Lilloet, B.C.

[wpleasance]

Climbed in the vicinity of the Rambles on 28 December. The snow was about 8-12 inches deep on the trail up the hill following the flourescent tape. Two climbers did the left gully (with the tree trunk)--it looked thick, albeit wet. We went right to the next gully--it was wet but well formed enough to find a line out of the fall line of the flow. The lower two "steps" were climbed fairly handily (WI3-4) but we could only salivate at the upper wall due to approaching darkness. It looks well formed. Anyone familiar with the names of these climbs let me know. Temperatures were right at or below freezing during the day--made for comfortable climbing.

[Rodchester]

If you are talking about the main area at the Rambles...I have always just heard it refered to as the Rambles. There are no names that I know of, anybody else?

The main Rambles area is WI2 and maybe some short WI3-. To the right of the main area (150 meters) there is another area that I would rate as a WI3, but many say it is just WI2+.

Above each, the main area and the right area, there are upper areas that will range from WI2 to WI4.

I know the ratings are very hard to get down and I do not cliam to be the master, but that is my feeling and that of the masses that hit the area.

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Have a nice day.

[Wopper]

Has anybody been up to Lillooet in the last couple of weeks? If so what kind of shape are the Rambles in? Is the screw placement good?

[Rodchester]

Wopper,

I have been up to the Rambles the past two weekends. The entire Rambles area is in good shape and most all of it protects with screws rather well.

A couple of shorties always help in a pinch and are always recommended. The Rambles enjoys a long season. It is fairly high in elevation and is well-protected from sunlight, it is north facing.

Climbing can get crowded there so get on it early and go.

Remember that there is more ice about a 10 minute slog above the main area that very few ever go to. Two sets of flows are up top, each offering varied levels of diffculty.

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Have a nice day.

[Guest]

Climbed at Icy BC area on 1/27/01. Ice is still in a great shape. It reformed with this strong, solid cauliflowers that are so good for hooking - 3rd pitch of Icy BC was well healed and climbable on the left, center and right. Dippng Wall was quite fat.

At 1:30 PM the Dipping Wall was wery wet and dripping but the upper (2) parts (IcyBC) were fine. Also the somewhat thin climb to the right of the Wait For Spring was fine (dry).

1/28/01. Synchronicity is very well and still strong with a beatiful looking top 15 feet of the last pitch (where everyone rappels from). Just above it there is about 25-30 feet of the similar, just surreal looking, transparent ice, also healthy, worth spending some extra time. We started to rappel at about noon and everything was fine. I'd be very carefull if climbing/decending much later after that.

Hope the weather stays cold!

[Guest]

A correction for the Synchronicity conditions:

The ice on the first major tier, pitches 3 & 4 by Don Serl's book, is quite solid on the surface and tools stick well, but there is a lot of water running under the ice wall and good signs that the entire thing may collapse as a whole. Especially if the weather stays as it is, days are getting longer and this part receives more sun than the one above... It has already collapsed and reformed once. When the party in front of us started climbing a large ~4 ft long 2" wide horizontal crack developed.

The top of the upper tier is a tube as well as the small waterfall above!

Please watch and t r a c k the weather during this week and start e a r l y !

[This message has been edited by rafael (edited 01-29-2001).]

[daler]

I hate sqeeze plays but thought folks would want to know!! i climbed the thin smear to the left of the dihedral a couple of years ago. Nothing new of course as i'm sure it had been climbed before. But I did place a solid pin under the roof that is still in place. With the freeze thaw make sure you check it before clipping! A fun alternate at the now normaly crowded area.

Dale

[Ade]

So this is further left again... I've not heard of this one before, and from memory I can't visualise it.

So this would mean that from left to right.

Dale's route (smear l of dihedral)

The Dihedral (fat and wet at the moment)

Waite for Spring (thin route on the face)

The Deepening Wall

Deepening Wall Direct (r at half height to continue the pillar)

No Deductable (icy wall 10m? left of Icy BC)

Icy BC (plus numerous variations)

Dale - does this make sense?

Ade

[This message has been edited by Ade (edited 01-29-2001).]

[CascadeClimber]

I think you are incorrect about Waite for Spring. And it is Deeping (not Deepening) Wall.

Perhaps this will help:

http://www.bivouac.com/casbc/18jan01photo1.htm

-CC

[daler]

Ade,

First of all I wouldn't declare it my route. Just a fun variation to the Dihedral. But your list is correct. Although that last two years the dihedral and Wait for Spring have formed as one large flow. Also the corner to left of the deeping wall( 10 feet to the left ) sometimes forms with ice - also a fun "variation"

Dale

[This message has been edited by daler (edited 01-29-2001).]

[rayborbon]

Actually I think the photos on the linked page above may be a little misleading. I am not sure they are labeled correctly.

The one labeled Deeping Wall may not be. I really don't care about the names... This is the one I mentioned above. I believe Deeping Wall is the fat one you walk upon as soon as you get there.

I may be incorrect but anyhow they are all good climbs and different from each other.

