[TR] WA pass ice- several 12/23/2005

[scott_johnston]

Climb: WA pass ice-several

 

Date of Climb: 12/23/2005

 

Trip Report:

The road cuts at WA pass are in great shape these days. Have made a thre trips in the last week before the snow covers them.

 

Most of the 8-10 lines are around 80' and from WI3-5 with some fun TR mixed lines. Conditions are better than last year but the fun WI3/AI3 gullies are too dangerous now. Most lines have trees at thge top or fixed gear that may require digging for.

 

Lib Bell gullies 1&2 had run pretty big and I suspect they will have run again today as it was dumping when we left at 4pm.

 

Rainey lake falls is the biggest I hasve ever seen it. All three lines are in fat but now have major avy hazard. These are climbs of 4-500' and are threatened big time by slopes below the old Lyman galcier.

 

Gear Notes:

Snomo, screws, rope,the ususal stuff

 

Approach Notes:

snomo to base of climb, belay from there.

Edited December 25, 2005 by scott_johnston

[kurthicks]

it was dumping when we left at 4pm.

so it's snowing up there, eh?

 

good news for once.

[John Frieh]

Bump. Any updates? Anybody been up the road?

 

Scott: how have the temps been? Think these are still in?

[treknclime]

Good question, John. I used to climb the road cuts up the W side...and could often get up the road in low snow years, when the road was "closed," but the gate remained open. Got in some early ice there. Wonder how the E side of the highway is do'in. Scott?

[scott_johnston]

Yes, the ice is still in. We got the expected big avy cycle over the weekend. Temps since then have been hovering just below freezing. Lots of snow yesterday up high and snowing all day hard here in Mazama today. Friends climbed on the road cut below the spires yesterday.

Scott