daler Posted March 11, 2007 Posted March 11, 2007 Ice Lovers- I'm still in Canmore- I have climbed 17 out of 19 days so far and thought I would give a quick update- The temps have been super warm but the north facing climbs have been great and are still in good nick!!! As long as it has not been getting sun it should be good to go- I have been checking temps at the climbs and highs at the base of the stuff I have been climbing has not been above 35f and 25-30 when arriving at the base- Here are some of the routes that I have climbed in the last week- cold air is coming and don't hesitate to make it up as the season is far from over- Right weeping wall- the warmest climb I have done and the sun is getting to it- Louise- Still good but watch afternoon sluffing from above- Wicked Wanda- still in perfect shape and have done it 3 times so far- Sorceror- perfect- 3 laps to date and more to come- Hydrophobia- climbed today and good and steep but perfect ice! Drive into Waiporous is good to just past second crossing and then chains will be needed- Only 1.5 hours from there though! Cryo is starting to fall due to its exposure to the sun!!! 7 more days and then off to Red Rocks- yeah desert!!!!!! Hope this helps!!! Cheers, Dale Quote
Chad_A Posted March 11, 2007 Posted March 11, 2007 Awright, Dale! Thanks for the update. Hope it holds together for the weekend of the 18th. Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Climbed at Grotto today, was +8c and shit was melting fast. The parkway was closed as well as the road to Radium. Hope we'll be able to get back home on Wednesday. Yesterday, in the Ghost, half of GBU fell down and the Valley of the Birds was getting hit pretty hard. Climbed the lower part of Yellow Bird, and a little rambly WI3 to the right of Seagull. Eagle was dripping bad. Better have a good 4x4 if you want to get in to the Ghost. Sean Issac was saying that the ice season is done, but if you are desperate there is still plenty of stuff to get on. Have fun Chad while you're up there, but keep a good close in on the Avy forecasts. Barry Blanchard almost got the chop walking off of Guiness Gully along with his 4 clients Professors should be in for a while and is a great day Quote
David Trippett Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 any word on icefields parkway/polar circus? Quote
Chad_A Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Climbed at Grotto today, was +8c and shit was melting fast. The parkway was closed as well as the road to Radium. Hope we'll be able to get back home on Wednesday. Yesterday, in the Ghost, half of GBU fell down and the Valley of the Birds was getting hit pretty hard. Climbed the lower part of Yellow Bird, and a little rambly WI3 to the right of Seagull. Eagle was dripping bad. Better have a good 4x4 if you want to get in to the Ghost. Sean Issac was saying that the ice season is done, but if you are desperate there is still plenty of stuff to get on. Have fun Chad while you're up there, but keep a good close in on the Avy forecasts. Barry Blanchard almost got the chop walking off of Guiness Gully along with his 4 clients Professors should be in for a while and is a great day Ouch! Well, thanks for that. The forecast for Canmore doesn't look atrocious, but it's the damage that's already been done that alarms me. The forecast for the Icefields is this: http://www.theweathernetwork.com/features/parks/pages/CAAB0617.htm I'd guess that things out there are going to hold on just fine, for a while. Quote
rhyang Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 We're planning to be up there this weekend too. Someone told me that mixed climbing on the limestone up there in warm temps is a bad idea because holds can break off -> needs freezing temps to hold together. But the person I heard this from is a local ice climber up there, not a mixed climber. Any truth to this ? Quote
mccallboater Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 I'd like to share a ride up there from Boise or rendevous with the SLC crowd along the way if I can. My trip to the Sawtooths is postponed, so North is the goal! PM sent to rhyang. Quote
rhyang Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Sorry, wish I could help with the rideshare, but we're flying in the big silver bird ... Quote
Alex Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 Parkway: The deepest snowpack I've ever seen on the Parkway during my time in the Rockies. A really significant avalanche cycle happened in the last week. I mean everywhere, lots of road closures. New snow up at Louise/Rampart last couple nights. Stay off anything remotely av threatened. Check av hazard; bring snowshoes. Weeping Wall is looking fine; Weeping Pillar climbed Tues. Bow Falls in and wintery. Murchison in. Ice Nine is in and climbed Wed. Pather Falls did not form this year. Otherwise, if it has hazard, you're better off next year. David Thompson Highway: No snow down low, but lots of snow up high. Kittyhawk is in, but we ran away. Two Oclock is fat. Elliot Left Hand is in. Nothing But the Breast I think is done for the year. Hafner: Best ice of the trip! Discover how weak you really are in relative safety. Gibraltar & Bull River: Lead Gib Wall (left side) Sat March 10, but actively coming apart. Bull River Canyon is done for the year. Ghost: Sounds like Dale has the goods on the Ghost this year. The most snow I've ever seen in the Ghost, we had a good time doing some real 4wheeling in Scott's pimpin' 4Runner. Fred Beckey knows every climbing female in Canada, it seems. Quote
daler Posted March 16, 2007 Author Posted March 16, 2007 Another update: In the ghost the last three days- More new snow but so far the drifting has not been! Best driving of the last month- Temps at Marker 39 were 3 F yesterday at 7am and only got up to 24 at 3pm. Climbed THOS yesterday and GBU- Both in fat shape- Dirty harry appears to be in! climbed Wanda two days ago still great- Professors a bit wet three days ago but still good- Cheers, Dale Quote
rhyang Posted March 20, 2007 Posted March 20, 2007 Just got back - did Louise Falls on Friday morning, laps at Haffner in the afternoon, Professor's on Saturday, and Carlsberg Column on Sunday. Friday it was snowing lightly, and colder, so the ice was quite good, though the pillar was hacked out with hooks all the way up. Haffner had quite a few lines for practicing - it really tuned up my technique (unfortunately at the end of the season ) Professor's was definitely wet ! And technically we didn't do the last pitch, which looked like a showery chandeliered slushfest. We saw avy debris just below the last pitch too, which was not comforting ... A local bud led us up Carlsberg on Sunday - very very wet and slushy but still good pumpy stuff. Sabretooths and goretex for sure Avy debris below the exposed approach from climber's right. Quote
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