banks lake

[AFIVE]

I notice the weather in Electric City has been in the 20's at night, but a bit warm during the day. The 10 day forcast is showing highs around 36. My experience has shown that place needs two to three weeks of those temps to get leadable ice. Anyone from Spokane or other nearby town been over there to get a look? I am also curious about the routes in the cave up on the summit before you get to the cable. Are those drytool routes? Is there ever ice that forms at the lip? Are those rock climbs? I have been climbing up there for the last three seasons and have never seen ice in or at the top of the cave. I have never seen anyone climbing in there either. Just curious if anyone has beta on it. Thanks in advance for info on ice that is starting to come in. The flows that have come in good seem to be different every season.

[Marty]

I and another guy bolted some routes in a cave that's about a 10 second approach from the highway. Some of the routes never get 30 feet off the deck cause they're so steep. Is this the cave you're talking of? Those were ment to be sport routes just never finished and I doubt Ice forms in this cave. You could try it but Im sure they're burly.

[John Frieh]

Marty: Directions Please! Do the routes have anchor bolts? Easily TRable? # of routes? Any other beta?

 

AFIVE: gyselinck or one of the other Ellensburg crew might know... I'll check in with gyselinck.

[Paul_detrick]

No ice yet, been watching, but its way to warm during the day. Will post when something forms worth climbing. Paul

[Marty]

It was probably about 7 yrs. since we were there. The climbing is really cool. Mostly rock wrestling with bizzare knee bars and big muscle climbing. The real drawback was that the warm up was probably about in the mid 13 range, and I had so many other projects in other areas with warm ups etc, that getting people to go with me was a bit difficult. I think all the routes have anchors but some still may need cleaning and work. If you start trying them keep me posted. It will take some mutant strength to send some of those lines. Oh and there's about 5 routes bolted at the moment i belive. Have at it.

[AFIVE]

It sounds like the cave. Right up on the summit just to the south of the ice route "the cable". Haven't tried them yet. Wasn't sure if they were rock routes or not. They do look burley for DTing. Have you sent them with rubber and skin? Would you want a bunch of steel all over your routes? The first time I noticed the routes there was a fixed static line from the top of the cave. We are talking about the same spot? The daytime temps have plummeted on the 10 day forcast. Somethin' has to be stiffening up soon. I may do a recon sooner than later. Thanks for the responses Paul and Marty. John if the cave I saw is the same as Marty's routes I can get you the beta. If Marty doesn't mind you scratching around on his rock climb that is.

[Alex]

that sounds pretty cool

[gosolo]

Hi,I second what Paul said. I was at Vantage Saturday. In the shade it is staying a bit cool, but seems too warm yet for anything substantial. However, this new cold front (in the dust bowl area) might help out....

[Jens]

I know which cave you speak of. A chunk of cord or soemthing was hanging off it a while back. The cave looks like a cool sport rock climbing cave but I've not ever seen any ice or verglass anywhere in the vicinity.

If the warmup is mid thirteen it's way outta my league though!

I don't think it would be a place to mixed climb.

 

This could be a really good year for Banks.

[AFIVE]

I have been up in the cave looking at the four to six bolted lines. They do look possible to drytool. I didn't get on any of the lines not knowing if they were rock climbs or mixed/DT routes. I also have never seen any drips near the cave. It looks like my crack climbing plans for this weekend are a bit chilly and white. I guess I'll make the drive on Friday morning!! I will be there Friday and Saturday. I'll post what I see or don't see on Sunday. Hopefully I'll have some good news to report.

[Marty]

Im 90% sure there is not any ice in this cave. The routes were bolted in Febuary and the idea was "dry rock" for climbing not some seepy mess we had to wait till july to climb on. If you wanted to drytool some stuff, get a drill and start checking around the ~26 miles of bassalt rim that surrounds the lake. Got to be some good overhanging ice patches/seeps in there somewhere. That Devils Punchbowl (I think thats what its called) right offt he road to the west of the granite cliffs looks excellent but Im not sure if the rock would hold bolts or not. Pleanty of steepness and Ice, just needs equipment (if possible) and big guns.

[Marty]

Just another thought on Ice climbing around here. McLaughlin Canyon, just north of Omak may have Ice on some of the walls in winter. Never read anything or witnessed it (I don't ice climb so I dont really seek it out) but there's lots of walls facing in many directions so could be some stuff.

[bwrts]

From a Local FA (can't remember name), I was told bolting is not allowed in the Mclaughlin Canyon and will be removed...keeping it traditional... just in case an investigating ice climber decides bolts are essential to linking drips...