-Ray

[Ade]

I think Waite for Spring is the thin climb to the right of the corner, furthest left on the main wall. Here's part of an update, written by Don Serl, to the BC guide in CAJ '96.

"Some confusion has resulted from my lack of specificity in my description of the lefthand route. Waite for Spring climbs the Grade 4 flow on the main face; the usually considerably more difficult ice in the dihedral to the left is a separate line, whose history I am completely unclear on. May I suggest the incredibly imaginative name of “The Dihedral” for this feature?"

BTW: I think we bumped into you guys. We were doing Icy BC on Saturday morning, we were the second party on the 1st pitch of the route first thing in the morning.

Must go and do Synchronicity... Sounds great!

Ade

 

[This message has been edited by Ade (edited 01-29-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Ade (edited 01-29-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Ade (edited 01-29-2001).]

[rayborbon]

Rafael is correct there is a climb left of Deeping Wall and right of Waite For Spring. Thin at the bottom and fattens up higher. It is about Grade 4 I guess and very different from the other routes in that area.

Be careful at the Rambles if it is crowded as you can get clobbered by large chunks of ice. Consider elsewhere if it is.

I think I am gonna hit Salmon Stakes next time. I kind of like the idea of wading the river

BTW wspleasance the upper part has 2 options. We went right, it sees less traffic and I hear it is better. We belayed under the vertical step, climbed for 15 meters with good tree belay above. It is strenuous but not as hard as it looks with good pro.

-Ray

[This message has been edited by rayborbon (edited 01-29-2001).]

[This message has been edited by rayborbon (edited 01-29-2001).]

[Ade]

Ray is correct, in both respects. Names who cares?

But... it bugged me so I checked this with various reliable sources. The picture labelled "Waite for Spring" is in fact "The Dihedral" and the picture of "Deeping Wall" is actually "Waite for Spring". So the original ordering was correct.

Ade

 

[Lyle_Knight]

Dale, I talked with a guy tonight who said the pin to the left of The Dihedral came out in his fingers. He estimates 5+ for the route.

BTW: Ade has the Marble route order dialed. In addition, there is an overhanging corner just left of Deeping Wall, with a few manky 1/4" bolts. It sometimes has some random smears along the way. It's been TR'ed at M7 (5.11a/b). It was originally called "Pink Cadillac" by the Garry Brace (Kamloops) and friends, working on the FA (early '80's, I think).

[This message has been edited by Lyle Knight (edited 02-09-2001).]

[Guest]

Lyle, Ade, anybody knows what the "No Deductable" is rated at? (I hope you don't say M5, I could hardly climb it on TOP-ROPE) The first 3 bolts are about 1.5m apart and then there is nothing for about 7!

Also there is a bolted line about 3-4m to the left, what is that?

Regards,

Rafael.

[rayborbon]

I think it goes around M7.. But when the ratings get that hard how can one tell unless they do it. I think the climbablility of the route changes throughout the season making it harder or if you could say it "less difficult".

When you climb it let us all know eh!

Lyle?

-Ray

[This message has been edited by rayborbon (edited 02-19-2001).]

[Dru]

The first ascent reported it as "5.6, WI5+, A-tree". I t had more ice than there is now though.

Anybody have any idea who the Washington climbers on the "Kanaka Kolumn" on saturday afternoon were?

[Guest]

OOOK, thank you guys. I just hope it puts the beginning rock part to [at least] somewhere at .10a (not to offend the first ascent party). That's what I thought while swearing my way up.

No, not whining. Really

[dan_e]

I was on synchronicity on Sunday and it was in great shape. The upper pitches are solid and stable. We did not see what Rafael was talking about, pitches 3 & 4 (really 2 & 3) were well formed and did not appear to be weakening. The short upper section before the rap stations had some thin/clear sections, but was also stable. We topped out around 1 pm and played around with the last section of ice, TR'd the overhanging stuff, it was quite fun. Unless things warm up fast, this climb should be in for a while longer.

We also did Carl's Berg on Saturday. There is plenty of ice, but it was difficult to climb. It's a solid 5 right now. The climb takes pro fairly well, but has no solid ice until the last 30' before the tree on the right. This was my first good pump of the season!

[Lyle_Knight]

rafael,

Last I heard it was rated M5, but I'll check around.

L

[Guest]

Please use http://www.bivouac.com/casbc/ice0001.htm for b o t h submitting info a n d learning about recent/current conditions and access issues (my cc.com report is almost a month old!)

[Guest]

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[This message has been edited by rafael (edited 02-23-2001).]

[Ade]

Details of KK can be found on the

new routes page

Ade

[Ade]

Was up in Lillooet for the final fix of the season... The season is pretty much at an end now although there's still stuff to do as some of the bigger lines are still around especially if they're sheltered but anything exposed so the sun is pretty much gone; Carls Berg etc.

Beware of serious avalanche danger on some seemingly safe routes. Loose Lady looks to be still climbable but is threatened by a huge slide area above. This is NOT VISIBLE from the road. When this goes it comes down across the road.

Ade