Rumors of ice?? conditions update??

[Chad_A]

Goddamn it, I have to get up there.

 

Thanks for the pics, those pillars look f'n fun!

 

 

[Chad_A]

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

 

I'm sorry, I have to post again. I can't believe no one is on those pillars in those pics! Dammit all....what I would give to have something like that right now near Portland...

 

Good that you all are getting out there and making a go of it. Be careful...sounds like the Cascades are getting a good dump right now.

 

Cheers,

Chad

[kurthicks]

Leavenworth update:

everything that rat said is true. hubba looks to be thin.

Mtneers creek (new stuff all the way up to Mr Seattle)- nope

rainbow - nope

pivotal moment - nope

careno - nope

wet & wild - maybe soon.

chandelier falls - nope

whitepine - maybe, couldn't see it well.

across from Castle - nope

Millenium Walls - in. bring a 60m rope to TR it.

 

take snowshoes.

[FBCC]

Not to worry Chad we hit the pillars too

 

just didn't post the picks

 

 

Thanks

Kurthicks for the Leavenworth update

 

[AlpineMonkey]

From this weekend and last.

12/17

 

 

Strobach - Not in, lots of ice but still needs time

 

Frenchman Coulee - Frenchman Falls possibly in a couple of weeks, fugs and running gear are dry

 

Palisades / Moses Coulee - all wet

 

Leaveworth - Was able to lead 2 routes at Millenium Wall WI 3 - or +, possibly the only climbable ice in L-worth now?

 

Quincy - Nothing in

 

Banks - Climbs are forming

[Hendershot]

Went to Pan Dome Falls yesterday. Lots of fresh snow, bring snow shoes or skis!! I kid you not, I was doing a breast stroke to break trail.

 

The ice was wet and very brittle and looked above my skill level to complete so I opted to rap off the tree to the right of the route.

 

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

[scot'teryx]

Did you forget your scuba mask?

[Hendershot]

Yeah, forgot my scuba gear, but remembered to borrow your daughter's arm floaties. She doesn't swim anymore cause she is sending harder than her armchair alpinist dad.

[Alex]

Hey Monkey, got pics of the secret stash?

 

[Phil K]

Jeff Street and I found enough ice up at Hidden Lake to keep us occupied for the day.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/PhilDeQi/HiddenLakeIce121507

 

PK

[geordie]

It's really been snowing hard in Leavenworth since last night. Please check the avy if you plan on playing in the next few days. Sounds like it is going to dump for a day or two more.

[Hendershot]

Any new updates? Judging by how much it has been dumping lately, it seems likely to continue this weekend.

[FBCC]

Update typed 12/24

Alpental on Saturday 12/22

at a distance the climbs in the front of the valley already were being cover by snow

Jeff, Nick and I hiked back up the winter trail and crossed the creek to the summer trail side and took a looked at Stream direct, it had about 20' of climbable ice. We also glanced Chockstone Falls which looked like it might have the top third pitch in but got our butts out of there as the Avi potential was too high. A lot of snow already back there and even with Snow Shoes off trail travel was labor some.

 

Same Day 12/22

We then headed for Vantage

it was cold and snow had fallen but both Frenchmans and Fugs were not in at all. pure running water on Frenchmans and Fugs just looked dry. The book has Red Rain next to Frenchmans but we did not even see water there so one might assume it is dry.

 

 

 

Stream Direct

 

Frenchman Falls 'just Running water'

 

Jeff and Nick in front of a Dry Fugs Falls

 

Close up of Fugs Falls

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS FOLKS

[kevino]

Did you check out running gear death falls? I would assume its dry as well though..

 

 

[Alex]

wow amazing how dry fugs is in that pic!

[FBCC]

No Kevino, we did not check out running gear death falls

 

As you can see from the pics by time we got to Vantage the light was waning and on the drive over we had already commited ourselves to climbing Fugs with headlamps just so the day was not a total bust. As soon as we glanced a dry Fugs personally (my drive was broken). Nick, however was up for Dry Tooling but Jeff and I could not muster up the interest. We talked about rushing over to checkout Umptanum falls in Ellensburg but in the end resigned ourselves to getting a burger and driving home.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2007 by FBCC

[Jamin]

So is there any decent ice in Alpental where there is no risk from getting buried in a flowing snowfield. It wouldn't have to be too tall or anything.

[fenderfour]

No. I was up there on Monday and most everything is buried and/or under a gnarly slope. We managed to climb something towards the end of the Winter trail. It was maybe 30' tall. It was rotten and flowing heavily, but we wanted to climb. /shrug/

[Hendershot]

I'm headed to Lake Julius tomorrow. If anything, I will end up burning off the Christmas carbs on the approach.

[FBCC]

Lake Julius?

 

are you hiking in or paying for a snowmobile shuttle?

[Alex]

I went up Alpental way to do some skiing today, and MAN they've gotten alot of snow in the last few days. Everything is hip deep, which makes for stellar skiing but poor ice climbing.

 

Chairlift Falls is not really climbable, though it's there. Two anemic looking columns of ice comprise it right now, so I would wait for the warm up early next week to see it get fatter

 

Alpental 1-4 buried.

 

 

[kevino]

Well I had all day to play and no partner, so I went to vantage to check the conditions.

Fugs from afar:

Up close:

I ice bouldered on that section for a little bit. Lots of running water and the was kind of soft. There was also some falling rock and ice.

 

 

Running gear death wall, was COMPLETELY Dry!

 

For contrast, this was the same falls one year ago to the date:

 

Finally, Frechmen Coulee are starting to form, along with the drips on either side.

 

Hopefully in another couple days to week these will be solid. I plan to be exploring more tomorrow.

Edited December 30, 2007 by kevino

[sobo]

OK, my question from your post in the Partners forum has been answered. Same statement I made there applies here.

[FBCC]

Wow Kevino

 

What a difference a week has made in Vantage!

 

Thanks for the update with the pics

 

By The Way I just back tracked to your post in Partners

have you check Umptanum Falls I know it is not that difficult but beggers can't be choosey.

 

Andy

[G-spotter]

or you could just drive to lillooet which is super fat