[John Frieh]

I love how "locals" think they can dictate what can and can't be done in "their" area regardless of whether or not they actually plan on climbing there.

 

"I'll never touch that choss... but you can't bolt it!"

[bwrts]

there are apparently many climbs there...all sans bolts...

[gyselinck]

Thats be elitist talk.

 

SPeaking of which, has anyone seen Fugs Falls this year in Vantage? I've been going there a bit and there appears to be no water coming down the wall. I was wondering if the pond above dried up due to the low water year? That sucks. In which case, im claiming the last ascent!

 

Also, I hear Umptaneum drip is almost in for E-bugers.

[ffpm79]

Took a drive up north from moses lake this a.m. to check banks and other climbs in the coulee. "Cowgirls" has a line that looks climbable within the next day or two but pretty thin. None of the banks climbs look doable yet except possibly the right hand side of Devils Punchbowl. The icicles above it are huge though and one popped off while I was there. Lower Trotskys is lacking about 3 feet in the middle but the pool at the base still needs to freeze. Some of the climbs should be good by the next weekend. Salt and Peppa has no ice at all. Lack of precip up there seems to be taking its toll.

[AFIVE]

I was at Banks on Friday and Saturday. Friday seemed really warm! I don't know what the temps were that day, but it seemed to be melting the ice. It cooled back down and Saturday was much colder. Salt and Pepper was huge the last two seasons. Like ffpm79 said it must rely on more snow melt. I also believe that the water flows off the mesa differently from year to year. The Cable was close (another two weeks) You could TR it, but the first 15 feet would be DTing to the ice. Champagne is trying, and Scotch on the rocks is looking good. The Emerald is about as close as the Cable. Not much on H2O2 or Zenith. Flows that were big the last two seasons were non existant, and other flows that weren't in last year were looking close to being in. I know of three folks that headed to Strobach on Sunday....Hopefully they will let us know what they saw. As long as the daytime temps are right around freezing....Things will be well worth the drive in a couple of weeks.

[John Frieh]

I'd just like to say FUCK YES to people sharing info on conditions! Constant conditions updates in combination with good trip reports make this website the dank shit.

 

Thanks to everyone!

[DirtyHarry]

I love how "locals" think they can dictate what can and can't be done in "their" area regardless of whether or not they actually plan on climbing there.

 

"I'll never touch that choss... but you can't bolt it!"

 

So then I guess you wouldn’t mind if I came over to your place and drank your beer and had a turn on your girlfriend? After all, you won’t be using her, you’ll be too busy out drytooling with the bro’s.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

I agree John. I think with ice climbing, everyone wants to protect the ice for themselves, but if info on lots of areas is out there, it should hopefully disperse things a little. Also, hopefully it keeps people from driving somewhere on a whim and entertaining themselves on partially formed ice and ruining something for the rest of the season.

[kurthicks]

NWS Forecast:

 

For: Electric City .

Created: December 05, 2005 14:12:11 PST

 

This Afternoon: Mostly cloudy. Isolated snow showers. Probability of measurable precipitation 10 percent. Northwest wind 9 mph. High 28.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated snow showers. Probability of measurable precipitation 10 percent. North wind 9 mph. Low 14.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy. North wind 9 mph. High 22.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy. North wind 10 mph. Low 10.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. North wind 10 mph. High 21.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow showers. Low 15.

Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 28.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy. Low 18.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. High 31.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Low 22.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Patches of fog. High 32.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy. Low 25.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy. Patches of fog. High 30.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy. Low 29.

Monday: Mostly cloudy. Patches of fog. High 29

[John Frieh]

I love how "locals" think they can dictate what can and can't be done in "their" area regardless of whether or not they actually plan on climbing there.

 

"I'll never touch that choss... but you can't bolt it!"

 

So then I guess you wouldn’t mind if I came over to your place and drank your beer and had a turn on your girlfriend? After all, you won’t be using her, you’ll be too busy out drytooling with the bro’s.

 

That's a new approach Harold... nice angle! At least someone has some creativity on this page. A for effort!

 

Unfortunately my girl drytools/climbs so she will be there with me... sorry! I don't keep much beer in the fridge but I have a lot of salmon leftover from the AK trip... you could grill some of that up.

[DirtyHarry]

Sockeye - the neutrinos of AK.

[John Frieh]

Silvers and Kings in my freezer d00d

 

Keep trying!