Skatan Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 With the cooler temps finally here just wondering if any one has been out by Banks or Quincy areas latetly? Quote
smithisheaven Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 no actual climbable ice yet but with the cold temps predicted could be starting to come in shape later this week. was there on the 30th and yet to be formed up sufficiently. Quote
Pugsly Posted January 6, 2005 Posted January 6, 2005 Was there yesterday (1/5), not yet formed, really. Routes seem to be building but haven't touched down yet or are way thin. Lots of dripping and nice cold temps tho so still a matter of time... Quote
southernmtguide Posted January 9, 2005 Posted January 9, 2005 The Cable was almost touching down yesterday. Even Cowgirls get the Blues was in, a bit thin, but leadable. Should get better with the weather we have forecast for the next week or so. Quote
nolanr Posted January 10, 2005 Posted January 10, 2005 Saw some guys had led a rock pitch around The Cable and set up a top rope on it on Saturday. The ice at Devils Punchbowl was a little rotten, it warmed up during the day and a bunch of the big icicles formed on the overhang detached and came crashing down. Sketchy! Quote
kurthicks Posted January 10, 2005 Posted January 10, 2005 thought i would add a little more: the brush climbs are getting close, Salt & Pepper appears to be a no show, Agent Orange is filling in also but not there yet, Zenith has a long way to go as it's only coming down ~20 feet on the upper pitch. I took some pics on friday and will try to post them later. Quote
kurthicks Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 This will bring the crowds, I'd bet, but... Â climbed out at Banks yesterday with NYC007. conditions are improving, but the ice is still generally thin. we spent the day at PeeWee's, mostly TRing a 5+ pillar on the left side. it's probably thick enough to lead for those who climb that hard. Other than that, we saw a party from Oregon in Devil's Punchbowl (the death-cicles are there) and then they showed up at Peewee's. topouts there are super thin. Â For specifics: The Cable hasn't touched down, Zenith has grown but isn't in, Agent Orange is getting close, Absent Minded Professor isn't in, Fred's Gully looks in, most everything else looks like it might be climbable to some degree. we didn't drive up to Electric Avenue. Quote
MCash Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 Thanks for the report. How about Trotsky's Folly and Revenge, the stuff to the left of the Punchbowl? Leadable? Quote
kurthicks Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 (edited) yes. oh, and More Banks Ice looks leadable on the right side. it had the bluest ice of everything we saw. Edited January 13, 2005 by wazzumountaineer Quote
Jens Posted January 14, 2005 Posted January 14, 2005 --is in. Â I climbed there Sunday after spending Saturday at Alpental. I talked to a dude on the phone a couple of hours ago who lives in the region and he said that it hit -10 at his house recently? ___ Somebody seriously needs to bolt a bunch of mixed routes out there because that place has more mixed potential than Hyalite in my humble opinion. Huge overhangs to hanging daggers. Quote
snodger Posted January 15, 2005 Posted January 15, 2005 (edited) I 'm trying to post pictures from a couple of days ago, if they aren't here check the ice gallery. Â Well couldn't figure out how to get the pictures here so here's a description of what we saw. Â As already mentioned above it seems like most of the bigger climbs aren't quite in yet. From the road champagne looks good but is only barely down, perhaps those with more experience would consider it do-able, but not me. Â Even Cowgirls get the blues looked thin, and sometime between tuesday and thurs. a large hanging curtain on the left side fell off. Â On thurs. when we left the cable was still about 10' from touching down but there is a nice looking climb (I thought H2o2, but not sure) right off the road about a half mile down from the cable. Â We hiked up to The emerald and its maybe half way down. Â The best bet seems to be pewee's playground, varied lines and some cool looking columns. On the right side is a group of four closely spaced pillars that I thought looked pretty nice. Â As Wazzu mentioned above we climbed both trotsky's lines and half our group braved death from above at the punch bowl. I really enjoyed the short upper section of Trotsky's Folly- just perfect for my first lead, highly recommended for a bit of fun. Â Hey Wazzu, we were wishing we had the skills and balls to try that column you were on by the way is "More ice" the line thats just down from the Cable? I was thinking that was H2o2- but my reading of the guidebook maps was off a bit all week. Â We also hiked up to the beer bottle flows and as best i could tell Bavarian Dark and Soda Pop were in but thin and rainer light was barely there' Edited January 15, 2005 by snodger Quote
gyselinck Posted January 19, 2005 Posted January 19, 2005 Does this warm weather mean Banks is done for the year? Or could it be a sign of good things to come if it gets cold again the following week? Quote
Alex Posted January 19, 2005 Posted January 19, 2005 dude, its only mid-january! some ice climbs can form in as few as 3-4 days with decently cold temps Quote
kurthicks Posted January 21, 2005 Posted January 21, 2005 Hey Wazzu, we were wishing we had the skills and balls to try that column you were on  Here is NYC007 on said pillar:  And The Cable on 1/9/05. Quote
kurthicks Posted January 22, 2005 Posted January 22, 2005 I led the WI3 gully to the right and scrambled/rapped to the top of the pillar. It was big enough to be led though. Quote
eric8 Posted January 22, 2005 Posted January 22, 2005 (edited) Edited January 22, 2005 by eric8 Quote
Alex Posted January 22, 2005 Posted January 22, 2005 Hey Wazzu, we were wishing we had the skills and balls to try that column you were on Here is NYC007 on said pillar: Â Pretty sure thats H202 in lean mean conditions Quote
snodger Posted January 22, 2005 Posted January 22, 2005 (edited) Nice picture Waz but it really makes it look smaller than it is. We had a great view from the base o the cliff over to the right - shoulda took a shot of you - but I was fight'n a hang over and not feeling too great. The picture I'm trying to post below give a good view except theres no reference for size- how tall you think that thing was?  Hey Wazzu, we were wishing we had the skills and balls to try that column you were on Here is NYC007 on said pillar:  Pretty sure thats H202 in lean mean conditions  naw, thats definetly in Pewee's playground, heres a picture I took from down on the road it give a better idea of the size:      Hey Gary when (and what) is those pictures from? Edited January 22, 2005 by snodger Quote
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