures. Looks like you guys had fun. I wish I was with you.