Banks Lake Ice

[sws]

any info about how these climbs are forming up would be appreciated

[NYC007]

word is nothing yet. only a few days of cold weather.

[WageSlave]

How much cold weather does it usually take for them to form up?

[Paul_detrick]

week or two

[Jens]

I wonder how the water is feeding the climbs? The last two years some routes weren't getting the water they usually get (farmers?) and some cliffs were getting way more water.

[DirtyHarry]

I think those climbs are fed by ground water. I would imagine ground water is pretty abundant right now since this has been a rather wet month. But maybe there is some more complicated hydrology shit to consider. I'll look into it.

[bwrts]

The best year I remember out in the scablands was around 1996 or so. This was due to the amount of snow on the ground and constant cold. It acually looked like the Icefields pkway when driving in areas such as the palisades or moses coulee...formations everywhere. Some were very impressive. Not sure on the complexities of groundwater contributions. As for farmers feeding the ice formations... this seems most unlikely due to lack of watering needs in the winter. But then groundwater does not move that fast in the basaltic underburden. So perhaps the watering during the summer does reflect itself during the winter when the water finally leaks it way out on cliffsides and drainages. The most improtant contribution is the snowpack, current COLD and consistant weather. Whatever the case, I am sure DHarry will have the more correct answer after he looks into it...

 

[Paul_detrick]

Snowfall is what we need. 1996 great year. Not much snow at all, if we get snow and it stays around 30 degress that tends to make the best routes. I hate to say it but it got too cold too fast, but should get warmer here this weekend, lets just hope its not too warm.