Fall Ice?

[ken4ord]

Ok I know I want to get on the NW coluir on Eldo, when is the season for that thing? Also what are some of your favorite fall alpine ice climbs?

[Dru]

first week of November 2003

Cheam Range

[TimL]

Since I have not climbed in the Cascades for the past couple of months, I have no idea of the conditions. but A couple that fall alpine ice climbs that come to mind are NE Face of Eldo (easy), NF of Observation Rock (easy solo), NF of Shuksan, Roman Headwall on Baker, Price glacier on Shuksan.

 

I´ll be back in the Cascades around the end of September to mid October and seriously interested in getting out into the mountians to do some of these climbs if anyone is interested.

 

[ken4ord]

I'll definitely be interested in hitting up some fall ice. Cool picture Dru, that place looks awesome.

[J_Fisher]

Ok I know I want to get on the NW coluir on Eldo, when is the season for that thing? Also what are some of your favorite fall alpine ice climbs?

 

For the gully climbs, like NW couloir on Eldo, NF routes on Hood, it's not so much the season but getting the right combination of Wx: big, wet fall storms mixed with strong high pressure systems to freeze thaw the glop into water ice, then a window of decent Wx to actaully climb it before the true winter storms bury everything in snow. Last fall conditions were pretty good.

 

The climbs TimL lists are less condition dependant. They are fall climbs b/c that's when they stop being snow climbs plus conditions are safer with cold night/cooler days.

 

The crux of these routes (for me) has always been hitting the right convergence of Wx, weekend and partner availability.

[John Frieh]

Good point J Fisher... the type of ice Ken4ord wants to climb will determine which routes fit his requirements. Another glacial ice climb similar to eldo and friends would be ice cliff on Stuart. Additionally, though a longer drive, a number of the couloir routes in Cali are in right now (if not starting to get out of season). If you have a bulk of time this might be worth the drive... ice 9 couloir anyone?

[Alex]

first week of November

 

I'd second that, not just for 2003 but for any season.

 

Seems like prime early season is anytime from 3rd week of Oct (higher in the alpine, like Shuksan and Eldorado) to whenever the first real snows bury things and rain washes the lowland ice out. In the past few years we've definitely seen several weeks of dry weather in Oct, Nov, and Dec where alpine ice is real good.

[Paco]

I recall seeing a moderate looking rock and ice route up the north face of the Triads that caught my atttention a few years back. Does anyone have a picture of the north face of the triads around october - november?

 

Ken, As far as fall ice routes in the cascades the geography to look for is high elevation couloirs and/or rock faces with permanent snowfields or glaciers above them. It's hard to count on enough precipitation to create a meaningful amount of ice/neve before winter really settles in. Routes like the NF Couloir on Eldo form because of the melt freeze from the permanent snow above it. Precipitation can help this route some, but it will quickly change the route from a technical rock and ice route into a snow/neve/easier ice route.

 

Most people seem to head into the NF of Eldo in early November, but I think it would be really cool to go in during October. The route would be much more technical rock and ice at this time.

 

Routes like the East Face couloir on Cutthroat need a lot of precipitation to form to create a source for the melt freeze. Routes like this are spring routes.

 

Another thing I have noticed is that the rain starts falling in Seattle around October, but the Cascades (at least in my two years here) seem very prone to temperature inversions in the fall. Meaning it might be lousy on raining in Seattle, but the mountains above are dry. More reason to look for climbs with melt freeze sources already above them for fall ice routes.

 

Scope those topo maps and do a little exploring.

 

Also, skykilo climbed the NF of Shuksan last fall and said there was a cool looking water ice between sections of glacial ice.

 

A few guys also climbed some fall ice on the rock cliffs on the left hand side of the Nisqually. Click Here!

 

Hope all of this helps.

 

There's also this route!

[Dru]

 

Stoke, stoke, stoke.

[ken4ord]

Dru what is that one, it looks like it would be fun?

[Dru]

Same as the other photo in this thread, "Once in a Red Moon", Cheam Range

[Dru]

powder snow is not ice keep your freshiez out of the ice stoke

[Ireneo_Funes]

Stoke fight!

[Chad_A]

That's okay, shred...we all know what that white stuff up there is going to turn into...mmmm....mmmm...