Rumors of ice?? conditions update??

[FBCC]

like everyone else, I am psyched to swing the tools, but am tired of having my day of possible ice climbing turn into a conditioning hike.

 

Yes, I know, I can just wait until later in the season or go far north, but regardless maybe we can save each other the hassle of driving far for nothing.

 

So, Since the rains and within a 3 hour drive of Seattle does anyone know of ice routes that are in that are worth the trip?

 

Or just confirm what you know is not in, to save the rest of us the long drive.

 

thanks

Andy

 

 

[Dave S]

Trent posted some pictures of great ice conditions near colonial peak. The ice at baker ski area is in quite well, not fat, but leadable. I wish I could be more helpful. If you get the time, go to Cody, It is awesome right now, the river, is already starting to freeze over. Good luck and have fun.

[eric8]

Define worth the trip.

[FBCC]

Define worth the trip.

 

something you can go up more then once, and still have something left for additional runs or something that is not more mixed then ice.

[eric8]

Well, I'm in Wyoming at the moment so i can't exactly tell you where to go. But EVERYTIME i have been to the millennium wall in leavenworth there has been ice when the rest of leavenworth looked like shit, as it always does. But its really one 1 short pitch of grade 3 or 4 ice depending on conditions you can however usually run laps on it till your hearts content.

 

According to this page http://www.wastateice.net/Conditions.aspx flow reversal has been climbed... and if its not in you can always play around on the rap wall.

 

And according to this page pan dome, as already mentioned, has been climbed, http://uw.cascadeclimbers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=21412&sid=8ab0263fdb70b62e441520322efd0920

 

 

[Weekend_Climberz]

You should resign yourself to driving 5 hours and making a weekend out of the stuff up North. You could make it a day trip even, if you got up early enough.

[Hendershot]

Last Sat, I was able to get a pitch in on the Unnamed wall next to Rap Wall on Bryant.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l315/chiatt311/PC080175.jpg

[bigbowsky]

Here is what I know,

 

In the last 3 weeks....

 

We climbed flow reversal in very difficult conditions probably 3 weeks ago... probably WI6 or more like m7 with rock gear the entire way (we only had 2 screws) on delaminated ice. It was a go however because the rock gear was solid and a crucial fixed pin at the crux was there where I would have backed off otherwise.

 

The next day probably 3 weeks ago we climbed the Cosley Houston Route on Baker. Truely a magnificent climb. I would rate it in the very brittle conditions we found it (it was 12° F the entire day) WI5 at the pillar with much easier terrain.

 

Two weeks ago we climbed a fun line on the way out to the Flow Reversal area in Alpental. It was the obvious pillar coming off the summer trail on the way in (hiking in it would be on the right side of the valley.) It was very fun 2-3 pitch WI4 with a really fun "chockstone" that you have to go behind. We were excited to potentially try a new line to the left of Flow reversal but with the new snow you couldn't see it anymore. Other than that I made it to Canmore over the weekend so cant say about much else in WA. My hunch is that Lilloet is completely in except for maybe some of the difficult climbs like the Loose Lady or any hanging pillars.

 

Someone post on Lilloet soon!

 

Ps. how is the Rap wall forming up? Anything?

 

 

[Alex]

" It was very fun 2-3 pitch WI4 with a really fun "chockstone" that you have to go behind. "

 

It's called Chockstone in the guidebook.

 

I am updating the conditions page tonight.

 

Rap Wall is dry. There have already been some posts on Lillooet

[FBCC]

Thanks for the info

 

Alex I look forward to the conditions page being update

[kurthicks]

anyone seen Drury yet?

[Alex]

I did just now. It's nothing you probably don't already know from reading this thread...early in the season yet but for WA we are already getting out and climbing, that's pretty good! I am psyched to see Lillooet SO fat SO early, I remember years when going up there on the 15th of Dec meant scratching out at Marble for 2 days.

 

A little bird told me Drury was in.

[pdk]

I was up messing around near Strobach Mountain thursday (dec 13). The Watchtower area looks about like it does in the guidebook. I didn't make it up to where the other climbs were located, so I can't comment on conditions except to note that its cold enough for it and there was ice elsewhere. The road is passable to the bushwack if you have 4/AWD. I didn't, so my recon trip got cut a little short. Or long. or whatever....

[Alex]

Sweet. The fact that there is even ice forming the the groud up there is a positive sign for January!

[mountainmatt]

Just found some good stuff at Snoq. Pass, TR to follow later tonight...

 

2 pitch, WI 3, right off the PCT, ~2 miles in

[FBCC]

Nice mountainmatt

 

I look forward to hearing the TR as we were thinking about reconing the area tomorrow. did it take screws??

 

2 miles in where? up the summer trail?

 

 

[rat]

leavenworth:

drury--last pitch unformed on wednesday 12/12.

drip--nope.

smear, silver tongue and icicle junction areas--mixed bag.

careno crags--bag o' mixed.

snow creek wall--not much ice as seen from valley but turf might be ok.

left side of duty dome and peekaboo tower area--mixed.

lazy boy gully--thin.

rat creek climbs--thin.

hubba hubba and flows to left and right--thin but definitely climbable on 12/14.

chimney/fault about 200' left of hubba hubba--very nice easy/moderate (maybe a bit of filthy 5.8 in the summer) mixed climbing for 3 full pitches (the last one a bit contrived). pro to 4" and a few stubbies on 12/14.

[kurthicks]

thanks rat.

[mountainmatt]

PM me if you have questions.

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/752801#Post752801

 

 

[FBCC]

great info everybody

 

thanks

 

I deffinately have targets for Saturday and Sunday

 

I will keep this going, linking any TR from my weekend

 

thanks again

[Jens]

Another option:

4:52 drive time to Lillooet from Seattle and it is a better ice venue than Hyalite.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

the ice on sweet renton granite was shaping up pretty well on wednesday:

 

 

 

[FBCC]

Hiked Back into Alpental today

 

Found good climable ice at the Kiddie Cliff? or Wrap Wall?

 

The folks that were there said it was the Wrap Wall, but when I read the Wrap Wall Description in the guide book it did not sound correct.

 

The area fit the description of the Kiddie Cliffs

It was worth the hike. Deffinately need snow shoes or skis as a lot of new snow has fallen in the past 24 hours.

 

some pics are below

 

By the way if you can definatively identify it as the Kiddie Cliffs or Wrap Wall; I would be interested in knowing

 

 

Golden Retriever (Honey) mascot for the day toughed out the cold

 

Andy

Edited December 16, 2007 by FBCC

[Alex]

It's "Not Quite a Plum" and was climbed a few times last weekend as well. From the top tree (on the right) you can actually climb another pitch that is pretty fun continuing on mellow terrain above.

 

Kiddie Cliff is further down the valley along the winter trail, just before the winter trail enters the upper valley to Source Lake by a small cliff band.

[FBCC]

Thanks Alex

 

We did not walk any further then this

 

A lot of Snow was falling and we were concerned with the Avalanche potential further up into the bowl.

 

Has anyone recently checked out the Hotline or WI 3+ to see if they are in?

 

(by the way)

By your description if the Kiddie Cliff are where I think they are, they are not in at all.